Overall and for a start, I'd recommend Sorley's A Better War. For an emphasis on ARVN's formative years and the war years prior to Tet '68, Duncanson's Government and Revolution in Viet Nam is an insightful, though out of print, source. Much of what he described persisted over the years, so I had no trouble recognizing his analysis even though I didn't get to VN until 1971. Critical, of course, need not mean biased. You'll find an honest yet sympathetic anecdotal portrayal of the Vietnamese marines in Gen. Zinni's autobiography (with Tom Clancey), Battle Ready. Hope the foregoing is useful to you.
Cheers,
Mike.
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