Very interesting thread and the current discussion paper. Being a Brit my knowledge of Vietnam is limited to reading, however there are other places where working with and FOR the locals led to victory.

I refer not to Malaya, but the campaingn in Borneo and the Oman. The two books readily to hand are:

'SAS The Jungle Frontier' (SAS Regmt in Borneo 1963-1966) by Peter Dickens (pub. 1983).

'SAS Operation Oman' (1971-1974) by Col. Tony Jeapes (pub. 1980) - which should be read alongside 'We Won a War: The Campaign in Oman 1965-1975' by John Akehurst (pub.1983).

I am sure there are accounts by non-special forces in both campaigns, just they are not on my bookshelves.

Davidbfpo