Introduction

History of the war in Hau Nghia province, Republic of Vietnam, during the period of 1963-1973. Hau Nghia, formed in October 1963, was a small entity even in Vietnamese terms. Furthermore, because it was a South Vietnamese administrative unit only and not recognized by the National Liberation Front (NLF), Hau Nghia no longer exists. The provincial administrations had far more authority over the local population than did lower political entities, such as the district or village. Changing the political orientation of the peasantry from hostility or apathy toward Saigon to genuine support should have been the object of US efforts, and Americans should have pursued the destruction of the enemy's military units only when it suited this larger political aim. Furthermore, every American political or economic effort in the countryside was aimed at reform or raising the material standard of living.