The other side of the war

Colonel Channon did not begin to learn what was really going on in Viet Nam until he arrived in January 1971. The U.S. reporters were telling the story of our American troops to the American people. The story of the Vietnamese people, the Vietnamese forces, and the other Allied forces was not being told. The American ground forces were being withdrawn primarily in 1971 and 1972. By the spring and summer of 1972, most of our ground forces were gone. Those still there were along the coast awaiting out-shipment - not involved in combat operations. During that same spring and summer of 1972, the Vietnamese and Korean forces defeated an invasion by eighteen North Vietnamese divisions - with major assistance of U.S. air and naval elements. Only three North Vietnamese divisions had been left in the north. Our press never told that story. It will be told here. During the last 27 months of our advisory involvement in Viet Nam, Colonel Channon made over 700 visits into the provinces, districts, villages, and hamlets of Viet Nam. Extensive studies by his own staff and by other directorates provided him with additional background on which to base this book. The picture painted earlier about Viet Nam differed so much from his observations and from those of his associates that he felt impelled to develop the account herein.