Reeducation in Postwar Vietnam: Personal Postscripts to Peace

161 Pages·2001·1.55 MB·English

by  Edward P. Metzner, Huynh Van Chinh, Tran Van Phuc, Le Nguyen Binh

Preface i
Reeducation in Postwar Vietnam
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ii Preface
Preface iii
Reeducation
in Postwar
Vietnam
Personal Postscripts to Peace
     .       
           
         
           
Texas A&M University Press • College Station
iv Preface
Copyright © 
by Edward P. Metzner,
Huynh Van Chinh, Tran Van Phuc,
and Le Nguyen Binh
Manufactured in the
United States of America
All rights reserved
First edition
The paper used in this book
meets the minimum requirements
of the American National
Standard for Permanence
of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, Z.–.
Binding materials have
been chosen for durability.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Reeducation in postwar Vietnam : personal postcripts
to peace / Edward P. Metzner . . . [et al.].
p. cm.
Includes index.
 --- (cloth : alk. paper)
. Vietnam—Politics and government—–
. Huynh, Van Chinh. . Tran, Van Phuc.
. Le, Nguyen Binh. . Political prisoners—
Vietnam. . Prisons—Vietnam. I. Metzner,
Edward P., – II. Title.
. . 
.'—dc 
Preface v
To the many untold thousands of our former South
Vietnamese allies who did not survive the postwar “peace.”
To those who died in the so-called reeducation camps and
those who perished at sea fleeing to where freedom still
beckoned. They all, sadly and tragically, were casualties
of a war whose carnage rightfully should have ceased
on April , .
vi Preface
Preface vii
Contents
List of Illustrations 
Preface 
Acknowledgments 
Part I. Col. Tran Van Phuc’s Story
. Advisory Days 
. Saigon Memories 
. Thirteen Years of “Reeducation” 
. Moved to North Vietnam 
. Release 
. My Family’s Years of Misery 
. The Final Years 
Part II. Col. Huynh Van Chinh’s Story
. Advisory Days 
. Background 
. The Beginning of the End 
. The Lie of “Thirty Days” 
. Long Giao Prison 
. Sent North 
. Return to the South 
. Released 
viii Contents
Part III. Col. Le Nguyen Binh’s Story
. Advisory Days 
. The Dreaded Alert 
. Escape 
. Avoiding Mutiny 
. Singapore 
. A New Life in America 
Part IV. One a Hero, One a Saint
. Gen. Le Minh Dao 
. Father Joe Devlin 
Epilogue 
Index 
Illustrations
following page 
Col. Tran Van Phuc before reeducation, 
Col. Tran Van Phuc after reeducation, 
Col. Tran Van Phuc and Col. Edward Metzner, 
Col. Tran Van Phuc and family in Kirkland, Wash., 
Col. Huynh Van Chinh before reeducation, 
Col. Huynh Van Chinh after reeducation, 
Col. Le Nguyen Binh, 
Colonel Metzner, Mr. Le Van Hoi, Alina Metzner, and granddaughter
Father Joe Devlin and Maj. Gen. John Murray, 
Colonel Metzner and Father Devlin, 
Gen. Le Minh Dao, Alina Metzner, Colonel Metzner, and Chung Van Vu