How the vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history by. Studying vietnams history for more than 12 years in school cannot compare to 12 days reading one of these books. Pages in category vietnam war books the following 42 pages are in this category, out of 42 total. This story of a family torn apart by the vietnam era is a magnificent portrayal of two noble men who broke each others hearts booklist. Nonfiction an intimate history of killing by joanna bourke.
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. List of books and articles about vietnamese history. June 1954 ngo dinh diem brought to south vietnam from the united states to be prime minister july 1954 geneva accords provisionally divide vietnam at the 17th parallel into northern vietnam under ho chi minh and southern vietnam under ngo dinh diem with elections to reunify the country scheduled for july 1956. All formats available for pc, mac, ebook readers and other mobile devices. Get the best deals on original vietnam war books when you shop the largest online selection at. While most peopleliberals, conservatives, democrats, republicans, historians, pundits, and citizens alikeagree that the united states did not win the war, a vocal minority argue the opposite or debate why victory never came, attributing the quagmire to everything from domestic politics to the press. A new history of americas descent into vietnam hardcover by. Find below a collection of the best books on the vietnam war. Tell us what you like and well recommend books youll love. Successive dynasties based in china ruled vietnam directly for most of the period from 207 bc until 938 when vietnam regained its independence. After we posted this article, times readers weighed in with their favorite books on the vietnam war. Three are novels, two of which were written by vietnam war veterans.
What books are good to read about a complete history of vietnam. Alexis johnson page images with commentary at archives. The history of vietnam can be traced back to around 4000 years ago. Americas wars have inspired some of the worlds best literature, and the vietnam war is no exception. 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 history of vietnam begins around 2,700 years ago. Books there is no book in english, and probably none in any other language, that provides as comprehe.
Enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. The first work to chronicle the history of vietnam beginning in the legendary pasta memory that is so significant to the vietnamese identity and belief system. Reading the book, i continually recalled soundbites from my youth concerning the vietnam war, reminding how little weve learned in the past forty years. John paul vann who arrived in vietnam in 1962 and witnessed firsthand the corruption, deception, arrogance.
Vietnam remained a tributary state to its larger neighbor china for much of its history but repelled invasions by the chinese as well as three invasions by the mongols between 1255 and 1285. Archaeological findings from 1965, still under research, show the remains of two hominins closely related to sinanthropus, dating as far back as the middle pleistocene era, roughly half a million years ago. That said, army history will be the final arbiter of language usage and style. 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. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. The vietnam war stands as one of the pivotal moments in recent u.
Best books on vietnam the best books about vietnam as a country, not just the vietnam war. If you mean complete history as in full vietnamese history and not full vietnam war history like 90% of white people, then i recommend d. The best vietnam war books five books expert recommendations. Covering world war i, world war ii, and the vietnam war, this book does an exceptional job illuminating the psychological aspects of wartime on those who do the killing. The vietnam war dvd with free hardcover book,the vietnam war, an immersive tenpart, eighteen hour documentary film series directed by acclaimed filmmakers ken burns and lynn novick, tells the epic story of one of the most divisive, consequential and misunderstood events in american history, as it has never before been told on film. 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. Discover the best vietnam war history in best sellers. Tell me about the first book on your list, a rumor of war 1977. Vietnam simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Among the most positive is an abundance of topnotch books, many written by veterans of the conflict. Viet nam by ben kiernan, 9780195160765, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. Save when you buy the dvd and companion book together. These include winners of national book awards and pulitzer prizes, both fiction and nonfiction.
The penguin history of modern vietnam by christopher goscha. The vietnam war continues to be the focus of intense controversy. Vietnam history with the marine corps the marine shop javascript seems to. The author looks at vietnam from an interesting perspective. The title is somewhat misleading, as this is really a history of the vietnam war rather than vietnam itself. A history from earliest times to the present 9780195160765. More than 700,000 people subscribed to the series during its run, and collectively, more than 11 million copies of the books were sold. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers.
A history was a book i should have read at this particular time in american history. In 111 bc, the han dynasty from china absorbed vietnam into their empire. Vietnams history has long been characterized by the neighborhood of china in the north. A history is a monumental undertaking for both the author and the reader tracing the history of vietnam and its quest for freedom through the ages up until the 1980s when the book was published. Plaster served three oneyear tours with macvsog, and his book sog. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. A history, stanley karnow the most complete account of the vietnam war to date.
Various books written by marines and other authors covering the accounts of conflicts, history, and culture. Occupying the eastern coastline of the southeast asian peninsula, vietnam is bounded by china on the north, by laos and cambodia on the west, and by the gulf of tonkin and the south china sea on the east and south. Drenched in history, the 12th longest river in the world has not undergone much industrialisation and until about 20 years ago, it didnt have any. Large selection and many more categories to choose from. 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. What books are good to read about a complete history of. The recipient of the national book award and the pulitzer prize for nonfiction, neil sheehas book stands among the best accounts of the war, bringing to light the experiences of lt. Karnow is well qualified to write this text, with a career reporting on vietnam that dates back to the 1950s. Vietnam history with the marine corps the marine shop. 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.
A history of the vietnamese cambridge concise histories. A landmark workthe most complete account to date of the vietnam tragedy. Online shopping for vietnam war history books in the books store. James carroll grew up in a catholic family that seemed blessed. Philip caputo was a marine who later became a very wellknown journalist. Written by a native, this history portrays the sino viet interdependence that lasted for 1,000 years and had such an influence on vietnamese culture. Published in conjunction with a proposed 1983 pbs program. Brief overview of the history of vietnam vietnam has a history of tribes uniting to form strong dynasties. For about 1,000 years, northern vietnam belonged to china, but from 938 the country became independent and later expanded southward at the expense of the champa kingdom. The first volume, setting the stage, was published in 1981, and the final volume, war in the shadows, was published in 1988.
A history is a clearly written and accessible history of the vietnam war, starting with the early days of french colonialisation all the way through to the fall of saigon. The penguin history of modern vietnam by christopher. The definitive history of modern vietnam, lauded as groundbreaking guardian and the best onevolume history of modern vietnam in english wall street. When in the 15th century, the vietnamese finally evicted their chinese masters, they. But as christopher goscha shows in his groundbreaking book, vietnam has always been a far more complicated place politically, strategically. The vietnam war in history chapter 1 the vietnam war. A bright shining lie is a sprawling, powerful account of the peril and folly of the vietnam war. Vintage 1999 vietnam war history army aviation vietnam 196163 huey helicopters. Providing a useful background on vietnamese history, with periods of domination from and resistance to, outsiders, the book helps the reader understand the depth of the nationalism.
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