Chapters Seven through Nine Summary and Analysis

Tang notes that Deim's successes are all "of a negative sort," and that those include an initiative to eliminate all those who are against him - especially those working near him in his own regime - and that he spends the vast majority of his time and effort in a quest to gain and hold power. There are several programs implemented, including urban renewal projects and rural development, but these are all evaluated for their usefulness in keeping control over those who might be against Diem. For this reason and others, the programs are hated by the common people and often completely unsuccessful. Tang next describes how he and a small group of men begin networking to find those who would form the National Liberation Front. He notes that they all know they must have...