Synopses & Reviews
The history of the Vietnam War has rarely been told from the Vietnamese perspective-and never by a leader of that country. In
Buddha's Child, Nguyen Cao Ky reveals the remarkable story of his tumultuous tenure as Premier of South Vietnam, and offers unprecedented insight into the war's beginning, escalation, and heartbreaking end.
A thirty-four year old pilot and Air Force commander, known for his fighter-pilot's moustache, flowing lavender scarf and his reputation as a ladies' man, Ky in 1965 agreed to lead South Vietnam after a series of coups had dangerously destabilized the nation. Ky's task was to unite a country riven by political, ethnic, and religious factions and undermined by corruption. With little experience in governing and none in international affairs, and while continuing to fly combat missions over Vietnam, Ky plunged into a war to save his homeland. He served as premier until 1967, continued to be active in the war after his resignation, and finally left Vietnam in 1975 during the fall of Saigon.
Buddha's Child offers Ky's perspective on the crucial events and memorable images of the Vietnam War: the coup against and execution of President Diem; the self-immolation by the Buddhist monk, and the radical Buddhists' attempt to topple Ky's government; the bloody and pivotal Tet Offensive; the shooting of a Vietcong prisoner, captured in one of the war's most notorious photographs; the Paris Peace talks that sold out South Vietnam; and the last, desperate days of Saigon. In frank language, Ky discusses his own successes and failures as a leader and dramatically relates the progress of the war as it unfolded on the ground and behind the scenes-including anecdotes about Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, William Westmoreland, Henry Cabot Lodge, William Colby, Henry Kissinger, and many others.
Buddha's Child is a revelatory, fascinating account of a nation at war by a most unusual man.
Review
"Ky's story provides an interesting picture of the man who ruled the tail that wagged the American dog in the mid-1960s."—Peter Ross Range,
The Washington Post Book World"Insightful . . . Modest and keenly detailed, a welcome contribution to the literature of the Vietnam War."—Kirkus Reviews
"A remarkable, fascinating read. An unbelievably candid yet credible account of the tortured U.S./Vietnam relationship, and the incompetence and corruption of many of the senior Vietnamese leaders. Buddha's Child reveals previously unpublished incidents of significant importance. Students of the French and American Wars in Vietnam will find this hard-hitting book difficult to put down."—Harold G. Moore, Lt. General, U.S. Army (Ret.), and coauthor of We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young
"Nguyen Cao Ky reveals what went on behind the scenes at the highest levels of the Saigon and Washington governments: the coup d'état, the secret deals, the rivalries and intrigues, the revolts, the astonishing greed and corruption of his fellow generals, the conspiracies and betrayals, and, ultimately, the tears. Intimate, honest, and revealing on every page, this is a necessary piece of the history for all who want to know what really went on at the top."—Jack Laurence, former CBS News correspondent and author of The Cat from Hue: A Vietnam War Story
"[Ky] makes a case too remarkable to doubt. His take on America's role in Vietnam makes too much sense to dismiss . . . Honest criticism from an informed ally is well worth our attention."—Ron Honig, Santa Cruz Sentinel
"Against the background of the war, and expressions of his patriotism, Ky's recollections will certainly contribute to assessments of South Vietnam's viability and fate."—Gilbert Taylor, Booklist
"Ky provides an insider's look at the political machinations within South Vietnam during the American war."—Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
The former prime minister of South Vietnam recalls the pivotal events, major personalities, and previously unknown aspects of Vietnam's two-decade debacle. 16-page photo insert.
About the Author
Nguyen Cao Ky lives in southern California.
Marvin J. Wolf is the author or coauthor of nine nonfiction books, including Where White Men Fear to Tread, the national bestselling memoir in collaboration with Native American activist Russell Means. He lives in Los Angeles, California.