Voices from Viet Nam
Local Histories on the Road to Peace
by Rex Eaton

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Based on interviews with survivors of “the American War,” Voices from Việt Nam delivers a moving portrait of a people who have succeeded, against great odds, in overcoming the horrors of war and occupation without bitterness—but also without forgetting. During five extended trips to Việt Nam over several years, Rex Eaton met and talked at length with people from all walks of life: village heroes, survivors of massacres, creative artists, entrepreneurs, local memory keepers, guides and interpreters, and the children and grandchildren of both ordinary fighters and leaders of the liberation struggle. Greeted everywhere with candour and hospitality, he heard stories of terrible suffering, incredible courage, extraordinary endurance, and above all, love—for country, community, family, and the natural environment, all deeply scarred by the war yet capable of amazing resilience and renewal. The interviews, supplemented by the author’s own astute and sympathetic observations, capture the hardships of the Việt Nam war, the often surprising details of how people survived, and the intriguing stories of how some even thrived. Whatever their outcomes, these fascinating personal histories reflect the remarkable tenacity of the Vietnamese people and their inspiring capacity for healing and compassion. At the centre of the book, the stories of two heroic women—one the creator of an architectural masterpiece that celebrates the wonders of nature, the other the founder of an orphanage where every child in need, regardless of illness or disability, is welcomed—speak not just of survival but of rebirth. Together, all the stories are a profound uplifting testament to human resilience, creativity, and the universal longing for peace.

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Rex Eaton, with degrees in sociology, chemistry, and public health, was the policy director of Worksafe BC for many years and authored several publications in the field of worker health and safety. An activist in the Việt Nam peace movement in his youth, he remained deeply interested in the history of the war and of Việt Nam, whose rich culture and fascinating society he grew to love during his visits there. Impressed by the personal stories of the war he heard on his travels up and down the country, he made it his goal to share those inspiring stories with a wider audience and began writing Voices from Việt Nam after he retired. Unfortunately, Rex passed away while he was still putting the finishing touches on his labour of love. To honour his memory, his wife Andrea, daughter-in-law Jillian and sons Daniel and Shane completed the project from Rex’s manuscript.

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Rex Eaton