Highway One A Vietnam War Story
Highway One A Vietnam War Story by James E. Davidson, published by iUniverse in 2001, is a historical fiction novel that delves into the complexities of the Vietnam War during a pivotal moment in 1968. This edition, comprising 251 pages, presents a narrative centered around the U.S. military’s strategy to “Vietnamize” the conflict, shifting the burden of combat to South Vietnamese forces while American advisors grapple with their roles and responsibilities in a foreign land.
Readers will find a story that explores the tensions between military objectives and local customs, as a young Army lieutenant approaches the end of his tour of duty. Tasked with building a rifle range for a local self-defense force, he navigates the conflicting philosophies of the Army and the villagers’ traditional views on time and war. The narrative also introduces a romantic subplot involving a woman connected to the Viet Cong, adding layers to the lieutenant’s experience and decisions. Through its focus on war and military themes, this book offers a nuanced perspective on the challenges faced by those involved in the Vietnam War.
Official synopsis Publisher
When the light at the end of the tunnel in Vietnam was getting pretty dim in 1968, the Pentagon decided to “Vietnamize” the war. The United States’ strategy was to turn the fighting over to the South Vietnamese, supplying them with weapons, material, and advisors. However, the problem with this new policy was not so much the persistence of the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers, but the American advisors and their advice. These Americans weren’t necessarily incompetent, it was just that they were sent to Vietnam for only a one-year tour of duty and always felt like they had to do something.
So when a young Army lieutenant who only wants out of the Army is sent to a small village to build a rifle range for the local self-defense force during his last fourteen days in-country, he becomes caught between the Army’s gung ho philosophy and the villagers’ traditional Aisian concept of the relationship between time and war. To further complicate things, he is drawn to a beautiful woman in the village who is mysteriously close to the local Viet Cong.
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