Manuscript of the book "Yoman Vietnam" (Vietnam Diary) by Moshe Dayan – more than 150 leaves handwritten by him, including a draft of the first half of the book and additional leaves documenting events from dates that are not mentioned in the book (some of them were possibly written already in Vietnam).
In 1966, as a member of an opposition party in the Israeli Knesset, Moshe Dayan accepted the offer of the editor of "Ma'ariv" to travel to Vietnam, where the USA was involved in the war between the north and the south, and write his impressions in a series of articles. When he was in Vietnam, he accompanied the USA forces and kept a journal which was eventually published as a book, the "Vietnam Diary".
The introduction to the first article of Moshe Dayan's series of articles for "Ma'ariv", published on October 14, 1966, describes his work: "Lieutenant General Dayan prepared himself for the mission with the thoroughness of an officer going to battle. He first travelled to Paris, where he met with French generals… then he proceeded to London and met with British experts… and with Marshal Montgomery… finally, Lieutenant General Dayan arrived in the USA and met with the American Minister of Defense […] Lieutenant General Dayan wrote his diary in Vietnam on pieces of paper, by a kerosene lamp, at times at the front in the heart of the jungle, at times in a tent in the camp shortly after returning from an exhausting patrol; he wrote after taking part in the landing of helicopters in the battle zone… he wrote the content of his discussions with generals and soldiers; his impression of the interrogation of a Viet Cong prisoner; his impression of a visit to a refugee camp – close to 400 pages in five weeks. Many war correspondents are in Vietnam, among them ex-military men. However, it is doubtful whether we could find another correspondent of a higher military rank… therefore, Moshe Dayan's diary constitutes a unique document, not only for the Israeli reader, but also internationally" (Hebrew).
Most of this manuscript is an initial draft of the first half of the book "Vietnam Diary" (pp. 1-97 of the "Dvir" edition, 1977) dealing with the period between July 4 to August 10, 1966. The draft was written on two different types of paper with different pens and differs slightly from the book (there are several textual variations. Several lines and short passages appearing in the manuscript were not printed in the book). Several leaves of the manuscript describe events that occurred in dates not mentioned in the book – some of them drafts of chapters not included in the book and some, possibly, original leaves written by Dayan in Vietnam:
• A leaf describing the events of 3.7.1966 (The "Vietnam Diary" begins one day later).
• Seven leaves mostly describing the events of July 30, 1966.
• Four leaves describing events from July 31 and August 1966, including Operation Hastings. These leaves differ from the other leaves of the manuscript. They are written across the page, on both sides (four pages per leaf), in a somewhat sloppy hand. In one of them Dayan wrote: "I am writing while walking slowly – I hope it will be readable". These leaves are numbered by hand (1-9 and 5-7. Possibly, they were part of a larger group of leaves).
In the "Vietnam Diary" there are no entries from July 30 to August 1, 1966. In the entry from August 2, Dayan writes: "In the last few days I was in the field with the units as part of an operation […] while with these units (at the headquarters of the company), I took part in patrols with the subunits – platoons. I wrote – usually while walking – a single copy only. I sent my lists with John Schneider… who accompanied me. I hope my lists arrived safely in Israel… I will not attempt to rewrite this part".
Possibly, these four leaves are part of the aforementioned lists, which Dayan wrote in the battlefield with the American army.
• Enclosed with the manuscript: "Yoman Vietnam" (Vietnam Diary), by Moshe Dayan. Tel Aviv: Dvir, 1977. Inscribed by Moshe Dayan on the first page.
The manuscript and the book are both placed in an elegant custom-made case, decorated with the flag of Israel on one side and with Dayan's trademark eye-patch on the other.
A total of approx. 200 leaves. Approx. ten of the leaves are carbon copies. Approx. 28 cm. Good overall condition. Stains and creases to part of the leaves. Minor blemishes. Filing holes to margins of several leaves.

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Moshe Dayan (1915-1981), born in Degania, a member of moshav Nahalal, a military leader, politician and Israeli public figure. His biography embodies extensive chapters of the history of the Jewish Yishuv, the hardships of the establishment of the State of Israel and the rise to greatness of the State of Israel as a regional military power. Dayan spent the years of his youth in the Jezreel Valley and at the age of 15 joined the "Hagana". He served in the Jewish Supernumerary Police and the Field Companies led by Yitzchak Sadeh; on a photograph from the establishment of Kibbutz Hanita depicting Dayan with Yitzchak Sadeh and Yigal Allon, Chaim Weizmann wrote the prophetic words: "General Staff".

In 1939, Dayan was sentenced, alongside 43 prisoners of the Hagana, to ten years' imprisonment; however, in 1941, he was released and enlisted in the Field Companies headed by Yitzchak Sadeh, which eventually became the Palmach. During an operation north of Rosh HaNikrah, he was wounded in his left eye; from that day on, he wore the famous eye patch which became his trademark. During the war of Independence, he commanded various operations, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant colonel and served as the commander of the Jerusalem region. After the war, he became a member of the delegation that negotiated the armistice with Jordan.

In 1953, Dayan was appointed the Chief of Staff; in this position he adopted an active, offensive policy; to any Fedayeen activity, the IDF responded with a retaliation act in the enemy territory. It wasn't long before the situation escalated and became a constant military struggle. In 1956, with the blocking of the Tiran Straits to Israeli watercrafts, Israel launched Operation Kadesh, achieving important military goals and strengthening its military position in the area. In 1958, Dayan's tenure as Chief of Staff ended.

After being elected to the fourth Knesset, he was appointed Minister of Agriculture of Ben-Gurion's government, a position he held for approximately five years, although it was far from his heart's desire and nature. In the fifth Knesset, Dayan found himself in a "political desert", belonging to the opposition, holding no real position. He dedicated his time to writing his book "Diary of the Sinai Campaign" and to other activities. During this period, he also travelled to Vietnam to tour the battle zone, the impressions of which he published in the "Vietnam Diary". Dayan's visit to the battle zone while serving as a member of the Knesset was severely criticized by the Knesset and the government, which saw the visit as a violation of Israeli neutrality. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Abba Eban said that although Dayan is entitled to visit anywhere he pleased, the visit to South Vietnam was politically inappropriate; Israeli embassies around the world were ordered not to provide him with any assistance beyond what he deserves as a citizen and for personal needs only.

During the tense period before the Six-Day-War, the public started demanding that Moshe Dayan be appointed Defense Minister. Eshkol had wanted Yigal Allon in the position; however, due to the public pressure, he appointed Moshe Dayan. On the morning of June 5, 1967, Dayan ordered an attack on the enemy aircrafts on the ground; the next day he ordered the conquering of the Old City of Jerusalem, a decision that had crucial national significance, and the conquering of the Golan Heights. After the war, Dayan enjoyed the glory of the undefeated military leader; however, six years later, due to his complacency in face of the Arab threat before the Yom Kippur War and his prophecies of doom after it broke out, the public's love was replaced by outrage and pressure to remove him from office. Dayan was fired, but later was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs by Menachem Begin, and took part in the onset of the peace negotiations with Egypt. In 1979, Dayan resigned his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs. After an additional short term as a Knesset member in a party with only two seats, Dayan passed away at the age of 66.