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T. HARDJONO : 1970 - 1972 ORIGINAL VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE DIARY HANDWRITTEN BY A SOLDIER FOR THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM, FIGHTING ALONGSIDE AMERICANS AGAINST THE COMMUNIST THREAT

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is a particularly interesting document of the War in Vietnam and the history of Vietnam in general, a notebook written by a soldier in the South Vietnamese army in 1971, the very heart of the war. The notebook itself is printed in French, but all the content within the book is in Vietnamese. The author, “T. H.” fought for the Republic of Vietnam (also known as South Vietnam). The book contains roughly 380 pages with about 50 or so pages of writing. There are also about 30 loose pages as well, dated but not with the year, as well as a two page letter from the author and numerous pieces of ephemera. Most notably, the ephemera provides interesting context to the author in question. There are 10 photographs of the author in his uniform, including a few that look quite official. Included in the ephemera are also a “Subud” member card of the author’s father. Subud is an international spiritual movement that began in Indonesia in the 1920s. The author’s father’s name is “L.F.M. Hardjono”. Also included in the ephemera are a printed New Year card from Nguy?n-Van-Chi?u, a Vietnamese martial arts master with whom the author may have studied and a 2 page typed letter from Cao Van Vi?n, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam, giving encouragement to his soldiers. For anyone interested in the War in Vietnam as fought by those on the American’s side fighting against the North Vietnamese, this would be a fascinating diary to possess and read through. As stated before, the entire diary is in Vietnamese. The book is in good condition. It was produced by “Laboratoires Duyet,” a pharmaceutical company and therefore there are numerous French-language advertisements throughout the book for pills and medicines. The covers show some aesthetic wear, but the binding is still tight. The pages within have some age-toning, but never enough to affect the legibility of the content. The author’s handwriting can be cramped, but will undoubtedly be easier to read for someone with knowledge of the Vietnamese language. OVERALL: G+. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good +

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