Once A Warrior King Review
Once A Warrior King - ReviewOnce a Warrior King gives rare and unique insight into the battles of Vietnam. David Donavan gives his account as the Army First Lieutenant in charge of a southern Vietnamese district. Based in the southern, rural village of Tram Chim, this book shifts the focus of the war from the political misunderstanding and shortcomings to the social effects they had on both the Vietnamese people and Donovan himself.
Political
The war in Vietnam is fraught with paradox. The facts of the war in Vietnam contrast sharply with American perceptions of it at the time. American intentions were as misunderstood as the people they were intended to protect.
The information gathered in order to report the state of affairs during the Vietnam War was far from factual. Miscommunication was a major part of America's problem in Vietnam. Top officials and politicians in the U.S. government didn't understand what was taking place on the front lines and therefor they were less than effective in strategic decision making processes. The American people also understood very little about the war. Understanding this puts anti-war protests in perspective; the American people could not envision the death and mutilation of children.
American intentions in Vietnam were muddled, thus forces were misguided and outcomes were unfavorable. Originally the American presence in South Vietnam was mainly to push for the social betterment of the Vietnamese people. Soon however, an offensive stance was required in the face of socialist expansion into the region. America feared that communist control of Vietnam would tip the balance of world power in Russia's favor. This led to much criticism of the US for its role as an international police force.
Effects on Vietnamese
The Vietnamese suffered on many levels as a result of the United States intervention. The Saigon government, which controlled South Vietnam, was corrupt and alien to the rural peoples. The majority of the population gained very little in spite of American intentions.
Donovan reflects, "It appeared to me that corruption was the clear enemy from within. It was a cancer eating away at the Vietnamese government. Corruption violated the people's hope for fair treatment under their laws and made them cynical about the legitimate needs of government."(p251)
Vietnam has historically been a controlled nation. Following the French withdraw from the area, the Vietnamese seemed lost...
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