Vietnam's American War: A New History

by Pierre Asselin

Overview

The American war in Vietnam was so much more than the sum of its battles. To make sense of it, we must look beyond the conflict itself. We must understand its context and, above all, the formative experiences, worldview, and motivations of those who devised communist strategies and tactics. Vietnam's American War, now in its second edition, remains a story of how and why Hanoi won. However, this revised and expanded edition offers more extensive and nuanced insights into Southern Vietnamese history, politics, and society. It puts to rest the myth of Vietnamese national unity by documenting the myriad, profound local fractures exacerbated by US intervention. It also includes over thirty-five new images intended to highlight that the Vietnam War was, fundamentally, a Vietnamese civil war and tragedy. This new edition is as richly detailed as it is original, eye-opening, and absorbing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781009229326
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	06/13/2024
Series:	Cambridge Studies in US Foreign Relations
Edition description:	2nd Revised ed.
Pages:	460
Product dimensions:	6.22(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.14(d)

About the Author

Pierre Asselin holds the Dwight E. Stanford Chair in US Foreign Relations History at San Diego State University. He is the author of A Bitter Peace: Washington, Hanoi, and the Making of the Paris Agreement (2002) and Hanoi's Road to the Vietnam War, 1954–1965 (2013), and editor of The Cambridge History of the Vietnam War, Volume III: Endings.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Why Vietnam Matters; 1. From Dai Viet to the August Revolution; 2. Civil and Colonial War, 1945–1954; 3. Interwar Period, 1954–1965; 4. Americanization, 1965–1968; 5. De-Americanization, 1968–1973; 6. Endings, 1973–1975; Epilogue: Legacies.

Editorial Reviews

‘Now with detailed attention to the regime in Saigon alongside already excellent coverage of Hanoi, the second edition of Vietnam’s American War offers a deep, balanced assessment of Vietnam’s wars against the United States. This is a must-read for anyone interested in Vietnamese perspectives.’ Jessica Chapman, Williams College

‘Pierre Asselin has both done his homework with the details and developed a strong analytical voice that challenges most of what for decades has been written and taught about the war. This is a vast improvement over the myth-ridden narratives about the war that fill our bookshelves.’ K. W. Taylor, Cornell University, and author of A History of the Vietnamese

Review of previous edition: ‘… an extraordinary piece of scholarship, with revelations in every chapter.’ History Today

Review of previous edition: ‘Asselin has written a fine book, and we will be returning to it for years to come.’ Andrew J. Gawthorpe, H-Diplo

‘A very good survey, much more affordable than competitors. It covers a wide range of topics from a balanced perspective.’ Kyle Longley, Chapman University

From the Publisher