For Two Cows I Ain't Half-Bad · the Memoir of a Young Girl in the Vietnam War

He who knows himself, and knows his enemy, wins without danger.

Sun‑tzu

Bac Eaton's story is a graphic picture of the struggles of a young Vietnamese girl and her family in war-torn Vietnam. It should be required reading for all who served there, as well as their families and friends. It explains in simple yet powerful language the forces that were acting on the Vietnamese nation, while we, the United States, were so closely involved. These forces, religious, ethnic, political, and always life-threatening, were never fully understood by the Americans. Whether we were serving in Vietnam, had already served there, or were directing the conflict from Washington, D. C., we never knew what we were facing. This failure to understand made our efforts to meld the South Vietnamese people into an effective cohesive force an exercise in futility.

In a simple but compelling way the author describes the harsh realities of life in the hell of Vietnam. It is miraculous that anyone could maintain any kind of day to day existence much less dream of the future under these conditions. Bac is living proof of the spirit of the South Vietnamese people and their ability to surmount overwhelming odds.

Robert N Mackinnon

Maj. Gen. USA Retired