Vietnam: Explaining America's Lost WarIn Vietnam, Gary R. Hess describes and evaluates the main arguments of scholars, participants, and journalists – both revisionist and orthodox in their approach – as they consider why the United States was unable to achieve its objectives. While providing a clear and well-balanced account of the existing historical debate, Hess also offers his own interpretation of the events and opens a dialogue about the usefulness of historical argument in reaching a deeper understanding of the conflict. This concise book is essential reading for students and teachers of the Vietnam War as it provides a clear and well-balanced account of existing historical debate and a thought-provoking look at the future of historical scholarship. |
Contents
A Necessary War or a Mistaken War? | 25 |
Kennedy Exceptionalism or Missed Opportunity | 50 |
The Revisionist Critique of the Strategy for Defeat | 84 |
Copyright | |
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achieve aggression air power ally Americans and South antiwar argument ARVN attacks battles became bombing of North Cambodia campaign casualties Chinese civilian CLAUSEWITZIAN ALTERNATIVE Cold Cold War commitment communist contend coverage critical decision defeat Defense Diem's disengagement ENDURING DEBATE enemy escalation failed failure fighting forces Hanoi hearts-and-minds historian Ibid Indochina insurgency interpretation intervention Johnson journalists Kennedy exceptionalism Kennedy's leaders leadership limited lost victory Marines military power Minh MISTAKEN movement national security negotiations Ngo Dinh Diem Nixon and Kissinger NIXON-KISSINGER objective officials operations peace Phoenix Program political PRESCRIPTION FOR VICTORY President reflected reporting revisionism revisionist Robert Rolling Thunder Saigon government scholars search-and-destroy Second Indochina War South Vietnam South Vietnamese Army South Vietnamese government Southeast Asia Soviet Union strategy struggle television Tet Offensive Thieu troops undermined United University Press Viet Cong Viet Minh Vietnam New York Vietnam War village waged Westmoreland World writes