Product Description

This book provides a gripping exploration of the full two decades of the Vietnam War--arguably the most important event, or series of events, of the "American Century." The United States entered this brutal conflict certain of its Cold War doctrines and its moral mission to save the world from the advance of communism. But the war was not at all what America expected. Outnumbered and outgunned, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces resorted to guerrilla warfare based on the theories of China's Mao Zedong. This was war reduced to its most basic level--find the enemy and kill him.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #77036 in eBooks
• Published on: 2002-11-13
• Format: Kindle Book
• Number of items: 1

Review
"I am most favorably impressed by the Essential Histories series on the American Civil War. Written by four of the best historians of the military course of the war, these volumes provide a lucid and concise narrative of the campaigns in both the Eastern and Western theaters as well as penetrating analyses of strategies and leadership. Ideal for classroom use or fireside reading."

From the Publisher
This unique series studies every major war in history looking at all the aspects of war, from how it felt to be a soldier to the lasting impact of the conflict on the world around it.

About the Author
Andy Wiest is presently a Professor of History at the University of Southern Misssissippi, and serves as director of the Vietnam Studies Program and co-director of the university's Center for the Study of War and Society. He has authored several articles and book chapters on Great War history and the history of Vietnam, including ‘Passchendaele and the Royal Navy’ (Greenwood Press, 1995), ‘The Illustrated History of the Vietnam War’ (with Chris McNab, Amber Books, 2000) and ‘The Illustrated History of World War I’ (Amber Books, 2000).

Customer Reviews

A good intro
Though I lived through the Vietnam era, I found following the fighting then very difficult, especially as regards Laos and Cambodia. After reading this book, I feel I now have a clear outline of the military aspects and strategies of the war. (Though there is some discussion of the homefront, that doesn't dominate.) I was wanting to read a dispassionate look at the war in its military aspects, and this book delivered, in my opinion. If you're looking for a brief introduction to the war, I highly recommend this book. The text is easy to follow, and there are many useful maps and photographs.

A clear, concise overview of the Vietnam War
This book is written in a clear style, with plenty of maps and pictures. It gives a concise overview of the Vitenam War in all of its major aspects. It doesn't limit itself to the war's military operations, but delves into the broader issues.

For example, the book examines the causes and development of the anti-war movement in the US and its relationship with the civil-rights movement. The book also surveys the consequences of the Vietnam War until the present, both in SE Asia and in the US.

This is a clear and concise book, and I highly recommend it. Being only 25 years old and not an American citizen, I had only a very sketchy knowledge of the Vietnam War. This book served as a very nice introduction.

'Cliff's notes" version of history
This is a excellent concise history of the worse 'war' in the 20th century. It covers the transition of powers from various peoples such as Chinese, French, Japanese, and various factions of Vietnamese. For novice, this will get you up to speed and even comments on the current Iraq 'war'. Two chapters are personal commentaries from a veteran and a conscientious objector. The latter seem not to flow with the book and could be left for larger works.