Heres an admittedly subjective list, posted on the military history now website, put together by mark masse, a ball state university literary journalism professor. A political, social, and military history adds an entire additional volume of entries to the already exhaustive first edition, making it the most comprehensive reference available about one of the most controversial events in u. The vietnam war left the country having to rebuild its entire infrastructure, and the legacy of the war. Vietnam war books l z books on the war in vietnam including the tet offensive, helicopter warfare, viet cong tactics, ho chi min trail and veterans affairs. Americas wars have inspired some of the worlds best literature, and the vietnam war is no exception. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, this debut novel could fit into half a dozen genres of vietnam war books from war narrative to immigrant story, from mystery to political, from metafiction to historical and even dark comedy. I will be marking the fiftieth anniversary of those marines going ashore at da nang by posting my favorite vietnam war books, memoirs, novels, movies. The title is somewhat misleading, as this is really a history of the vietnam war rather than vietnam itself. For viewers of the ken burns pbs documentary on the vietnam war. Enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library.
Welcome to alpha historys selection of vietnam war books. Nov 08, 2012 enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. The lessons learned from this tragic conflict continue to have great relevance in todays world. These 10 books, in addition to the ones below, were recommended multiple times. Vietnam war project kit veterans history project, american folklife center, library of congress. Strangely, my history classes brushed over the vietnam war, i assume because it was still a very sensitive topic that was about 8 years ago. I wont hold my breath, nor will i watch this pos leftist rewriting of history, a history we all lived through. The united states and vietnam, 19501975 george herring widely recognized as a major contribution to the study of american involvement in vietnam, this comprehensive and balanced account analyzes the ultimate failure of the war, and the impact of the war on us foreign policy. William matthews was a muchadmired, awardwinning poet and teacher who lived hard and died suddenly in 1997 at the age of fiftyfive. Pages in category vietnam war books the following 42 pages are in this category, out of 42 total. The final book on your list of books about the vietnam war is 365 days. I suggest if you want to learn about the vietnam war you don. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising.
Ten vietnam war novels to read council on foreign relations. The vast number of books and resources available on the subject span history, memoir, sociociology, and politics. Highprofile opposition to the vietnam war increasingly turned to mass protests in an effort to shift u. War story author jim morris ponders the hated nickname baby killers given to vietnam war soldiers, and then explains the extraordinary lengths u. Mar 24, 2020 online shopping for vietnam war history books in the books store. All our physical stores and our online store are temporarily closed. A peoples history of the vietnam war the new press. The following texts are used and recommended by alpha history authors. Thus john prados titled his history of the war vietnam. An impressive piece of work that gives a good overview of the vietnam war and the wider issues that surrounded the conflict. To help on your search for knowledge we provide the following bibliographies book lists.
For those of you interested in books about vietnam, heres a list, along. A marines reallife battles in vietnam during 1967 and 68 marines, 1st force logistical command clutch platoon by r. The penguin history of modern vietnam by christopher. Incorrect book the list contains an incorrect book please specify the title of the book. Three are novels, two of which were written by vietnam war veterans. The 696page book covers 2,000 years of vietnamese government, culture and life, from the qin empire in 221 b. An international history of the war for peace in vietnam by lienhang t. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. Spam or selfpromotional the list is spam or selfpromotional. What is the best book providing a comprehensive history of.
Mar 02, 2015 the best histories of the vietnam war. The best vietnam war books five books expert recommendations. A brilliant father, a complicated legacy, and a sons hardwon journey of selfdiscovery. The vietnam war also known as the second indochina war, and in vietnam as the resistance. Gr 8 updk, in consultation with the smithsonian institution, delivers a hefty tome that provides a sweeping overview of the vietnam war.
Inappropriate the list including its title or description facilitates illegal activity, or contains hate speech or ad hominem attacks on a fellow goodreads member or author. The early years of the united states army in vietnam, 19411960 1985 ronald h. Complete organized chaos for the new guys would begin as we landed in vietnam. Among the most positive is an abundance of topnotch books, many written by veterans of the conflict. Jamieson, has been critical in helping me understand the country i visit every summer. But, for the record, heres the top 10 vietnam books.
