The Vietnam War 1956-1975

Don't Waste Your Money:
If one was prone to purchase Cliff Notes in college to avoid reading the whole book, then this book may have been written for you. It lacks detail and covers a purported 19-year history in 96 pages (which is more like 86). I am still reading the book, but am very disappointed in its overall content and depth. It appears to be slanted towards a one-sided view from the author's perspective and opinions. Parts are poorly written and several misspellings. If you are not of the Vietnam generation and want to get a full understanding of the Vietnam era, then I recommend that your money be spent on a more thoroughly written history. However, it is published on quality paper, and the photos and maps are of excellent quality.

A clear, concise overview of the Vietnam War:
This book is written in a clear style, with plenty of maps and pictures. It gives a concise overview of the Vitenam War in all of its major aspects. It doesn't limit itself to the war's military operations, but delves into the broader issues. For example, the book examines the causes and development of the anti-war movement in the US and its relationship with the civil-rights movement. The book also surveys the consequences of the Vietnam War until the present, both in SE Asia and in the US. This is a clear and concise book, and I highly recommend it. Being only 25 years old and not an American citizen, I had only a very sketchy knowledge of the Vietnam War. This book served as a very nice introduction.

Exactly what I Needed for 96 pages!:
Concise, to the point, balanced, well written, with all the main facts chronologically, different points of views and different theatres (Vietnam/America) of the conflict. Excelent maps and sufficient pictures. The book is one of the best (or even the best) of the Essential Histories Series by Osprey. It is just the short and precise military history of the entire conflict that I wanted to read. Also: a neat and well-organised book.

'Cliff's notes" version of history:
This is a excellent concise history of the worse 'war' in the 20th century. It covers the transition of powers from various peoples such as Chinese, French, Japanese, and various factions of Vietnamese. For novice, this will get you up to speed and even comments on the current Iraq 'war'. Two chapters are personal commentaries from a veteran and a conscientious objector. The latter seem not to flow with the book and could be left for larger works.

Good Insight Into A Sensitive Topic:
The book is a fairly easy read and a good addition to Osprey's Essential Histories collection. It is well organized and mostly follows a chronological order. Although the battle coverage is somewhat superficial, the author does give sufficient attention to some of the main conflicts. Also, this coverage is given from both sides. For example, the author discusses U.S. offensive action at the battles of the Ia Drang Valley, Tet, and the secret campaign into Cambodia. He also discusses the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive and the final Ho Chi Minh Campaign. This book, however, does more than just cover the war. The author adds value to the story by placing it in context with the counter culture and Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. In order for anyone to understand why America lost the Vietnam War, they must understand the domestic factors affecting U.S. policy. One chapter brings home this point by focusing on a specific conscientious objector. Finally, the book provides unique insight into the collapse of South Vietnam by looking at economic factors. Most books will talk about a corrupt and ineffective government as a leading cause for their defeat. The author shows true brilliance by showing that nothing is ever quite that simple. He discusses how the loss of US monetary aid caused massive inflation. When the United States withdrew its forces, it left South Vietnam with a technologically superior and battle tested, one million man military. Unfortunately, U.S. economic policy ensured that the South Vietnamese Government would not be able to maintain this army. The loss of US aid meant that this formidable fighting force was short of such essentials as fuel and ammunition. Because the book is a quick overview of the conflict, it cannot cover everything. For example, it does not discuss the fact that the U.S. broke its promise to defend South Vietnam as a condition of the Paris Peace Accord. Nevertheless, it does cover the main events of the war and place them in the context of the times. The information on the Civil Rights movement and US economic policy adds true value to this book. The author is able to show that despite the fact that the US won every major battle and then left behind a vastly superior ARVN military, the war was lost due to political and economic factors. In essence, the U.S. was able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The reader can only hope that we do not repeat ourselves in the ongoing war on terror.