Why the North Won the Vietnam War

by M. Gilbert

Overview

In this new collection of essays on the Vietnam War, eminent scholars of the Second Indo-china conflict consider several key factors that led to the defeat of the United States and its allies. The book adopts a candid and critical look at the United State's stance and policies in Vietnam, and refuses to condemn, excuse, or apologize for America's actions in the conflict. Rather, the contributors think widely and creatively about the varied reasons that may have accounted for the United State's failure to defeat the North Vietnamese Army, such as the role played by economics in America's defeat. Other fresh perspectives on the topic include American intelligence failure in Vietnam, the international dimensions of America's defeat in Vietnam, and the foreign policy of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. None of the essays have been previously published, and all have been specifically commissioned for the book by its editor, Marc Jason Gilbert.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780312295271
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan US
Publication date:	08/21/2002
Edition description:	2002
Pages:	254
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.02(d)

About the Author

MARC JASON GILBERT is Professor of History at North Georgia College and State University. A specialist in the history of modern Vietnam and modern South and Southeast Asia, he has written and edited several books on the Vietnam War, including The Vietnam War: Teaching Approaches and Resources (1991), The TET Offensive (1996), and The Vietnam War on Campus: Other Voices, More Distant Drums (2000). He is also co-author and co-producer of the award-winning documentary Lost Warriors, an examination of the plight of homeless Vietnam veterans.

Table of Contents

Preface; E.H.Tilford , Grove City College Introduction; M.J.Gilbert , North Georgia College and State University Winning and Losing the War in Vietnam; R.Brigham , Vassar College Victory by Other Means: The Foreign Policy of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam; W.Duiker , Pennsylvania State University The International Dimensions of America's Defeat in Vietnam; G.C.Herring , University of Kentucky Losing the Wrong War; J.Record , U.S. Air Force, Air War College Intelligence Failure in Vietnam; J.Prados , Vietnam Documentation Project, National Security Archive The Economic Causes and Legacies of American Defeat in Vietnam; A.Rotter , Colgate University The Home Front; M.Young , New York University Reflections on a Lost War; L.Gardner , Rutgers University

Editorial Reviews

'The well-written scholarly essays in this collection concentrate on what North Vietnam did right.' - M. O'Donnell, Choice

'...a fine and well-written study particularly suited for undergraduate and graduate student instruction.' - Erik B. Villard, Journal of Military History

'...offer[s] a good deal of fresh thinking about the war...' - Ruud van Dijk, H-World H-Net Reviews

From the Publisher

Editor Gilbert (North Georgia Coll. and State Univ.; The Vietnam War on Campus) has brought together nine leading authorities on Vietnam to discuss the difficult issue of how a superpower was defeated by a nominally inferior Third World state. While many academic libraries may exercise caution in these economically stressful times in purchasing expensive collections of essays, this particular work deserves a second glance. Scholars such as Jeffrey Record, George C. Herring, William J. Duiker, and John Prados and their colleagues in this volume provide both depth and breadth to any discussion of the wars in mid-century Southeast Asia, and their attempts at clarifying the factors behind North Vietnamese success and U.S. and South Vietnamese failure will certainly elevate scholarly debate on the topic. This formidable collection covers foreign and domestic policy, military tactics and strategy, and the usually neglected cultural questions surrounding the fall of South Vietnam to the Communist North. A valuable addition to academic libraries.-John R. Vallely, Siena Coll. Lib., Loudonville, NY

Library Journal

Studies from an October 2000 conference held at Gettysburg College look at international dimensions of the Vietnam War, analyze the role of American and Vietnamese military performance, economic influences on the war, and the role of the American home front. Some specific topics include intelligence in Vietnam, the foreign policy of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, and how America's military performance aided and abetted the North's victory. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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