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The Ashes of War

Are the millions of South Vietnamese people, whose lives were irrevocably changed by the coming and passing of a single major event in their history, the unconditional surrender of their country to its mortal enemies, North Viet Nam and the Viet Cong, on April 30, 1975.

Voices from Ukraine

Stories of the plight of the Ukrainian people living in the Russian held regions of Ukraine, the Crimean Peninsula and the Separatist republics, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. They, until now, have had no voice.

Voices Of War Ukraine

At eleven-thirty am, on March 14, 2022, according to the Russian news agency TASS, “Ukrainian forces launched a Soviet-era Tochka-U missile with a cluster warhead into the city center of Donetsk,” a city of a million and a half people. The missile instantly shredded the lives of twenty-three civilians, including children, and injured as many or more who may not survive.

Author Bio

MH Murphy

Author MH Murphy says he is a proud Marine and Viet Nam Veteran, having served in-country, in 1965 – 66.

He has written more than twenty-five short stories about his life experiences and the people he has met along the way. Interesting stories such as My Girl (published in Rivulets 22 in 2010), Dancer, and Ghosts of Relatives Past.

He published his first book, The Ashes of War in November of 2017.

The Ashes of War

The Communists, once in control, completely ignored the articles of the nineteen seventy-three Paris Peace Accords, which ensured democratic freedoms, freedom from reprisal, and the right to self-determination for the people of South Viet Nam. Then the victors set about punishing the vanquished.

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Voices From Ukraine

This chronicle of events begins in 2014 with the Euromaidan protests in Kiev, and the ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych followed closely by the takeover of the Crimean Peninsula by armed Russian soldiers wearing masks and unmarked uniforms and, with that, the term ``Little Green Men,`` was coined.

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Voices of War Ukraine

Usually, the Ukrainians say, “the Russians did it,” as in the Kramatorsk Train Station incident, but this time, Kyiv was silent. It would be ludicrous to try and get the world to believe that the Russians would drop that “killing missile” on their people in Donetsk. Two days later, according to TASS, President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Lieutenant General Alexander Pavlyuk, Kyiv’s military operation commander in Donbass. Pavlyuk was apparently chosen to fall on his sword over the decision to launch the Tochka-U missile into downtown Donetsk filled with civilians. Kyiv did not deny that they did it; they just claimed the launch was executed “without authorization.”

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TESTIMONIALS

Vietnam. The Vietnam War. The Vietnamese Boat People. Images of that terrible time are seared into our minds. And then it was all over. Except, of course, that it wasn’t over, and in many ways still isn’t. We know that many Vietnam vets have struggled with their experiences since then, but we hear less often of what happened to the Vietnamese people themselves after the end of the war and the Americans left, especially to the people who stayed. In this powerful and moving book, Michael Murphy, himself a Vietnam vet and so someone who speaks with authority, explores the immediate aftermath of the war and describes the experiences of some of the Vietnamese people who whose lives were overturned in those terrible days.

The book begins in April 1975 in Saigon as the South surrenders to the victorious Communist North. Many of the populace were desperate to escape, and some succeeded, but many chose to stay, or were unable to get out. Two strands make up the narrative. One is based on the experiences of a personal friend of the author who managed to get on a boat and flee. In alternating chapters, we then turn to a tea-shop proprietor, who although a fictional character, epitomises the real-life experiences of many of those who stayed. Choosing to place him in a tea-shop is an effective device, as there he meets a wide range of people and listens in to all sorts of conversations. Day-by-day the strands interweave, until Murphy’s friend escapes and then the latter part of the book concentrates on the tea-shop owner and what happened to him and, by implication, to many others. Painstakingly and meticulously researched, the book is an authentic and compassionate portrait of a people in turmoil. Murphy has a personal and deeply felt relationship with the country and its people, and this comes over loud and clear in his passionate account of their plight. I learnt a lot from reading it and feel I have gained a deeper understanding of the legacy of that infamous war. This is essential reading for anyone interested in the Vietnam War and its aftermath, the country and people in general, and is also profound meditation on the inhumanity of all wars. Highly recommended.

Mike, I wanted to get back with you about your book. I’ve finally been able to read it and am stunned by how much work you put into that effort. I learned a ton. I had no idea how terrible conditions were following US withdrawal. Your description of events was amazing, especially the level of detail and the personal touch you were able to provide. If anyone has written anything even close to what you have done, I’d be very surprised. Thanks for sending it my way. You are a very fine writer and historian! Blessings, Scott

I just finished reading ASHES while vacationing on the North Shore of HI. What a marvelous accomplishment. This book is – so unexpected The achievement is not unlike Thanh Nguyen’s The Sympathizer. I can appreciate, in your case, the extra research involved. So THANKS. Let’s talk some more CONGRATULATIONS, John

I finished The Ashes of War (a fine title) last night, and I learned a great deal from your text. You write with a strong narrative and have poignant stories to tell. Your work appealed to me, too, for a personal reason. I wish you well and hope you can find the audience you deserve.