Nothing Is Impossible

Ted Osius interview with Pho Bolsa TV— Pho Bolsa TV
"This is a book you cannot put down. Set in the corridors of power, Ted Osius's insider account offers fascinating insights about Vietnamese politics and geo-political relations. Highly recommended to anyone who is interested in contemporary Vietnam."
 — Maikhoi Donguyen, Vietnamese artist and activist
"Osius demonstrates a deep understanding of Vietnamese culture and history, including its difficult relations with China.... [The] book is a compelling road map of the steps and actions Vietnam and the United States took to normalise and deepen their ties. Clearly it took many people in both countries to push to build trust and take the first halting steps. Nothing Is Impossible could serve as a helpful primer for other countries that may seek rapprochement with Washington down the road."— South China Morning Post
Amb. Ted Osius on Shaping U.S. Economic Diplomacy in ASEAN— The Tea Leaves Podcast
"129 - Ted Osius - US Ambassador to Vietnam 2014-2017"— "The Vietnamese" podcast with Kenneth Nguyen
"Racist President Told Racist Joke Before Meeting Vietnam’s Prime Minister: New Book," by Peter Wade— Rolling Stone
"Why the US's and Vietnam's militaries became unlikely comrades, and how their relationship survived Trump"— Business Insider
"Ex-Ambassador to Vietnam 'Grieved' Trump Victory, Saw It As Threat to U.S.-Asia Relations," by Jenni Fink— Newsweek
"Warriors and prisoners turned diplomats, revolutionaries and political activists turned statesmen, soldiers and draft dodgers turned national leaders: such are the extraordinary people whose unimaginable determination and resilience helped to overcome the impossible aftermath of war— and succeeded at a magnificent act of reconciliation. As brilliantly told by former ambassador Ted Osius, two former deadly enemies become bound into a reflection of one another through a desire for peace. Nothing is Impossible deserves to be read for generations."— Nguyen Qui Duc, Former National Public Radio journalist and author of Where the Ashes Are: the Odyssey of a Vietname
"Retired Vietnam Ambassador Ted Osius: Diplomacy Is about Building Trust and Taking Risks," by Nick Erikson— GW Today
"Behind the scenes of Donald Trump's very strange White House meeting with Vietnam's prime minister," an excerpt from Nothing Is Impossible by Ted Osius— Salon
"Ted Osius, ex-US envoy in Hanoi, to head US-ASEAN Business Council," by Larry Luxner— The Washington Diplomat
"Former U.S.-Vietnam ambassador discusses post-war reconciliation," by Jackson Lanzer— The GW Hatchet
“Ted Osius and I started our ambassadorship in each other country’s capital, Hanoi and Washington DC, almost at the same time in late 2014. We committed ourselves to working together and we witnessed remarkable achievements: President Obama visiting Vietnam and Party General Secretary Trong’s first-ever historic visit to the US, among others. Ted has been much appreciated by leaders of both countries for his dedication and wise counseling. And, featured as the title of his new book, Nothing is Impossible has been, not only Ted’s famous remarks, but more uniquely, an attribute to the US-Vietnam relationship.”— Pham Quang Vinh, former Ambassador of Vietnam to the United States
"This is a lot more than a first-rate memoir. It is a brilliantly organized account of a decades-long struggle towards reconciliation, not just on the part of two governments but on the part of two nations bearing the physical and emotional scars of a protracted war. As U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, Ted was far more than merely diligent. He was intensely creative in finding ways, both moral and material, to soften bitter memories with new hope. In the process, he served the strategic interests of the United States by stressing common interests and building mutual respect. His work in Vietnam is a reminder of something often overlooked in our country: the extraordinary value of its professional Foreign Service—which I personally saw every day as Vice President, and which is clear as day on the pages of this book."
