Ronald Brown oral history interview

The Scope and Contents note of this oral history was originally generated by feeding the electronic transcript into OpenAI’s ChatGPT 4 on 2024 January 23. It was then reviewed and edited by a human.

Oral history interview with Ronald A. Brown, Class of 1968, for the Dartmouth Vietnam Project. Brown describes his time at Dartmouth, his involvement with the Navy ROTC, and his decision to study at the Harvard Law School following his graduation. He details his experience being drafted into the U.S. Army during his first year at Harvard Law and discusses his basic and advanced infantry training at Fort Dix. Brown recounts being offered a position in Awards and Decorations but choosing to serve as a combat infantryman instead. He shares his experiences of serving in Vietnam, including his interactions with other soldiers, his feelings about the war and U.S. policy, and his personal challenges and realizations. Upon returning from Vietnam, Brown resumed his studies at Harvard Law and later pursued a Master's degree in Public Administration at the Kennedy School of Government. He reflects on the challenges of readjusting to civilian life, including dealing with nightmares and his relationships with others. Brown describes his subsequent career in international law, working for the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C., and later for Bank of America in San Francisco and Hong Kong. Brown also shares his thoughts on universal government service and the importance of understanding and appreciating different perspectives within American society.