A rumor of war, philip caputo to call it the best book about vietnam is to trivialise it. Nick turse, in his 20 book, kill anything that moves, argues that a. The library of americas twovolume collection of the best reporting from 1959 to 1975 about the. The vietnam war left a gash in the heart of america that can still be felt today.
Historians at war national association of scholars. Westheider is a lecturer in african american history at northern. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Critically acclaimed since its release in 1977, dispatches was one of the first books which offered an insiders account of the vietnam war to the general public. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. He draws a clear distinction between the goals and actions of the american government and the. Vietnam war, 19611975 engineering and construction base development in south vietnam, 19651970 1991, by carroll h. American reckoning and millions of other books are available for instant access.
April 30,2000, marked the twentyfifth anniversary of the real end of the vietnam war. Beyond that, on the fiction front, we quickly traipse into forgettable territory. From time to time during the american war in iraq which began in 2003, aging vietnam veterans wearing baseball caps and khaki jackets emblazoned with pins, patches, and the. May 02, 2017 the great vietnam war novel was not written by an american. Best literature about the vietnam war, american foreign policy, best novels about the 1960s fiction, u. While many songs protesting the vietnam war are rockoriented, war crosses this genre boundary by being distinctly motown. His coverage of the war in dispatches was groundbreaking for its presented a type of journalism that traded monotonous details for visceral descriptions. An essential guide to the vietnam war that takes the story through to 1975 and the north vietnamese victory. A new york times notable book the national bestseller that tells the truth about the vietnam war from the black soldiers perspective. Follow along on a journey with corporal roger sanchez united states marine corps, a combat infantry marine during the vietnam war. Provides a vivid ground view account of the vietnam war explaining why the americans went in, why the vietnamese fought until the end, and what the legacy has been for both sides in the decades since. The vietnam war s influence on politics, foreign policy, and subsequent military campaigns is the center of much debate and analysis. He served with the armys 527th personnel service company in qui nhon, vietnam, 196768.
It escalated from a vietnamese civil war into a limited international conflict in which the united states was deeply involved, and did not end. Protest and rock n roll during the vietnam war inquiries. During the four years following passage of the tonkin gulf resolution aug. The war began soon after the geneva conference provisionally divided 1954 vietnam at 17 n lat. Remember the gulf of tonkin resolution which essentially launched the united states into the vietnam war. A history of americas involvement in and extrication from the vietnam war henry a. Blog posts represent the views of cfr fellows and staff and not those of cfr, which takes no institutional. The more we look at american decisionmaking in vietnam, the less sense it makes. The great vietnam war novel was not written by an american. In january of 1973 we in the defense attache office in the american embassy, phnom penh, cambodia, found ourselves in an unusual situation. What american textbooks say about vietnam, and about americans. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for.
There is catch22, and slaughterhouse five, and these are classics to be sure. The best histories of the vietnam war council on foreign relations. For subjects that loom large in history, literature, film, and nonfiction such as the vietnam war, known in vietnam as the american war it can be tough to find fresh narrative ground. This rare account of the american aka vietnam war by a north vietnamese army veteran, although fiction, revealed truths. A vietnamese woman s journey from war to peace by le ly hayslip with jay wurts. Now in its fourth updated edition, based on new declassified information, its known to vietnam scholars. Praised and condemned for its aggressive coverage of the vietnam war, the american press has been both commended for breaking public support and bringing the war to an end and accused of misrepresenting the nature and progress of the war. Conflict raged for soldiers, both within the boundaries of war and within the nations boundaries, in the vietnam war era.
Pages in category vietnam war books the following 42 pages are in this category, out of 42 total. The best books about vietnam as a country, not just the vietnam war. An impressive piece of work that gives a good overview of the vietnam war and the wider issues that surrounded the conflict. American and vietnamese perspectives 2010 michael h. American views on the vietnam war the vietnam war was a period of american involvement in southeast asia from 19611975 in which u. Pages in category vietnam war novels the following 45 pages are in this category, out of 45 total. The greatest battle of the vietnam air war the air combat trilogy book 2 jeffrey ethell. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. Considered the first major book on the vietnam war written by an american, it highlighted how little the united states knew about the country, its leaders, and its culture before invading. The story is a journey from innocents, to the reality of the dark nature of man. As the war continued and more young men were drafted, it became. For subjects that loom large in history, literature, film, and nonfiction such as the vietnam war, known in vietnam as the american war it. This war was a direct and indirect intervention by several foreign countries south, mainly the united states, according to the truman doctrine, until his retirement in 1973, and the north various communist block countries. The novel explores the war from the perspective of a former north vietnamese soldier, kien, and is a nonlinear telling of how the conflict transformed himself, his country and those around him.
The vietnam war was a period of american involvement in southeast asia from 19611975 in which u. American and vietnamese perspectives by hunt, michael isbn. Another revolutionary telling of the vietnam war, bao ninh s the sorrow of war is reported to have been written against the communist partys wishes. Perhaps the only decent thing to emerge from the vietnam war is a body of literature unsurpassed by the writing thats come out of any other war. The following texts are used and recommended by alpha history authors. Argosy in the wartossed waters off the coast of vietnam, three young american sailors form an unlikely bond.
