The Devil's Trick

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Through the experiences of six participants in the Vietnam War, bestselling historian John Boyko highlights Canada's often-overlooked role as peacemaker, combatant, and sanctuary provider. Brigadier General Sherwood Lett arrived in Vietnam over a decade before American troops, risking lives to enforce a fragile peace while grappling with their role in a potential new war. Meanwhile, Canadian diplomat Blair Seaborn met secretly with North Vietnam's prime minister, hoping to convince the Americans to accept his peace roadmap and avert conflict. Claire Culhane served in a Canadian hospital in Vietnam and later campaigned against what she viewed as an immoral war. Joe Erickson was one of 30,000 young Americans who evaded the draft by fleeing north, while Doug Carey was among 20,000 Canadians who went south to fight. Rebecca Trinh and her family escaped Saigon, joining the influx of Indochinese refugees who built new lives in Canada. Through these diverse narratives, Boyko reveals the insidious nature of war, illustrating how leaders can be convinced of its desirability, the public of its acceptability, and combatants of the normalcy of their actions. By uncovering Canada's involvement, he sheds light on the secret and often forgotten ways the nation was impacted by the Vietnam War's lies and consequences.