Vietnam and America: The Most Comprehensive Documented History of the Vietnam War [Paperback]

Marvin E. Gettleman (Editor), Jane Franklin (Editor), Marilyn B. Young (Editor), H. Bruce Franklin (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0802133622 | ISBN-13: 978-0802133625 | Publication Date: July 14, 1995 | Edition: 2nd

No single event since World War II has marked this country’s foreign policy and national image as deeply as did the war in Vietnam. Vietnam and America is a complete history of the war, as documented in essays by leading experts and in original source material. With generous selections from the documentary records, the book dispels distortions and illuminates in depth the many facets of the war, from Vietnam’s history before the war, to Washington’s insider policy making, to troop perspectives, to the impact back on the home front. In essays introducing each major stage of the war, the editors elucidate the issues, foreign policy choices, and consequences of U.S. involvement. Substantial headnotes put each document in historical perspective. This comprehensive anthology is an invaluable reference for anyone who wants to understand the Vietnam War.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fearful that an "America ignorant and innocent of Vietnam can again freely move against the self-determination of other nations," the editors have compiled here a history of United States involvement in Vietnam that draws equally on original material and surveys. Included are Vietnam's 1945 Declaration of Independencepart of which paraphrases our ownthe highlights of other key statements, speeches and treaties of the past 40 years, as well as such widely varied selections as Robert Scheer on the "Vietnam lobby" of the '50s, Seymour Hersh's account of the My Lai massacre, General Giap's recollection of the fall of Dien Bien Phu, and several excerpts from the Pentagon Papers. Although the publication of this material in one volume is immensely useful, the editors' notes are sometimes overbearing, as if the reader isn't trusted to come independently to their conclusionthat U.S. policy in Vietnam should be condemned. November
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The editors of this important anthology participated in the ``teach-in'' movement of 1965, which mobilized the academic community against U.S. policy in Vietnam. Patterned after Gettleman's bestselling sourcebook of the period, Vietnam: history, documents, and opinions (1956), this work is chiefly designed to let the facts speak for themselves. Essential documents are reprinted, including the 1973 Paris Peace Accords, the 1954 Geneva Conference Declaration, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, and excerpts from the Pentagon Papers, together with well-researched notes, introductions, and an abstract preceding each piece. Controversial issues are explored (a whole chapter is devoted to the antiwar movement), but the selections are balanced fairly. Official statements by top political and military leaders on both sides are included. This convenient one-volume compilation of a wide range of largely primary source material is highly recommended for most libraries. Richard W. Grefrath, Univ. of Nevada Lib., Reno
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press; 2nd edition (July 14, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802133622
• ISBN-13: 978-0802133625
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #46 in Books > History > Asia > Southeast Asia

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A meaty political review of the Vietnam conflict., September 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Vietnam and America: The Most Comprehensive Documented History of the Vietnam War (Paperback)

Full of primary source materical, Vietnam in America provides an amazing amount of information on the events leading up to and the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War. Whether its abstracts from Ho Chi Minh or CIA incursion force leaders, this book contains a great deal of data not to be found in other like works. A tough reader, this book is not suggested for casual reading and should be used for the diehard history buff or for research material.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A valuable resource for the persistent reader, September 10, 2001

By 

"logosmd" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vietnam and America: The Most Comprehensive Documented History of the Vietnam War (Paperback)

The collection of essays and official documents comprising this Vietnam history book can be quite a challenge to negotiate, perhaps even for the most serious Vietnam War readers. Personally, I recall reading this book during my (horrible) recovery from having my wisdom teeth removed, which provided the very ironic context for my pushing through the numerous essays, government documents, and accounts presented by the editors. For me, being someone who reads Vietnam War history as a hobby, it was one of those books that I knew was highly valuable while I was reading it, yet this type of enjoyment was often not accompanied by the "can't put it down" type of reading experience.
Overall, however, I would say that the richness, diversity, and balance of the material serves to compensate for any deficiencies the book might have in the excitement and engrossment arena. I often find myself referring back to the book while reading other Vietnam works. I would therefore recommend this book, but with the strong caveat that it should only be taken on if one is prepared to move through the heavy, sometimes even "boring" material in order to reap the substantial benefits yielded by this effort.