Title

Buddha's child : my fight to save Vietnam

Description

Ky served as a general in the South Vietnamese Air Force and as prime minister from 1965 until 1967.

Identifier

1028301

312281153

Creator

Nguyễn, Cao Kỳ

Format

1st ed.

Contributor

Wolf, Marvin J

Source

Brian Lamb Booknotes Collection

Gift of Brian Lamb, 2011.

Catalog record

Language

eng

Date

2002

Program air date: July 14, 2002

Publisher

St. Martin's Press

George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections & Archives

Text

Transcription of Annotations
Notes from front endpapers provide biographical information on Ky's personal life and his career. They also record his opinion of the French in Vietnam and his assessment of American government officials like Lyndon Johnson, Henry Kissinger, Robert McNamara, Hubert Humphrey, Richard Nixon and others. Other notes concern the Tet offensive, which Ky considered his country's greatest victory of the war, his conclusion that the Americans were dishonest in their dealings with the Vietnamese, and comments regarding President Thieu. - Notes on back endpapers refer to the Vietnamese ban on the importing of Chinese goods, the high number of Vietnamese exiles, particularly in America, and the 'Dirty Thirty', a group of American pilots who flew under Ky's command. --The following questions and quotes are included in the notes: "Who were Viet Minh?" - "Where did Americans waste money - what programs were you opposed to?" - "What is it like to read news and for the record reports of your meetings years later?" - "You call it the "bitter-sweet life of exile", p. 228. - "What did you think of Robert McNamara? He called you "bottom of the barrel". - "I never prayed to Buddha for guidance, p. 151". - "How much did U.S. give VNAF in early '64?" - "What was the secret protocol that Thieu signed?" - "Why didn't America tell us of impending attack? This exposed their lies about Vietcong strength." - "For if you are different I have some respect and interest in you. If you are average, I am not interested, p. 285". - Annotations by Brian Lamb in the margins and underlining of pertinent phrases throughout the book. -- Examples: p. 332: "If Americans knew how to deal with other people, they could bring peace to the world. Alas, they have not learned enough yet. The true American feels that he is 100 percent welcome anywhere he goes; the way Americans understand and treat other peoples almost guarantees that the world will suffer more trouble." -- "... People like Thieu and his cronies, for example, were willing to accept the American point of view because it offered them a path to personal enrichment. But Americans should understand that for every Thieu there are thousands more who expect to be treated as equals, even if they were not born in the United States, even if they are small and brown and eat strange foods and worship gods of whom Americans have never heard."

Subject

"Nguyễn, Cao Kỳ"

"Vietnam War, 1961-1975."

"Prime ministers--Vietnam (Republic)--Biography."

Relation

Original Booknotes interview

Rights

This work may be protected by copyright laws and is provided for educational and research purposes only. Any infringing use may be subject to disciplinary action and/or civil or criminal liability as provided by law. If you believe that you are the rights-holder and object to Mason’s use of this image, please contact speccoll@gmu.edu.