MWSA Review

As the Vietnam War fades into the past, it is reassuring that accurate records are documented by people who lived the stories. John B. Haseman’s memoir recalls his experience as an advisor in the Mekong Delta well after the American troop withdrawal had begun. The author succeeds in his stated purpose to present a different and more accurate narrative about the Regional and Popular Forces with whom he worked from 1971 to 1973. He explains how even though poorly equipped and scorned by the ARVN as well as the Americans, these grassroots soldiers defended their districts, their families, and their communities with tenacity. A detailed explanation of how the VC infiltrated their ranks sheds light on that unfortunate derogation.

Often the only American accompanying his men on patrol, Captain Haseman knew it was important to establish trust. Calling for air support when needed and his willingness to acknowledge ignorance as a foreigner living in a different culture are just two ways he earned that trust. Photographs provide faces to names and images to descriptions. An account of differing belief systems explains how religious traditions develop into political institutions. He seized the opportunity to put Navy Seabees to work replacing a wobbly coconut log bridge with a U.S. donated steel framework. He earned a mother’s trust when she allowed him to escort her son—whose father was a senior VC officer—to Saigon for facial surgery in an American hospital.

Despite numerous incidents of factual repetition, military buffs will appreciate reading about tactical operations and all things military including the author’s respect for FAC support and the incredible bravery of the pilots. Academics will appreciate the narrative research thesis style of writing, thoroughly documented with footnotes, an index of terms and additional appendices. Laymen will relate to the relationships the author formed with his Vietnamese soldiers and superiors, knowing that any one of them could be VC and take his life if they chose. John Haseman has laid out a valuable relationship-building roadmap using trust, respect, and humility as the markers to understanding and cooperation. 

Review by Janette Stone

 

Author's Synopsis

On his second tour in Vietnam, U.S. Army Captain John Haseman served 18 months as a combat advisor in the Mekong Delta's Kien Hoa Province. His detailed memoir gives one of the few accounts of a district-level advisor's experiences at the "point of the spear." Often the only American going into combat with his South Vietnamese counterparts, Haseman highlights the importance of trust and confidence between advisors and their units and the courage of the men he fought with during the 1972 North Vietnamese summer offensive. Among the last advisors to leave the field, Haseman describes the challenges of supporting his counterparts with fewer and fewer resources, and the emotional conclusion of an advisory mission near the end of the Vietnam War.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 277

Word Count: 97,700