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Book Review of In the Jaws of History

In the Jaws of History
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From Library Journal
Active in the Vietnamese nationalist movement, the nephew of Emperor Bao Dai's short-termed prime minister Tran Trong Kim, founder of the Saigon Post , and ultimately South Vietnam's ambassador to the United States, Bui Diem was both a participant in and observer of the post-World War II struggles of Vietnam. Though well written and at times illuminating, his perspective is seldom self-critical and often reveals how detached he was from the decision-making process. This may not be the most satisfying historical expose but it does serve to illustrate his central point: that when the Americans sent in troops they took over the war,exhibiting a blatant disregard of South Vietnamese interests (culminating in the forced acceptance of the Paris Accords). A useful addition to Vietnam collections.