Once Upon a Distant War

Starred review from October 30, 1995
Another Vietnam War book? Yes, and a good one. By concentrating on early battles covered by a brilliant corps of young U.S. war correspondents, Prochnau, former Washington Post national correspondent, provides a clear, new perspective of the tragedy of Vietnam--both militarily and diplomatically. His documentation is superb as he tells of the frustrations of the New York Times's David Halberstam, the Associated Press's Malcolm Browne, United Press International's Neil Sheehan, and others as they were continually lied to by U.S. officials and then villified as traitors. Then, too, there was the colorful presence of the crusty veteran war correspondent, Homer Bigart. It was, Prochnau says, "the beginning of the end of the golden age of print." Television would dominate later war coverage. Highly recommended for all collections.--Chet Hagan, Berks Cty. P.L. System, Pa.