As a US Army Medical Corps officer, I have always been interested on the human and cultural aspects of the war.
Members may be interested in a book that I recently read entitled,"A Different Face of War." It is the most recent book to be published on the Vietnam War, having been released by the University of North Texas Press on November 15, 2015. Written by a retired U.S. Army officer, James G. Van Straten, who served as an advisor to the ARVN. The book in my opinion is one of the very best to be published about that tragic war. It describes with poignancy and relevancy the early days of the conflict in the upper five provinces of the Republic of South Vietnam, the area from the DMZ to below Quang Ngai City.
I learned more about the culture, the values, and the traditions of the Vietnamese people from reading this book than I did from all of my previous readings combined. Van Straten's book may well become one of the iconic books about the Vietnam War. I would give it a five star rating and recommend it to all who have any interest in the history of that war.
As the author of "A Different Face of War," a memoir about my experiences in Vietnam, I was exceedingly pleased to read Dr. Hector Ramirez's comments about my book. I know that all who have served in that tragic war will find it to be of interest, as will all who are interested in our nation's history. I believe the book will prove appealing to the members of book clubs throughout the united States. Jim Van Straten
