First In, Last Out: An Unconventional British Officer in Indo-China

First In, Last Out: An Unconventional British Officer in Indo-China
ISBN-10
1784382221
ISBN-13
9781784382223
Series
First In, Last Out
Category
History
Pages
256
Language
English
Published
2017-04-30
Publisher
Casemate Publishers
Author
J P Cross

Description

This is the astonishing tale of two episodes in the life of Colonel J P Cross, jungle fighter and linguist extraordinaire.As a young officer at the end of the war against Japan in 1945, he took part in counterinsurgency operations against the Vietminh at a time of chaos and confusion. Sent to the area to help disarm the defeated Japanese, Cross found himself commanding a battalion of the very same troops against the Vietminh.That period provides the backdrop to Crosss experiences as British Defence Attache to Laos between 1972 and 1976. His mastery of the languages of the region allowed him rarely accorded access to high Laotian political circles.Allowed to wander at will even by the Communists, he was in the unique position to survey the subterfuge and rivalry surrounding an overlooked yet fascinating sideshow to the Vietnam War. A remarkable man, J P Cross provides an absorbing account of his life amidst the cut and thrust of Laotion politics.

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