Courageous Women of the Vietnam War: Medics, Journalists, Survivors, and More (Women of Action) by Kathryn J. Atwood

Courageous Women of the Vietnam War: Medics, Journalists, Survivors, and More (Women of Action) Reviews

• 
  BAM has no motivation, give me a pillow

  Edelweiss #3
  
  Many thanks to Kathryn J Atwood, Chicago Review Press, and Edelweiss for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
  The women profiled in this book held various positions in Vietnam and were of different ages. They are not all nurses or soldiers. Some are Vietnamese. The dynamics of the war were just as damaging to females, and they didn't get any treatment or a welcome home either. "This book is not about proving the rightness or wrongness of the Vietnam War." The women lived through hell on earth whether they chose to or had those choices foisted upon them. Regardless there was a personal cost and these are those stories.
  I have great admiration for these women. However they chose to battle the inhumanity it took courage. Atwood did a good job.
• 
  Marialyce (back in the USA!)

  2 so disappointing stars
  
  I was so looking forward to reading this book and perhaps so much anticipation ruined what I thought would be a most enlightening and courageous read. Perhaps much of the blame could be placed on the ARC I received which was ever so jumbled with notes interspersed among he story line making for confusion and an interruption to the poignant stories of these courageous women. I have read a considerable amount of ARCs but this one was a mess sad to say. The stories of these brave woman who risked their very lives helping those poor people not only fighting in Vietnam but also caught in the crossfire in a war many did not understand, started and stopped abruptly. There was so much missing in the details and one could not help but wanting more information, more story, more relevant details.Told through the lives of woman on both sides of this conflict, was a wonderful concept. I just wish it could have come together better. Hopefully the editor will pull this together so that these women and their stories can be fully told.
  
  Thank you to Kathryn J. Atwood, Chicago Review Press, and Edelweiss for an advanced copy of this novel.
• 
  Heidi

  The collection of stories included in this book includes a nice variety of experiences. It's clear the author worked hard to gather information on the lives of many women who experienced Vietnam in some way. The stories included range from civilians and victims to nurses, reporters, volunteers, a North Vietnamese surgeon, and even a war protester. This provided me with a variety of different perspectives on the war and the experiences these women had. Many of the stories are heartbreaking in the suffering and destruction these women witnessed or were a part of, directly or indirectly. No one could read these stories and remain untouched by the horribleness of war. The ladies themselves had/have different views on the rightness and wrongness of the war and while the author includes these views, she doesn't try to say who is right or wrong. She simply tells the stories. As I looked at the notes and references and suggested resources, I was pleased to see so many primary sources listed. Many of the women who are included in the book have told their own stories elsewhere, making this book a jumping off point for those who want to learn more. This book is a valuable resource for those who want to look at the historical experiences of an often overlooked group of war veterans/survivors.
• 
  Staci

  Very well written book! Shows the courage of the women who served as nurses and journalists in the Vietnam war.
• 
  Jimmy

  In the year 40 CE, two women, Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, became legends in Vietnamese history by leading a military victory against the brutal occupation by China. Trac's husband was beheaded for attempting to do the same.
  
  Two hundred years later, Trieu Au led an army of 1,000 men against the Chinese. When asked why, she responded, "I want to rail against the wind and the tide, kill the whales in the sea, sweep the whole country to save the people from slavery, and I refused to be abused." All the stuff of legend.
  
  Xuan Phuong:
  
  
  by
  Xuan Phuong
  
  Genevieve de Galard:
  
  
  by
  Geneviève de Galard
  
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HK3Z...
  
  Le Ly Hayslip:
  
  
  by
  
  Le Ly Hayslip
  
  
  by
  
  Le Ly Hayslip
  
  Bobbi Hovis:
  
  
  by
  Bobbi Hovis
  
  Kay Wilhelmy Bauer:
  
  She helped establish a PTSD program especially for female nurses who served in Vietnam.
  
  Jurate Kazickas:
  
  
  by
  Joyce Hoffmann
  
  
  by
  Tad Bartimus
  
  Iris Mary Roser:
  
  
  by
  Iris Mary Roser
  
  Anne Koch:
  
  
  by
  Keith Walker
  
  Dang Thuy Tram:
  
  
  by
  
  Đặng Thùy Trâm
  
  
  by
  Karen Gottschang Turner
  
  
  by
  Christian G. Appy
  
  
  by
  David Chanoff
  
  Lynda Van Devanter:
  
  
  by
  Lynda Van Devanter
  
  
  by
  Winnie Smith
  
  
  by
  
  Sharon Wildwind
  
  Kate Webb:
  
  
  by
  Kate Webb
  
  
  by
  Tad Bartimus
  
  Joan Baez:
  
  
  by
  
  Joan Baez
  
  
  by
  
  Joan Baez
  
  Her vinyl album of poetry and singing is called Where Are You Now, My Son? against a backdrop of sounds recorded in Hanoi during the 1972 Christmas bombings.
  
