The Palace File [Hardcover]

Gregory Tien Hung Nguyen (Author), Jerrold L. Schecter (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This book offers a fresh perspective on the Vietnam War and strikingly new documentation, both of which derive from co-author Hung's unique vantage point. A U.S.-trained economist, Hung served as special assistant to South Vietnamese President Thieu. In that capacity he gained access to a file of 31 letters from Presidents Nixon and Ford to the Vietnamese leader. Schecter, a Time editor, has assisted Hung in using this "palace file" of previously unpublished documents as the basis of a powerful critique of U.S. policy, especially the failure of the United States to live up to commitments to sustain South Vietnam after the Paris Peace Accords. Absorbing reading for a scholarly audience and informed laypersons; this will become a standard, if controversial, source. John H. Boyle, History Dept., California State Univ., Chico
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 542 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins; 1st edition (November 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060156406
• ISBN-13: 978-0060156404
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.6 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,765,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More relevant than ever. Good luck, Afghanistan!, December 15, 2002

By 

R. ARANT "Toun" (Lanesville, Indiana USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Palace File (Hardcover)

The Palace File should be number one on Hamid Karzai's reading list! The promises made in secret between one nation's leader and another have little value, it seems. Some would argue that such secret pledges should never be made by the elected leader of a true democracy. "Our" sincere pledges never to abandon an ally and never to waste the blood sacrifices of American troops are well-documented in The Palace File. The documents speak for themselves.

Those who doubt American staying power in the "war on terrorism" will find much ammunition for their arguments in a quick read of this sad tale of failed adventure in Vietnam. Our new but familiarly avid "nation builders" need to study The Palace File before they charge full-speed down the same slippery slope toward ignominy.

This book has also been published in the Vietnamese language, and is a wonderful learning tool for students of Vietnamese who are preparing for official assignments in Vietnam.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, August 28, 2009

By 

Troy Dawson (Santa Cruz, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Palace File (Paperback)

Appendix A reproduces the official "Top Secret" communication received by Thieu from DC via the Saigon embassy. It is like an extension of the Pentagon Papers in the 1972-73 period and these are photocopies of Thieu's actual hardcopy so have his own handwritten notes and questions on them in places.

Letter 19, dated Jan 17, 1973, lists exactly what textual concessions (13 in total) the final cease fire agreement achieved for Thieu compared to the October agreement that he rejected (which resulted in the December bombing so trumpeted by militarists as a great victory of US application of force).

I searched online for the words in this particular communiue from Nixon and could not find it, so this book is the only place to see what the "Christmas Bombing" achieved (hint: not much).