On the Frontlines of the Television War

It has been more than 40 years since the US evacuated its military from Vietnam…could we possibly need yet another book on the subject? What could there write about that hasn’t already been discussed ad nauseam?

The answer is plenty. Yasutsune Hrashiki was a combat cameraman in Southeast Asia, and this is his story. It is nominally about war, but is really about people, trust, friendship, dedication, struggle, triumph and sadness.


=== The Good Stuff ===

* From the moment he shows up in Saigon with a note saying that he is a good photographer, Hrashiki lives an incredible life as a combat photographer. He was one of a troop of dedicated journalists who brought, for better or worse, the Vietnam war directly into our living rooms. And although he is fluent in neither English or Vietnamese, the author turns out to be a remarkable observer and reporter of both the war and the struggles of those who covered it.

* Hrashiki has worked with many reporters who went on to be very familiar to US television viewers, and he is honest about working with them. But it is not a typical “tell-all” full of nasty stories. The author has been described as being very likeable, and that comes out in his writings. He admires the bravery and talent of others, and manages to find the brighter side of nearly everything.

* Combat photographer is an inherently dangerous occupation, but it can be much riskier or safer depending on specific actions. The best footage is obviously found at the front, but so is the most danger. Stay too safe, and you risk losing your coveted job. Get too risky, and you risk losing your life. The author struggles with his own behavior and emotions, and ends up feeling responsibility for the deaths of other journalists. It is almost a Shakespearean plot line.

* While Hrashiki professes to be only a photographer, and never claims any great fluency in English, he is a remarkable storyteller. The book was originally written in Japanese, but it is a credit to both the author and the English-language editor, Terry Irving, that the language seems so natural and even flowing. The pages flew by, starting with the author showing up in sneakers and a white shirt for his first combat mission and ending with a combat-hardened veteran keeping newly arrived journalists alive. I was genuinely disappointed when the book came to an end---quite literally with the “last flight out”.


=== The Not-So-Good Stuff ===

* In his opening notes, Terry Irving states that the book is a memoir, and not a history. While I respect that, there were so many “dead-ends” in the book that I wished it was more of a history. For example, the book begins with a diary captured from a dead North Vietnamese soldier. The diary was only summarized, but it was a fantastic story on its own, especially as you realize its owner was just a typical young man, worried about his family, friends and future. I wanted to read more.

* The book avoids the larger issues of the war. It would have been interesting to hear more on the author’s opinions about the effect of televised coverage on the war itself. Or perhaps what he thought about the more limited and controlled role of photographers in later US wars such as Desert Storm. I realize that is specifically beyond the scope of the book, but the author is such a perceptive observer that I would have welcomed his thoughts.


=== Summary ===

This was a great book to read, even if the events chronicled were less than pleasant. I enjoyed the author’s observations and the writing styles of everyone involved-including the excerpts from other journalists. My only real criticisms of the book were that I wished it contained more details and an expanded scope.

The book obviously appeals to military history buffs, but the writings would appeal to almost anyone interested in human interactions, especially in stressful situations.

I found this fascinating biography/history of the Television Coverage of the Vietnam War impossible to put down. This cameraman can also write. As the author mentions in the introduction this is only one man's recollection of the wars but he does have quite a story to tell. He really goes into a lot of detail of how that few minutes your see on your TV get there. Along the way you will meet many familiar and not so familiar names in the News. I really liked the letters from others who worked with Tony. It provided other points of view esp necessary when recalling events from long ago. The text is also accompanied with lots of photographs. Anyone interested in the Vietnam War or journalism will enjoy this book.