Combat Advisor: How America Won the War and Lost the Peace in Vietnam

Between April 1969 and January 1970, author John Loving served in Vietnam as an advisor to Regional Forces in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.

By 1969, major changes were taking place in the U.S. war effort in the Republic of South Vietnam. As an army first lieutenant, Loving was part of a group of specially trained American soldiers sent to remote parts of the countryside to teach and fight beside the South Vietnamese Regional Forces. Loving tells of his attempts to counsel older Vietnamese officers as well as instances of combat with the Viet Cong. He shares how he led a team of five American soldiers in Tay Ninh province and how they eventually encouraged the reluctant Vietnamese counterparts to fight the enemy despite their leaders’ rampant incompetence and corruption. As his team made progress in winning over the people and bringing security to the countryside, he learned valuable lessons that are still relevant for current conflicts such as those waged in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Combat Advisor: How America Won the War and Lost the Peace in Vietnam is a poignant remembrance of a tragic time when American men fought for honor and duty, but with no clear national goals.