"Elbridge Durbrow served as the third United States ambassador to the Republic of Vietnam from 1957 to 1961. His relationships with Vietnamese president Ngô £ình Diòêm and members of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Saigon helped to shape his tenure in office, which ultimately concluded with his decision to end his support for the Vietnamese leader as well as turn away from the American military representatives who had earned Ngô £ình Diòêm's trust. This triangular relationship between three competing entities was mired in clashes of ego and personality that often interfered with the American decision making process. Durbrow and his embassy staff, rather than work with the Vietnamese leadership, chose to focus on the negative and reported to Washington only those items that reinforced this perspective. They created an atmosphere of distrust and anxiety that neither the Americans nor Vietnamese could overcome in the 1960s and helped to create the conditions for greater United States involvement in Southeast Asia"-- Provided by publisher.

A short honeymoon in Saigon -- "The miracle man of Vietnam" : Durbrow and Ngô £ình Diòêm visit the United States -- Formulating Vietnam strategy, 1957 -- Funding the Vietnam strategy, 1957 -- Planning for victory : MAAG, Durbrow and Ngô £ình Diòêm -- The politics of opposition -- The war at home and on the periphery : American criticism of Ngô £ình Diòêm -- The Laotian crisis, 1959 -- The Cambodian affair, 1959 -- The unending war of respect : Colegrove replaces Cambodia -- National Assembly elections and question of democracy -- The struggles of a young republic -- American lines divide over Vietnam -- The Vietnam triangle : Durbrow, Lansdale and Williams -- Influencing Ngô £ình Diòêm and the abortive November 1960 coup d'état -- Durbrow's last days in Vietnam.