ABSTRACT
One crucial factor in any war is the view that a nation has of its allies and enemies. A great deal of government effort usually goes into depicting the foe as villainous and the ally as heroic. This chapter examines the Vietnam Generation's feelings about the American ally, the South Vietnamese Army (ARVN), and the enemy, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and the Vietcong (VC). Many Vietnam veterans who had a negative view of the ARVN felt that the South Vietnamese troops had all the easier jobs and were not dedicated to the war effort. Many critics reported that they witnessed cruel acts committed by the ARVN, especially against civilians and prisoners of war. For some veterans, like the navy seabee quoted, this became the main reason that they turned against the ARVN. The loyalty and dedication of the VC and NVA are a prominent theme among those veterans who had a positive view of the enemy forces.
