Three are novels, two of which were written by vietnam war veterans. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. Welcome to alpha historys selection of vietnam war books. Its based on his book, vietnam warrior voices, which we will be read more. Originally published in the august 2007 issue of vietnam. In this interactive tutorial, youll also learn about americas role during the course of the war, how the war affected the american public, and the resulting consequences of the war.
Sep 15, 2017 whats your favorite book about the vietnam war. A seminal contribution that draws on soviet archives to advance understanding of soviet ideology and policy during the war. Learn about the major factors that led to americas involvement in the war in vietnam. Apr 22, 2017 in his book, franklin explains that vietnam was a single country, not two countries. An oral history of the vietnam war by black veterans by wallace terry vietnam declassified by thomas l. Some made high falutin claims to be as good a war novel as. The anti war movement was initiated by us soldiers and sailors who were its vanguard, and in the endydct k made it impossible for washington to continue the war in 1945. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. In his book, franklin explains that vietnam was a single country, not two countries. Nov 08, 2012 enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. 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.
Purchasing these books through the book depository is a great way for you to save money, while supporting alpha history. Heres an admittedly subjective list, posted on the military history now website, put together by mark masse, a ball state university literary journalism professor. For additional reading, see his book americas rasputin. Every book on vietnam in the section claimed to be the best ever written on the subject. We witness the chaos in saigon when fireworks celebrating the tet holiday are suddenly transformed into deadly rocket and machinegun fire. Lbj, vietnam and the political costs of fighting a. After attending his first cabinet meeting he went back to his mentor sam rayburn and told him with great enthusiasm how extraordinary they were, each brighter than the next, and that the smartest of them all was that fellow with the stacomb on his hair from the ford motor company, mcnamara. American military strategy in the vietnam war, 19651973. Helsing provides a unique perspective on the escalation of the vietnam war. Philip caputo was a marine who later became a very wellknown journalist. Weaving together the histories of three distinct conflicts, phillip b. This is a profound book that not only provides deep insight into the origins of the vietnam war but also serves as an important case history of american government decision making.
Nothing, certainly not our film or book, can make the tragedy of the vietnam war all right. After the first trip, taylor recommended an increase in the american troop presence in south vietnam and asserted that a protracted ground war in vietnam was highly unlikely. Organized chaos, seemed like a contradiction in terms, but after a few weeks in vietnam, it seemed plausible. Americanization, or americanisation, is the influence american culture and business has on other countries outside the united states, including their media, cuisine, business practices, popular culture, technology or political techniques. Taylor had made several trips to vietnam, including one in 1961 and another in 1963. Originally published a companion to the emmywinning pbs series, karnows defining book is a precursor to ken burnss tenpart forthcoming documentary series, the vietnam war. For nearly a decade, american combat soldiers fought in south vietnam to help sustain an independent, noncommunist nation in southeast asia.
Johnsons desire for both guns and butterhis belief that he must stem the advance of communism in southeast asia while pursuing a great society. Lyndon johnson ignored the many signs of discontent over the vietnam war because he was convinced that the political cost of retreat would outweigh the cost of. A history puts events and decisions into such sharp focus that we come to understand and make peace with a convulsive epoch of our recent history. The most comprehensive and authoritative history of the conflict to date, vietnam at war sparkles with a rare immediacy, and brings to life in compelling fashion the war that tore america apart. April 30,2000, marked the twentyfifth anniversary of the real end of the vietnam war. The decision to retaliate would for all intents and purposes mark the beginning of the american war in vietnama conflict that would last eight more years, take the lives of 58,000 americans and. Wehrle page images at hathitrust personalities of the liberation movement of south vietnam 1965, by u. The war began soon after the geneva conference provisionally divided 1954 vietnam at 17 n lat. Mac was one of the hawks, who publicly argued for escalating the vietnam war, but he held private doubts about the possibility of success. Johnsons initial strategy, his response to north vietnam and his decision for. Sullivan published by the university press of kentucky sullivan, michael p. Willbanks, a professor in the combat studies institute at the u.