Page v the united states and all other countries respect the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of vietnam as recognized by the 1954 geneva agreements on vietnam. Publishers in the us, as elsewhere, want to sell as many books as. May 02, 2015 from time to time during the american war in iraq which began in 2003, aging vietnam veterans wearing baseball caps and khaki jackets emblazoned with pins, patches, and the names of their units. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. Ten vietnam war novels to read council on foreign relations. His streamofconscious descriptions are chaotic, choppy, dark, and intense, giving the reader an honest sense. The novel presents warfare from a nonheroic perspective, removing all. Each has fled an america they were raised to love but somehow no longer understand in the tumult of the late 1960s. List of books and articles about vietnam war online. Choose from used and new textbooks or get instant access with etextbooks and digital materials. The vietnam war was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of north vietnam against south vietnam and its principal ally, the united states. The vietnam war also known as the second indochina war, and in vietnam as the resistance.
The conflict over interpretations continues the vietnam war, with the exception of the civil war, was the most divisive conflict in american history. Rub a dub dub three men in a tub and who do you think they be. Vietnam war, 19611975 aerial operations, american air power and the ground war in vietnam. The vietnam war and our national identity 9780143128342. Among the communist countries, only china has acknowledged its intervention in 196570. While many songs protesting the vietnam war are rockoriented, war crosses this genre boundary by. Moyars work, though selfcontradictory in parts, is one of the most lauded texts among those who view the vietnam war as the 20th centurys lost cause. The harrowing lines, war, it aint nothing but a heartbreakerwar, friend only to the undertaker is a brutal reminder that war is a human conflict and kills many people. Mar 02, 2015 the result is a fascinating look at the consequences the vietnam war had not just on the men who fought it, but also on american society and politics. The result is a fascinating look at the consequences the vietnam war had not just on the men who fought it, but also on american society and politics.
His column on books has appeared in the vva veteran, the magazine published by vietnam veterans of america, since 1986. Michael herrs frontline reporting of the vietnam war is collected in dispatches, one of the first books to capture the unique feel of life on the vietnam battlefront. America is a crassly materialistic and innocent nation. While the list of books about this conflict includes hundreds of enlightening works, we pick ten of the best texts offering illuminating perspectives on the war, its context and the effects it had on vietnam. The main weakness of the book, in my opinion, is its analysis, which is weak at. Three are novels, two of which were written by vietnam war veterans. Heres an admittedly subjective list, posted on the military history now website, put together by mark masse, a ball state university literary journalism professor. An oral history of the vietnam war by black veterans by wallace terry vietnam declassified by thomas l. Welcome to alpha historys selection of vietnam war books.
Feb 05, 2008 a rumor of war, philip caputo to call it the best book about vietnam is to trivialise it. Purchasing these books through the book depository is a great way for you to save money, while supporting alpha history. He who knows himself, and knows his enemy, wins without danger. In vietnam, all us forces were ordered to cease fighting and that included air assets as well as the ground troops. The military historian max boot takes on the counterinsurgency. Sorrow of war offers the north vietnamese perspective by tracing the. An oral history unlike any other, bloods features twenty black men who tell the story of how members of their race were sent off to vietnam in disproportionate numbers, and of the special test of patriotism they faced. All our physical stores and our online store are temporarily closed. The vietnam war also called indochina war is the war between north vietnam and south vietnam, which took place from 1954 to 1975. A short history of the american war from the point of view of the peasants and gis who fought it.
In the spring of 1979, after china lost its brief war to vietnam and withdrew its 200,000 troops, beijing published many details about its military aid and engagements in the vietnam war between 1965 and 1970. My book is about my months in vietnam as an m60 machine gunner in f. The necessary war, michael lind if you only read one book on the vietnam war, this is it. Provides fresh insight into the role of other major powers, in particular chinaand the soviet union contains enhanced detail in areas such as american military and political decisionmaking. In 1988, sheehan published a book about him, a bright shining lie. The odyssey of an american warrior colonel david h.
Michael herr was a war correspondent for esquire between 1967 and 1969. The best histories of the vietnam war council on foreign. Booktopia buy vietnam war books online from australias leading online bookstore. One popular interpretation is that american leaders feared direct chinese. The united states and vietnam, 19501975 by george herring 1979. American views on the vietnam war historical society of. Discover the best vietnam war history in best sellers. By the early 1990s, when i began studying the vietnam war, the american public had largely lost interest in the history of that conflict.
Much of the war was fought in a nontraditional guerilla style, and there were many casualties on both sides. The vietnam war has been americas most contentious foreign war. Vietnam war, conflict in southeast asia, primarily fought in south vietnam between government forces aided by the united states and guerrilla forces aided by north vietnam. Excellent study of the vietnam war looking at a far wider range of topics than in most books on this war, and with contributions from american, north vietnamese and south vietnamese authors and participants in the war. The butcher, the baker the candlestickmaker and all of them lost at sea. A time in american history that divided a nation and a generation. But the impact on veterans across the globe, as well as the war s effects on individual lives and communities, is a largely neglected issue. For the documentary television series, see the vietnam war tv series. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners.
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