  Tracy Wood:
  
  
  by
  
  Alvin Townley
  
  
  by
  Tad Bartimus
  
  Kim Phuc:
  
  
  by
  
  Kim Phuc Phan Thi
  
  
  by
  
  Denise Chong
  
  The Kim Phuc Foundation: Helping Children of War:
  
  
  http://www.kimfoundation.com/modules/...
• 
  Chris Wolak

  I’m a big fan of Kathryn J. Atwood’s work. She’s written several collective biographies of women who either insert themselves into or find themselves in the midst of a war zone or occupied territory. Her books are written for a young adult audience, but they’re good reading for adults as well.
  
  Courageous Women of the Vietnam War introduces the reader to the Vietnam War from a variety of perspectives: Vietnamese, French, New Zealand, Australian, and American. By including women from different backgrounds and countries of origin, Atwood is able to show how international this war in a relatively small country was.
  
  Atwood organizes this book chronologically in five parts:
  
  Part 1 — 1945-1956: Ho Chi Minh’s Revolution
  Women featured: Xuan Phuong and Geneviève de Galard
  
  Part II –1957-1964: Ngo Dinh Diem’s Civil War
  Women featured: Le Ly Hayslip and Bobbi Hovis
  
  Part III — 1965-1968: Lyndon B. Johnson’s American War
  Women featured: Kay Wilhelmy Bauer, Jurate Kazickas, and Iris Mary Roser
  
  Part IV — 1969-1970: Richard M. Nixon’s “Peace”
  Women featured: Anne Koch, Dang Thuy Tram, and Lynda Van Devanter
  
  Part V — 1971-1975: Endings and Beginnings
  Women featured: Kate Webb, Joan Baez, Tracy Wood, and Kim Phuc
  
  The Vietnam War has always been a rather murky mess in my mind. I haven’t read a history of the war, but I have read a few novels written by veterans who experienced combat there. The two that immediately come to mind are Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes and Fields of Fire by James Webb. I’ve read memoirs, too, such as Ron Kovic’s Born on the Fourth of July and Hurricane Street, but I’ve never attempted a study of this war. Is it because it’s too close and still seems more like current events? Is it because it was such a complex war and I have no clue where to start? World War I and World War II were no doubt complex wars, but perhaps distance has given us more entrenched narratives that are easier to follow?
  
  I don’t know, but I do know that Atwood’s book has given me an organized overview of the war as a whole and some idea of the significant twists and turns it took over the decades. There’s a map of Vietnam and the countries at its borders with arrows outlining the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Scattered throughout are photos of each woman and sidebars that explain important concepts or events like Communism, PTSD, the POWs of Dien Bien Phu, and Agent Orange. Resources to learn more are at the end of each chapter.
  
  The heart of this book, however, is the women that Atwood is writing about. There’s certainly a need for books about women and war, especially for young adults. And although it’s not easy to read about war, there’s something refreshing about reading about a war from a variety of perspectives, not just the victors or the warriors.
  
  It was fascinating to learn about how life has turned out for Kim Phuc, who was famously photographed when she was 9-years-old, running naked from the flames of Napalm. And then there’s the case of Kay Wilhelmy Bauer who served as a nurse in the Navy in Guam and Japan before heading to Vietnam. After her service in Vietnam Bauer worked as a Navy recruiter in Minnesota and was targeted by anti-war protestors. Her office was bombed. Then the house next to hers was destroyed by another bomb that killed the inhabitants, a case of the wrong house being targeted. My image of anti-war protestors is hippy teens putting flowers in rifle muzzles, not domestic terrorists bombing buildings.
  
  There’s a lot to learn and Atwood’s book is a great place to start for adults both young and older. I imagine it will fill a big gap in the libraries of those who may have read a lot about the war, but not much about women’s contributions and experiences.
  
  [A version of this review was originally posted on my blog:
  https://wildmoobooks.com/2018/10/30/c...]
• 
  Kadie Hayward Mullins

  @kidlitexchange #partner – We need more stories like these, capturing the female heroes who have played important roles throughout history.
  
