In fact, a slight stink of the hip now surrounds our cultural memory of the event. Moyar argues that the historical consensus on the war is wrong on several. Robert farley, a frequent contributor to tni, is author of the battleship book. What these books share is the implicit conviction that the individual was the final arbiter of the validity of the vietnam war, his or her experience the crucible in which final judgement would be forged. The war began soon after the geneva conference provisionally divided 1954 vietnam at 17 n lat. Complete organized chaos for the new guys would begin as we landed in vietnam. Ten vietnam war books worth owning i began collecting vietnam war books before the united states bugged out in 1973 two years before the war ended, a fact always unmentioned by those who claim we were defeated there. Pete hamill is an american journalist, novelist, essayist, editor, and educator. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, this debut novel could fit into half a dozen genres of vietnam war books from war narrative to immigrant story, from mystery to political, from metafiction to. 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. It isnt something that was going to say, its all right, its.
The th valley by john del vecchio there have been a number of excellent books about vietnam. The book offers a comprehensive and balanced account of the emotive impact of the first media war, charting not only the course of the war in vietnam, but also seeking to place american involvement in vietnam in historical perspective. His streamofconscious descriptions are chaotic, choppy, dark, and intense, giving the reader an honest sense of war from the perspective of a soldier. But before the vietnam war, this was not ho chi minh city, this was saigon. Australian vietnam war book, many of these war books cover the major australian vietnam battles of long tan, coral and balmoral, tet offensive, australian army vietnam battle war history books. This intervention would become one of the most divisive decisions in u. A vietnam war story the vietnam war series book 1 by rick destefanis 4. 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. Ia drang the battle that changed the war in vietnam by harold g. The war took the lives of 58,220 americans and more than 700,000. The conflict inspired an avalanche of volumes and they all claim to be the last word. To create this book, the agency selected 300 photographs from the thousands filed during the conflict. Some of these are fiction books about vietnam war based on factual information, whilst others include some of the best books on vietnam history of the war.
During the four years following passage of the tonkin gulf resolution aug. We deal in rare books, specializing in modern literary first editions. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. A harrowing story from the vietnam war of one green berets heroic mission to rescue a special forces team caught behind enemy lines 353.
Nov 08, 2012 enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. Its a shame, because although there are many excellent books written by american authors about the conflict, they dont give you an idea of how a vietnamese person saw the war. This book is within the scope of wikiproject cold war, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of the cold war on wikipedia. And this is a current map, and the current map does not have this orange boundary over here that well talk about in a second. 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. This category has the following 2 subcategories, out of 2 total. If youre interested in really finding out how general giap masterminded the military victory in vietnam, this book isnt going to answer the question.
Customers who bought this item also bought these digital items. The vietnam center and sam johnson vietnam archive. The americans lost the war along with south vietnam. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. In an utterly banal sense, the united states could have won the vietnam war by invading the north, seizing its urban centers, putting the whole of the country under the control of the saigon. South vietnam was a viable nationstate by 1972, afflicted by internal armed opposition but not overwhelmed by it. America won the vietnam war owens, robert r 9781594672958. Halberstam sets out to discover how the united states got involved in vietnam. His book goes into great detail about how the media and politicians created their own history and ignored some of the basic truths about the actual war on the battlefields of vietnam.
Why the north won the vietnam war by marc jason gilbert. Online shopping for history from a great selection of military and vietnam war used, new and collectible books. All our physical stores and our online store are temporarily closed. When the war divided the country, it created deep political fault lines that continue to divide us today. The essay question i had to answer was whether the u. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks. He who knows himself, and knows his enemy, wins without danger. Considering the losses, does it matter who won the vietnam. Find below a collection of the best books on the vietnam war. Feb 05, 2008 books blog publishing catch of the day. Sinovietnamese war reeducation camp vietnam boat people vietnam war casualties opposition to the vietnam war opposition to the u. The associated press won an unprecedented six pulitzer prizes for its coverage of the vietnam war. The vietnam war was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist. This is a hilarious tale of an air force combat fighter pilot in vietnam who goes out on patrol with a special forces team he has supported many times from the air.
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. He served with the armys 527th personnel service company in qui nhon, vietnam, 196768. Professor timothy lomperis wrote a book entitled, vietnam. Congress did that, and thereby caused the deaths of many south vietnam people by forcing our troops to leave them. I made this question so that i can answer it for you guys who think that north vietnam won. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. Usa today s bob minzesheimer recommends books by 10 authors. Pages in category vietnam war books the following 42 pages are in this category, out of 42 total. Sometimes the answer to the question who won or lost reminds me of those who, having lost a football game, retort, we. Dec, 2017 find below a collection of the best books on the vietnam war. Across the pond by michael mccormick is the story of a young american who fights in vietnam for his country, but is rejected when he returns from the war. Moyar argues that the historical consensus on the war is wrong on several points, and that in fact the united states could have won the war and preserved the saigon. Shop for a great selection of vietnam war history books at. 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.
