The Origins of the Vietnam War [Paperback]

Fredrik Logevall (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0582319188 | ISBN-13: 978-0582319189 | Publication Date: September 7, 2001 | Edition: 1

This new book sets in context the conflict from the end of the Indochina War in 1954 to the eruption of full-scale war in 1965, and places events against their full international background. Books in this Seminar Studies in History series bridge the gap between textbook and specialist survey and consists of a brief "Introduction" and/or "Background" to the subject, valuable in bringing the reader up-to-speed on the area being examined, followed by a substantial and authoritative section of "Analysis" focusing on the main themes and issues. There is a succinct "Assessment" of the subject, a generous selection of "Documents" and a detailed bibliography. Why did the US make a commitment to an independent South Vietnam? Could a major war have been averted? This book provides a short, accessible introduction to the origins of the Vietnam War. The war had a profound and lasting impact on the politics and society of Vietnam and the United States, and it also had a major impact on international relations. Readers interested in the history of southeast Asia, or the Vietnam War.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The war in Vietnam was a seminal event in post-1945 world affairs. The conflict had a profound and lasting impact on the politics and society of Vietnam and the United States, but also shaped the larger international system in critical ways. This volume provides an authoritative and accessible introduction to the origins of the war. It situates the developments from the French colonial period to the eruption of major war in 1965 in their larger global setting - how Vietnamese affairs were shaped by - and in turn shaped - developments outside Vietnam. The Origins of theVietnam War looks at:

• Why France colonized Indochina in the late 19th century, and why that colonial venture ended in defeat at the hands of Ho Chi Minh's Vietminh in 1954.
• Why the 1954 Geneva Agreement failed to bring long-term peace to Indochina.
• Why the United States opted to make a commitment to the creation of an   independent, non-communist South Vietnam.
• Why a major war developed in 1965, with the US and South Vietnam on one side  and the National Liberation Front and North Vietnam, backed by China and the Soviet Union on the other.
• Whether the war could have been avoided.

 Containing a Guide to Characters, Chronology and detailed Bibliography, The Origins of the Vietnam War provides an indispensable introduction to one of the most important events in recent history.

Fredrik Logevall is Associate Professor of History, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Longman; 1 edition (September 7, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0582319188
• ISBN-13: 978-0582319189
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #983,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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