  The most recent in Atwood’s series of wonderful works highlighting the experiences and importance of women in some of the most horrific and trying times we’ve faced, not just as a nation, but globally. While the history buff may not find the stories unique or novel and may find the lack of comprehensive detail a bit frustrating, it is a superior example of how to get young readers passionate about history – and teach them some really great stories along the way! I particularly appreciate the diversity of the stories and the women themselves.
  
  In addition to the individual stories of these intriguing women, accompanied by interesting photos, Atwood also provides a brief introduction to the historical background. These short sections ensure those just learning about the particular time period (in this case, the Vietnam War) have the necessary basics to appreciate the nuances of the stories told.
  
  Often, Atwood uses direct quotes from the women in the book, from journal and diary entries to letters and interviews. These add a lovely personal element to the narrative as well. Overall, the formatting and writing style is quite strong if not a bit direct. There is no need for literary flourish; these stories stand on their own.
  
  Overall, these are wonderful young adult and perhaps even middle grade introductions to vital historical periods worth studying. I would recommend for a history buff looking for a light read or any young(ish) reader looking to broaden their historical horizons!
  
  Thank you to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are own.
  
• 
  Veronica

  Okay, first of all, let me say that before this book I knew next to nothing about the Vietnam War. For the past three years, Kathryn J. Atwood has sent me each of her books to review. So, after I received this book in the mail, I dove right in, eager to fill in the gaps.
  Reading “Courageous Women of the Vietnam War” has been quite an education for me. Not only did it recount how America was drawn in and why, it went all the way back to the roots of war. Reading the stories of the Vietnamese girls and women, who yearned for nothing more than to be free, touched my heart. They simply wanted to live in a world untouched by war. Then learning how many American women voluntarily went over as nurses and even journalists, was extraordinary. Not only did they set foot in an uncharted territory, they did it knowing that some back home did not support them or their sacrifices. But it was the story of Phan Thi Kim Phuc and her journey to freedom that has stayed with me, and inspired me to do further research. I really highly recommend all of Kathryn’s books, but especially this one, because the Vietnam War is an important part of history and it should never be forgotten.
  
• 
  Alex Baugh

  "Vietnam is like a huge jigsaw puzzle where none of the pieces fit"
  Today, I digress from WWII. March is Women's History Month and today is International Women's Day, a time for celebrating women and their achievements. In this book about women in Vietnam, Kathryn Atwood not only presents the reader with some incredibly brave women, but uses their accomplishments to fit the puzzle pieces together to form a whole picture of the events to shaped Vietnam between 1945 and 1975.
  
  Organized into five distinct chronological parts, each part gives a brief history detailing the political events that were occurring both within and outside Vietnam's borders, pivotal events that were often the result of the actions of outsiders, first the French and later the Americans. This political history is seen through the lens of the fourteen brave women profiled. These are women who came from different backgrounds - Vietnamese, American, French, Australian, and New Zealand, and each for their own reasons. Who were these amazing women?
  
  One example is Geneviève de Galard, who came from a long line of French ancestors that had always proudly served in the military. In 1953, at 27, she followed in their footsteps as a military nurse and part of an evacuation team that transported wounded soldiers from remote parts of Indochina to Saigon and Paris. On one mission to Dien Bien Phu, surrounded by Vietminh artillery assaults, Geneviève realized she would be on the ground indefinitely helping to care for the wounded, where she was "in a way, a mother, a sister, a friend" as well as a nurse.
  
  Almost as soon as US Navy nurse Bobbi Hovis received her orders in 1963, she was on a plane heading to Saigon. There, Bobbi and other medical personnel spent their days turning a filthy, rickety apartment building into a hospital. As wounded arrived, improvisation became a way of life. In November 1963, a coup to overthrow South Vietnam's unpopular leader Ngo Dinh Diem began, then later that month the news of President Kennedy's assassination was announced. Fighting in Saigon increased with the threat of killing two Americans a day, and in February, the VietCong bombed Bobbi's favorite movie theater. But it was the photo of a dead soldier's wife and children that finally made Bobbi realize she had had enough.
  
  New Zealander Kate Webb decided to go to Vietnam as a journalist because it "...was simply the biggest story going, and [she] didn't understand it." Beginning as a freelance reporter in Saigon, Kate wrote about things that interested her, spending time with the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). Eventually, she made her way to the Cambodian border, where the US allied Khmer Republic had just been put in place. But the Cambodian communists, the Khmer Rouge, were also becoming stronger and soon a civil war broke out. Kate covered the fighting and when it was over, found herself, along with other reporters and cameramen, prisoners of the NVA (North Vietnamese Army). Marched northward, starved, lacking water, regularly interrogated, tortured, and expecting to be killed at any moment, Kate survived her 23 day capture, but not without serious PTSD.
  