 — Al Gore, Former United States Vice President
"In his new book, Nothing is Impossible: America’s Reconciliation with Vietnam, Osius serves up a vivid first-hand account of the development of Vietnam-U.S. relations in the last quarter century."— Radio Free Asia
Talk Back: Wednesday, Mar 2 - Michael McKinley and Ted Osius— KGVO Talk Back Radio
"Despite a tortured history, America's relationship with Vietnam is now evolving into a strategic partnership as Southeast Asia becomes a testing ground for China's rise and the epicenter of U.S.-China rivalry in the world. This illuminating book by Ted Osius tells the dramatic story — through the people who lived it — of how the two countries transitioned from implacable enemies to cooperative partners on the regional stage. As a central player in this transition, Osius has written the rare volume that is both important diplomatic history and an engrossing and enjoyable read."— Jonathan Stromseth, Lee Kuan Yew Chair in Southeast Asian Studies, Brookings Institution, and former member of the Secre

"IN OTHER TRUMP NEWS — There’s a new book out next week by TED OSIUS, the former U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, recounting his experiences in the job. He tells one story about preparations for Trump’s 2017 trip to Vietnam for an APEC meeting. The planning included an upcoming White House meeting with Vietnamese PM NGUYEN XUAN PHUC. When Trump heard the name, he responded with a racist joke."

— POLITICO Playbook
"Ted Osius has written a wonderful book about his, and America’s, relationship with Vietnam. He shows vividly how through diplomacy—not just government to government, but people to people and culture to culture—former wartime enemies surmounted differences once thought unbridgeable, and makes the case for pursuing goals still thought impossible, like the advancement of human rights in Vietnam. His story is fascinating, fun to read, and a primer for how America can regain its standing and influence in Vietnam and beyond."— Thomas Malinowski, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey’s 7th district
"From his direct engagement in the establishment of the US embassy to his 2014-2017 ambassadorship in Ha Noi, Ted Osius has demonstrated outstanding commitment and perseverance in the complex and difficult journey towards his stated goal of Viet Nam-US reconciliation. I applaud Ambassador Osius’s remarkable contribution to this worthy cause. His memoir provides us a needed American perspective from a top US diplomat. Let us hope that in the near future there will also be Vietnamese perspectives offered on the topic of Viet Nam-US reconciliation."
 — Ton Nu Thi Ninh, Former Ambassador of Viet Nam to the European Union
"Ted Osius has shared such an important story about how America and Vietnam made the remarkable transition from enemies to friends, and what it means, truly, to come to terms with epic tragedy and loss.” 
 — Lynn Novick, co-director/producer, The Vietnam War
"Ted Osius expertly weaves the personal and the political into an engaging and insightful story of how Vietnam and the United States have come so far so fast since diplomatic relations were established 25 years ago. 'Dealing honestly with the past…was key to carving out a different future…' he writes, and the most challenging part of that past is Agent Orange. Today the U.S. is giving material assistance to victims of Agent Orange and cleaning up the dioxin residue left behind at former American bases in Vietnam. But reconciliation is not yet complete and these and other measures which address the legacies of war will require continuing American attention and commitment."
 — Charles Bailey, former Ford Foundation Representative in Vietnam & co-author, From Enemies to Partners: Vietnam, the
The Remonstrating Official: "Speaking Out" by Ted Osius— The Foreign Service Journal
"This is an outstanding account of a rare transformational moment in history, when two people formerly divided by bitter ideological differences and scarred by warfare, were able to find their ways towards a reconciliation of the spirit, long after the swords were put away. As US ambassador to Vietnam, Ted Osius was far more than a detached observer and reporter of these events, in the classical manner of diplomats. Without ever losing perspective as an exponent of US policy, he invested heart and soul in furtherance of this process, and, as an unintended consequence of his respect for the values and cultures of the people of Vietnam, and by virtue of the examples he set in the details of his personal life, became in his own right a symbol of the best we have to offer as a nation."
 — Leon Fuerth, Formerly, National Security Adviser to the Vice President of the United States, Albert Gore
"Ted’s evocative book, Nothing is Impossible instantly took me down a path of very fond memories.  His story is an extremely personal one for me as well; one that brings back countless recollections of people, places, events, hard decisions, some of which evoked forgotten moments when history was made. His lively firsthand account of the timing, the key players, and the complex circumstances leading to the reconciliation and development of diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam will keep readers glued to the book’s pages. Anyone interested in an expertly detailed account of American/Vietnam relations will discover that Nothing is Impossible is a gold mine of historical and interesting anecdotal information."  