The author of seven books, including two on vietnam valley of decision, lj 11191, and the sky would fall, lj 6183, prados has written a treatise of sorts that might have been called how not to. William matthews was a muchadmired, awardwinning poet and teacher who lived hard and died suddenly in. The vietnam war in history chapter 1 the vietnam war. Purchasing these books through the book depository is a great way for you to save money, while supporting alpha history. It has incited many authors, historians and scholars, military and civilian alike, to analyze and write about this complex war. The inspiring true story of green beret medic gary beikirch, medal of honor. Recommended books on the history of the vietnam war. This is relatively short book in terms of text but incredibly well though out and a deep analysis of the war. Some made high falutin claims to be as good a war novel as. Discover book depositorys huge selection of vietnam war books online.
Going after cacciato by tim obrien, better times than these by winston groom, the th valley by john m. Webb, as you probably know, went on to write a few other books and still find the time to become a u. Oliver layton press, c1966, by tuli kupferberg and robert bashlow page images at hathitrust. This was a book i read before i went to vietnam and it was written by an army doctor who wasnt even there. Vietnam war teens, military history teens, books barnes. Discover the best vietnam war history in best sellers. Taylor is the author of the new book, a history of the vietnamese cambridge concise histories. An oral history of the vietnam war by black veterans 1984, includes observations. The vietnam war lasted more than a decade, was the longest war in u. Michael herrs frontline reporting of the vietnam war is collected in dispatches, one of the first books to capture the unique feel of life on the vietnam battlefront. Choose from used and new textbooks or get instant access with etextbooks and digital materials. Now in its second edition, the encyclopedia of the vietnam war. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. It is an in depth analysis of its history and people through literature and poetry.
The powerful words in these eleven books help us understand a complicated time in our recent history, and the political and personal legacy that. This latest addition to the new presss peoples history series offers an incisive account of the war america lost, from the perspective of those who opposed. This website presents the most informative, insightful and popular nonfiction books about the vietnam war. I will be marking the fiftieth anniversary of those marines going ashore at da nang by posting my favorite vietnam war. This latest addition to the new presss peoples history series offers an incisive account of the war america lost, from the perspective of those who opposed it on both sides of the battlefront as well as on the homefront. Reexamining the culture and history of a generation routledge michael j. After reading the sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen, im obsessed with learning more about the vietnam war. It starts with some excellent historical background that explains how indo china fought in the 2nd world war against the japanese with the allies. Organized chaos, seemed like a contradiction in terms, but after a few weeks in vietnam, it seemed plausible. Neil sheehan if you ever read just one history of the vietnam war, read this. Vignettes of the vietnam war collection development library.
An oral history of the vietnam war by black veterans, by. May 20, 2011 now in its second edition, the encyclopedia of the vietnam war. The vietnam war stands as one of the pivotal moments in recent u. The viet nam war was, unquestionably, americas longest war and a war that deeply divided america in the sixties and seventies. But what he did was he interviewed the people he was treating and it was one of the great examples of breaking through the statistics.
The best histories of the vietnam war council on foreign. The 89 best vietnam war books recommended by steve blank, amber theoharis, mary dudziak. Online shopping for vietnam war history books in the books store. Andrew wiest is professor of history and codirector of the center for the study of war and society at the university of southern mississippi. Informational spreads containing color photographs take readers more or less chronologically through the saga of the war, from indochinas precolonial history to the regions current situation. These include winners of national book awards and pulitzer prizes, both fiction and nonfiction. Daniel ellsberg and the secret history of the vietnam war. 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. We would be organized militarily, but we would have to break the bad habit, of trying to fight a conventional war in a guerrilla warfare environment. 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. Personally, alongside herr, id recommend philip caputos a rumor of war and, for an exhaustive history, the 10,000 day war by michael maclear.
Feb 05, 2008 personally, alongside herr, id recommend philip caputos a rumor of war and, for an exhaustive history, the 10,000 day war by michael maclear. Usa today s bob minzesheimer recommends books by 10 authors. Heroism and betrayal in the arvn and coeditor of america and the vietnam war. Apr 10, 2017 in english, there are quite a few books. Sinovietnamese war reeducation camp vietnam boat people vietnam war casualties opposition to the vietnam war opposition to the u. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. For years the manner in which hanoi waged its warmilitarily, politically, diplomaticallyand the leaders of that war have confounded historians. But his experience in the vietnam war made a reasonable choice.