America's War in Vietnam: A Short Narrative History

It is a rare book that can effectively summarize a long war and a longer historical process in a short space, yet this book does so with gem-like clarity. It is also extraordinarily evenhanded--a great accomplishment given the depth of feeling surrounding the war. The text weaves various perspectives into the narrative so well that I always felt unimpeded by bias and appreciative of its broad objectivity. The author keeps the larger focus on the main political and military issues which shaped the war yet always includes enough detail to give a strong sense of what was taking place both in policy circles and on the ground. The author has cleary mastered a great deal of material and keeps to the facts, yet through it I was deeply moved. I think there is a subtle tone to the book of compassion for human tragedy that makes it not just highly readable but important to all of us who struggle to understand human events, and particularly this war.

I was young while the vietnam war was taking place. I've always wanted to learn more about it. This book tells precisely everything that went on very concisely. It also tells what went on in America during that time and you're able to get the whole picture. I wish that I would have read this a long time ago and I now know what other areas to look into for future reference. My family and I went to view "The Moving Wall" (Vietnam Memorial Duplicate) and I was fortunate and very honored to be able to discuss some situations with Vietnam Vets that were there. It was a great experience and those that I spoke with were impressed with what I knew!