Tell me about the first book on your list, a rumor of war 1977. The vietnam war and its impact americanizing the war rolling thunder, the commitment of marines in march 1965, and the deployment of other troops all before june 1965 provided ample evidence that the war was already on the road to being americanized. Americanization, in the early 20th century, activities that were designed to prepare foreignborn residents of the united states for full participation in citizenship. We would be organized militarily, but we would have to break the bad habit, of trying to fight a conventional war in a guerrilla warfare environment. The us war against vietnam began in 1945, not in 1965. It starts with some excellent historical background that explains how indo china fought in the 2nd world war against the japanese with the allies. The conflict over interpretations continues the vietnam war, with the exception of the civil war, was the most divisive conflict in american history. His connecting thread is north vietnamese general vo nguyen giap, a. The common theme of their individual essays suggests that the war in vietnam might have had a much differentand far less tragicoutcome if u. Complete organized chaos for the new guys would begin as we landed in vietnam. This is relatively short book in terms of text but incredibly well though out and a deep analysis of the war. The fall of an empire and the making of americas vietnam, by fredrik logevall fredrik logevalls book focuses on the french conflict in vietnam at the end of world war ii and the. A turning point of the american war in vietnam hardcover. In americanizing the west he tells how hundreds of bureaucrats, educators, employers, and reformers participated in this movement by developing adult immigrant education programsand how these attempts contributed more toward bureaucratizing the west than it did to turning immigrants into productive citizens.
Joy about the french experience in indochina, was killed in 1967 by a mine planted on the very street he used as a book title. To be sure, the french were fighting a colonial war while we are fighting to stop aggression. Vietnam documents presents 19 key cables, position papers, and memoranda which figured in washington plans during 1964 and decisions during 1965. Enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. On 2 september 1945 at hanois ba dinh square, ho chi minh issued the historic vietnamese proclamation of independence with words borrowed from the american declaration of independence. Lessons in disaster is a postmortem look at the pivotal moments of the vietnam war as viewed through the eyes of national security adviser mcgeorge bundy. Shortlisted for canadas prestigious giller prize, this profoundly humane novel vancouver sun, wrings suspense and humor out of the everyday choices we make, revealing the delicate balance between sacrifice and selfinterest, doing good and being good. More than forty years after it ended, the vietnam war continues to haunt our country. Armys command and general staff college, has written an engaging and thoughtful analysis of vietnamization, the process for turning the war back to the south vietnamese between mid1969 and the end of direct american involvement that. Lbj, vietnam and the political costs of fighting a hopeless war. Americanizing the war the vietnam war and its impact. Nonfiction an intimate history of killing by joanna bourke. Usa today s bob minzesheimer recommends books by 10 authors. All our physical stores and our online store are temporarily closed.
Causes and consequences of the vietnam war main causes. List of books and articles about vietnam antiwar movement. Committee to aid the national liberation front of south vietnam multiple formats at. An oral history of the vietnam war by black veterans by wallace terry. Pages in category vietnam war books the following 42 pages are in this category, out of 42 total. Arguably the vietnam war was lost at the tet offensive in february and march 1968.
While not necessarily a pejorative term, it is most often used by critics in the target country who are against. It aimed not only at the achievement of naturalization but also at an understanding of and commitment to principles of american life and work before the outbreak of world war i in 1914, the american public generally took it for. The path toward the full americanization of the vietnam war was a gradual process. 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. The things they carried by tim obrien, we were soldiers once. From the awardwinning historian and filmmakers of the civil war, baseball, the war, the roosevelts, and others. Discover the best vietnam war history in best sellers. Lyndon johnson ignored the many signs of discontent over the vietnam war because he was convinced that the political cost of retreat would outweigh the cost of fighting a war most americans no. Best vietnam war books vietnam veterans of america. Historians of the conflict and participants alike have since critiqued the ways in which civilian. Davidson follows the entire course of the vietnam war, from the initial french skirmishes in 1946 to the dramatic fall of saigon nearly thirty years later. The best vietnam war books five books expert recommendations. The author of a blockbuster book says the vietnam war was. Online shopping for vietnam war history books in the books store.
The author of a blockbuster book says the vietnam war was lost in washington before the us armed forces were fully deployed and committed. We hold the truth that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator certain unalienable rights, that among these are life. He examines what many analysts and former policymakers in the johnson administration have acknowledged as a crucial factor in the way the united states escalated in vietnam. Among those dazzled by the administration team was vicepresident lyndon johnson. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. List of books and articles about vietnam war online. While not necessarily a pejorative term, it is most often used. After we posted this article, times readers weighed in with their favorite books on the vietnam war. The best histories of the vietnam war council on foreign. In my mind its one of the first really wellwritten books that describe the moral ambiguities and difficulties faced by a young marine officer in this particular war.
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