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

One of just a handful of women reporting on the Vietnam War, Kate Webb was captured by North Vietnamese troops and presumed dead—until she emerged from the jungle waving a piece of white parachute material after 23 days in captivity.

Le Ly Hayslip enjoyed a peaceful early childhood in a Vietnamese farming village before war changed her life forever. Brutalized by all sides, she escaped to the United States, where she eventually founded two humanitarian organizations. Lynda Van Devanter was an idealistic young nurse in 1969 when a plane carrying her and 350 men landed in South Vietnam. Her harrowing experiences working in a combat zone hospital would later serve as inspiration for the TV series China Beach.

In these pages readers meet these and other brave women and girls who served in life-threatening roles as medics, journalists, resisters, and revolutionaries in the conflict in Vietnam. Author Kathryn J. Atwood presents a clear introduction to each of five chronological sections, guiding readers through the social and political turmoil that spanned two decades and the tenure of five US presidents. Each woman's story unfolds in a suspenseful, engaging way, incorporating plentiful original source materials, quotes, and photographs. Resources for further study, source notes and a bibliography, and a helpful map and glossary round out this exploration of one of modern history's most divisive wars.

"Atwood honors heroines from all sides of the conflict, highlighting the common courage and humanity of the women who struggled for survival and compassion in the midst of war. Courageous Women of the Vietnam War is an inspiration!"—Kate Quinn, author ofThe Alice Network, the Empress of Rome Saga, and the Borgia Chronicles

“The Vietnam War was hardly an all-male event: there were women participating on all sides of the war. Kathryn Atwood has collected the personal stories of a good sample of the women involved, and her book is well worth reading for a look at the untold stories of the war.”—Joseph L. Galloway, coauthor of the New York Times bestsellers We Were Soldiers Once…and Young and We Are Soldiers Still