  You may not recognize the name Kim Phuc, but most likely you know who she is. On June 8, 1972, Kim's family had taken refuge in a temple with others when bombs filled with napalm were dropped. Kim's clothing and body were burned by the napalm from a second bomb, and photographer Nick Ut captured her running away naked and screaming in pain. Kim's photo made history, but not her years of pain and recovery. Year's later, she became the pawn of a communist official named Hai Tam, who used her to lure western journalists with the promise of an interview and forcing Kim to leave medical school. Eventually, Kim did get away from Hai Tam, married and lives in Canada.
  
  I tend to avoid books about the Vietnam War. It was always so confusing, and there was so much controversy surrounding it in the United States between supporters and protesters, it just seemed easier to ignore. So I have to admit, I approached this book with some trepidation.
  
  What I found is a well-crafted book about women of courage. And not all of them were on the side of South Vietnam, nor were they all pro-war. All of their stories are fascinating, and include what later became of them after they left Vietnam. Kim Pfuc's story is a good example of that, so is that of the navy nurse Kay Wilhelmy Bauer who worked as a recruiter when she returned home. Kay indirectly survived the war when her neighbor's house was bombed by protesters, killing the people who lived there, by mistake. I was particularly happy to see Joan Baez included. Her political songs and visit to Vietnam may have been popular with anti-war protesters, but some veterans felt she had contributed to the terrible treatment they experienced when they returned home from Vietnam. As she told them, it was the war, not the veterans, she was against. This proved to be an important lesson about distinction to learn, when the US entered future wars not of the soldiers making.
  
  The great thing about Courageous Women of the Vietnam War, and in fact, all of Kathryn Atwood's books are that they are not young reader editions of adult books. They are first and foremost written for young adults so that they read smoothly but without talking down to the reader. Unfamiliar terms are clearly explained, and the intros to each part of the story make the complicated Vietnam War understandable. There is a map at the beginning of the book, which is always helpful, and I found myself referring to it more than once. Back matter includes a Glossary, Notes, and an excellent Bibliography.
  
  In her Introduction, Atwood writes that "when women volunteer to participate in a war, they exhibit a particular kind of courage, to face not only the dangers of battle, but also the negative opinions - perhaps even their own - of those who don't believe them capable of enduring war's grueling difficulties." (pg. 5) As you read these 14 amazing stories, I think you will see that particular kind of courage present in each one of them.
  
  This book is recommended for readers age 13+
  This book was sent to me by the publisher, Chicago Review Press
• 
  Tiffany Spano

  This is a well-researched and compelling book. I bought it for my niece because I wanted her to read about courageous women. I felt inspired by it, too.
• 
  Charity Tahmaseb

  This book by Kathryn Atwood is part of the Women of Action series from Chicago Review Press.
  
  Although I was very young at the time, I remember the Vietnam war. But I have a child's memory of that war. We never learned about it in school because it wasn't quite history yet. Certainly, we knew all about it, right?
  
  Well, perhaps. Perhaps not. As I said, my view of it is filtered, just as my view of Desert Storm will always be filtered through the lens of riding in an M577 tracked vehicle, a pair of headphones on my head, as we bounced up and over the berm between Saudi Arabia and Iraq. What was everyone else doing? I have no idea.
  
  I may never fill in those gaps, but I was amazed at how much I learned about the Vietnam war. One of the things I appreciated about this book was how it was organized into five parts. Each part covered significant events taking place during those years with corresponding stories:
  
  Part 1 1945-1956: Ho Chi Minh’s Revolution
  Women's stories: Xuan Phuong and Geneviève de Galard
  Part II 1957-1964: Ngo Dinh Diem’s Civil War
  Women's Stories: Le Ly Hayslip and Bobbi Hovis
  Part III 1965-1968: Lyndon B. Johnson’s American War
  Women's stories: Kay Wilhelmy Bauer, Jurate Kazickas, and Iris Mary Roser
  Part IV 1969-1970: Richard M. Nixon’s “Peace”
  Women's stories: Anne Koch, Dang Thuy Tram, and Lynda Van Devanter
  Part V 1971-1975: Endings and Beginnings
  Women's stories: Kate Webb, Joan Baez, Tracy Wood, and Kim Phuc
  
  Reading the history in parts, followed by each woman's story, allowed me to really get a sense for not only the big picture but how these big events impacted the lives of everyday women, from all walks of life and all sides of the conflict.
  