 — Pete Peterson, Former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam
"Osius is well positioned to write the book. He served twice at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Hanoi, first as a political officer shortly after normalization, and then as U.S. ambassador to Vietnam almost 20 years later. Osius’ extended engagement with Vietnam, which he summarized as “pursuing diplomacy with Vietnam for twenty-three years – under four presidents and seven secretaries of state,” enabled him to gain a deep understanding of the different contours of bilateral relations. This, in turn, provided him with the necessary ingredients to fill his book with fascinating accounts of how Washington and Hanoi have worked together to promote reconciliation and strengthen their ties."— The Diplomat
"Ambassador Ted Osius tells a remarkable story of how the United States and Vietnam overcame the tragedy of war to build an enduring new relationship. My husband John played a part, along with so many Americans, including principled Democrats and Republicans in Congress, successive U.S. presidents of different political parties, and civic leaders—including proud veterans—determined to chart a new course for our peoples that is about the future, not the past. I recommend Ted’s book as both an authoritative history and a colorful account of an ambassador’s life in a country of strategic importance to the United States."— Cindy McCain, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State
"Nothing is Impossible: Diplomacy, Leadership and Acceptance with Ted Osius"— Fifth Dimensional Leadership podcast
"How do countries move from war to peace to friendship to cooperation to partnership? The dynamic is exceedingly, and unfortunately, rare. But Ted Osius had the good fortune to be engaged in America's reconciliation with Vietnam from its earliest days. In the finest tradition of diplomatic memoirs, he effortlessly synthesizes grand strategy and humanitarian affairs, tense negotiations and touching bicycle rides, to definitively document the course—and the enormous potential—of one of America's most vital partnerships in Asia."— Parag Khanna, author of The Future is Asian
"OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at a party for former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius’ new book, “Nothing is Impossible: America’s Reconciliation with Vietnam” ($29.95), at Nelson Cunningham’s Georgetown home on Wednesday night: John Negroponte (who introduced Osius), Carla Hills, Eric Rubin,Jim Kolbe and Thomas Hubbard."— POLITICO Playbook PM
"An inspiring story of how international diplomacy can create a better world."— Foreign Service Journal - In Their Own Write
"Vice President Kamala Harris’s Visit To Vietnam" By Ted Osius— Tuoi Tre newspaper
"The Notorious RBG," by Ted Osius
https://www.washingtonblade.com/2020/09/19/the-notorious-rbg/— Washington Blade
"I had the pleasure of spending time with Ted in 2016 while I was filming in Vietnam. He instantly impressed me as a diplomat who not only held a strong commitment to US diplomacy, but more importantly as someone who cared deeply about the people of Vietnam with whom he interacted daily. He later demonstrated great personal integrity and courage by standing up against an unjust and misguided policy that would have abandoned people who had sacrificed greatly for our country. More Americans should follow his example of genuine communication, deeper understanding of others, and courageous living!"
 — Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
"America’s reconciliation with Vietnam is one of the most remarkable diplomatic stories of the past three decades, and Ambassador Ted Osius was at the center of it all. In his new book, Ambassador Osius takes readers behind the scenes of this initiative, helping them understand how two old enemies came together to forge a better future for their people. Nothing Is Impossible is an absorbing memoir from one of America’s finest diplomats."— Madeleine K. Albright, Former U.S. Secretary of State
"Osius delves into a wide range of important issues, including climate change, educational exchange, the East Sea (known as the South China Sea to the rest of the world), energy policy, environmental pollution, LGBT, the Mekong Delta, religion, and war legacies. On another positive note, the book is chock full of insider information about Vietnam-US relations, some of which drew the ire of the Vietnamese government." — Counterpunch
S2#15 Ted Osius, President CEO US-ASEAN Business Council: Vietnam’s economic prospects after the pandemic— Vietnam Innovators podcast
"Ted Osius retired from his post as US Ambassador to Vietnam when asked to implement covertly-devised deportation policies he found morally repugnant and un-American. Hear about his crisis of conscience and also of the heroic service of senators John McCain and John Kerry, Vietnam vets who did the right thing at great political cost." https://americandiplomat.libsyn.com/nothing-is-impossible-with-ted-osius?tdest_id=1754555— American Diplomat Podcast
“[A] complex and fact-filled book. Osius has...