Three are novels, two of which were written by vietnam war veterans. The author, based the story on his experience as a u. It escalated from a vietnamese civil war into a limited international conflict in which the united states was deeply involved, and did not end. Although not among books written by vietnam war veterans, it has been edited and curated by neil sheehan and hedrick smith as an adaptation that offers the perspective of one of the foremost wartime journalists of the conflict on the documents that forever changed the wars narrative. We can into the war because of the communism in north vietnam when president eisenhower was president, we were not involved in the war and sent supplies to south vietnam to fight the north vietnam. There is catch22, and slaughterhouse five, and these are classics to be sure. War and peace, vietnam and america, october 1967 duration. During the vietnam war, hundreds of american prisonersofwar faced years of brutal conditions and horrific torture at the hands of north vietnamese guards and interrogators who ruthlessly plied them for military intelligence and propaganda. These include winners of national book awards and pulitzer prizes, both fiction and nonfiction.
During french colonial rule it was really the southern third of vietnam where you had a lot of french influence. The conflict inspired an avalanche of volumes and they all claim to be. When kennedy became president, he decided to send in a bunch of ground troops which. Most historians would agree that north vietnam won the war. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. However, the losses and the violation of human rights war crimes that took place in the name of containing the spread of communist forces, makes one wonder if the war was really worth fighting.
His column on books has appeared in the vva veteran, the magazine published by vietnam veterans of america, since 1986. What is it good for black freedom struggles and the u. Before the sympathizer won the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, many readers didnt know any authors or books written from the vietnamese perspective. Australian vietnam war books battles of the vietnam war. Explore free books, like the victory garden, and more browse now. The genius of north vietnams war strategy the daily beast. Discover the best vietnam war history in best sellers.
The vietnam war also known as the second indochina war, and in vietnam as the resistance. The answer is that north vietnam may have won the war, but not over us forces. Enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. Committee to aid the national liberation front of south vietnam multiple formats at. Best literature about the vietnam war, american foreign policy, best novels about the 1960s fiction, u. Ehrhart, left, in october 1967 near quang tri, vietnam, and today. Instead, giap takes the opportunity simply to reinforce the stated political positions of the vietnamese communist movement in book form in a way thats not particular original or wellwritten. After we posted this article, times readers weighed in with their favorite books on the vietnam war. Beyond that, on the fiction front, we quickly traipse into forgettable territory. Tell me about the first book on your list, a rumor of war 1977.
List of books and articles about vietnam antiwar movement. We still argue over why we were there, whether we could have won, and who was right and wrong in their response to the conflict. Going through old files, i found a blue book exam that i took as a college freshman in 1982. This one the individuals were going to callnot the politicians, not the generals, not even the historians. List of books and articles about vietnam war online. Pacos story won the 1987 national book award for fiction. Ten vietnam war novels to read council on foreign relations. The south vietnamese regime was incapable of winning the peasantry because of its class base among landlords.
Last week we asked readers for their favorite books on vietnam and the vietnam war. The recipient of numerous awards, hamill is currently a distinguished writer in residence at. Sep 15, 2017 whats your favorite book about the vietnam war. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, this debut novel could fit into half a dozen genres of vietnam war books from war narrative to immigrant story, from mystery to political, from metafiction to historical and even dark comedy.
Oct 08, 2015 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. If viewed objectively, the vietnam war was won by the communists. Apr 15, 2010 the rebellious anger of the vietnam era hasnt stopped war. Wehrle page images at hathitrust personalities of the liberation movement of south vietnam 1965, by u. Mar 02, 2015 the best histories of the vietnam war.
The vietnam war has gone down in history as one of the most controversial wars that the united states has ever participated in. While those books all provide excellent analyses of the war, another way to. Among the most positive is an abundance of topnotch books, many written by veterans of the conflict. Choose from used and new textbooks or get instant access with etextbooks and digital materials. During the vietnam war, hundreds of american prisonersof war faced years of brutal conditions and horrific torture at the hands of north vietnamese guards and interrogators who ruthlessly plied them for military intelligence and propaganda.
Online shopping for vietnam war from a great selection at books store. The ten best memoirs of the vietnam war council on foreign. The best histories of the vietnam war council on foreign. The best vietnam war books five books expert recommendations. Heres an admittedly subjective list, posted on the military history now website, put together by mark masse, a ball state university literary journalism professor. A slew of war memoirs stand with the best writing of that genre. There are several ways to look at the issue of who won or lost the vietnam war. When kennedy became president, he decided to send in a bunch of ground troops. Only the communists, he had concluded, were truly committed to the. Vietnam war books l z books on the war in vietnam including the tet offensive, helicopter warfare, viet cong tactics, ho chi min trail and veterans affairs. Objectively, north vietnam the communists who achieved their goals of. Not that several million children being systematically lied to about evolution, slavery, psychology and additional history will ever be told as much while attending the indoctrination centers we call public schools, voluntarily put on buses by their own parents. Philip caputo was a marine who later became a very wellknown journalist.
Literary legacy of the vietnam war ken lopez bookseller. Second, the documentary downplays the patriotism of those who fought. In this new collection of essays on the vietnam war, emi. Now that ken burns pbs documentary has concluded, were rereading the classics of the vietnam wars literary canon. In fact, it was a war whose effects were strongly felt by an average american too. The military historian max boot takes on the counterinsurgency maven. The united states and vietnam, 19501975 george herring widely recognized as a major contribution to the study of american involvement in vietnam, this comprehensive and balanced account analyzes the ultimate failure of the war, and the impact of the war on us foreign policy. May 28, 2002 why the north won the vietnam war book. 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 question of who won the vietnam war is a contentious and emotional one, because opinions in the united states were so divided while the war was happening. Organized chaos, seemed like a contradiction in terms, but after a few weeks in vietnam, it seemed plausible.