  The prose is, as always with Kathryn's books, accessible and a pleasure to read. Technically this is a young adult nonfiction book, but it's such a great resource for anyone: writer, student, teacher, homeschooler, historian. Like other books in the series, this one includes extensive notes, bibliography, and one of my favorite features: the Learn More section at the end of each woman's story.
  
  Thanks to the author and Chicago Review Press for the review copy of this book.
• 
  Viktoriya

  Read this book in one sitting. It is an important book and I appreciated the fact that the author didn't concentrate on American women only. She included stories of a French servicewoman, an Australian, a New Zealander and a few Vietnamese women as well (from both sides of the fence).
• 
  Christine

  Having been a child during the 60s, I saw the nightly news and reports on the war. It was difficult to understand. This book tells compelling and important stories of the women who served on both sides or who were affected in some way by this terrible war. Great read!
• 
  John Podlaski

  I was gifted a copy of Courageous Women of the Vietnam War by Kathryn Atwood & Diane Carlson Evans by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about these women, some I was aware of their exploits, and others were new to me. The author splits the book into five sections: from 1945 until 1975 and introduces readers to these exemplary women of the times, and following the natural events and history of Vietnam during those thirty years. All in all, the authors told the stories of thirteen special women who made personal sacrifices during those years. They were medics & nurses, Vietnamese patriots and revolutionists, journalists - one a POW for 23-days by the NVA, a singer, and a survivor of a napalm attack; each was extremely passionate in their beliefs and actions. It's not only a great historical overview of Vietnam, but it also shows how these thirteen women impacted that part of history and/or the war effort. Well worth the read and highly recommended.
• 
  Sonia Reppe

  Very interesting to find a chapter about the little girl in the famous photo running from napalm bomb, which had burned her clothes off. Vietnam did nothing to help her skin wounds, and the corrupt government stopped her from going to college. I'm so glad she got medical treatment from American and German hospitals, and finally got out of Vietnam.
  I saw the author speak at a bookstore, and she and her husband gave a presentation of Vietnam-era songs. They expressed what a tragedy this chapter was for America. Very sad, the best we can do now is honor memories.
• 
  Stacey

  I won this book in a goodreads first reads giveaway and I'm glad I did. The Vietnam War was not taught in my history class (well, maybe 5 pages in 1 book), so I've done some reading on my own. In the books I've read, rarely are the women who were in Vietnam mentioned in any depth.
  
  What I really liked in this book, which is geared towards a young adult audience, is that the author profiled women in all roles - foreign nurses, volunteers and journalists along with Vietnamese women who supported the North and South. Since the stories of the Vietnamese women were what I knew least about going into this book, those are what I found most interesting - how they ended up "choosing" a side and what they went through during and after the war.
  
  Each woman had about 10 pages devoted to her story and the author included some background sections to explain what was going on politically and socially at that time. I highly recommend this book if you're looking to learn more about women's roles during wartime and/or about the Vietnam War in a Cliff Notes way.
• 
  BookDragon

  A quick read about women during Vietnam. Gives readers a sight into what the Vietnam War was like for women who served, reported, and survived. Gives little short blurbs about each woman split up with chapters on the war. Not as promising as I thought this was going to be bust still an interesting read.
• 
  Laura Naluai

  Read this out loud to my 16 year old son who had to read it for school and was struggling to do so. Interesting perspectives from different women serving in the Vietnam war on both sides, no sides, and civilians from both north and south Vietnam. Eye opening non fiction covering the 2 decades of the war.
• 
  Jessica

  I struggled with this one. I loved Courageous Women of WWII, but this one seemed like a stretch for me. This was smaller and I feel like some of the contributions were overly detailed to make up for the lack of women included.
  I liked that Atwood included stories from both sides, but I never really enjoyed this book.
• 
  Meghan

  Information could get repetitive, as if each chapter was a separate entity. The glossary was also not very useful. Would have liked pronounciations for Vietnamese words as I was only familiar with a few.
• 
  Carol

  Almost exclusively nurses & medics with a smattering of journalists and survivors of atrocities. Would have liked to see a wider variety of roles represented.
• 
  Bookworm

  Intimate portraits from all sides - communist, American, French, nurses, journalists, etc. Well done!