America's Longest War (The United States and Vietnam, 1950-1975)

420 Pages·2014·177.745 MB·English

by  George C. Herring

Fifth Edition
AMERICIIS
LONGEST\fiAR
The United States and Metnam ,1950_1975
iii
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GLORCIIT C. HEIl.RlN(;

Americfr's
Longest War
The United States
and Vietnnnq
19 50-197 5
FIFTH EDITION
George C. Heruing
Uniaersity of Kentucky
AMERICA'S LONGEST WAR: THE UNITED STATES AND VIETNAM, I 950-1 975,
FIFTH EDITION
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Contents
INTRODUCTION ix
L. A Dead-End Alley: The United States, France,
and the First Inddchina War, 1950-1954 3
2. Our Offspring: Nation Building in South
Vietnam, 1954-1961 53
3. Limited Parbrership: Kennedy and Diem,
1961-L963 91.
4. Enough, but Not Too Much: ]ohnson's Decisions
for War, L96TL965 135
5. On the Tiger's Back: The United States at War,
967
1965-1 177
Contents V
6. 4^Y^".y Near Thing: The Tet Offensive and After,
1958
233
7. AWar for Peace: Nixon, Kissinger, and Vieturam,
1969-1973
277
8. The Postwar War and the Legacies of Vietnam
JJJ
Pronunciation Guide
P-1
Suggestions for Additional Reading
SR.1
INDEX I-1
Maps
FRENCH/NDOCHINA
9
SOUTHEAST ASIA,1954 23
THE BATTLE OF DIEN BIEN PHU 36
PROGRESS OFTHEBATTLE 39
HOCHIMINHTRAIL
1.91
NORTHAND SOUTH VIETNAM AT WAR 195
THE PATTERN OF THETET ATTACKS 238
THE CAMBODIAN "INCURSIONS," MAY_IUNE 1970 297
THE EASTER OFFENSIVE, APRIL_MAY 1972 31.4
THEHO CHI MINHCAMPAIGN: NORTH VIETNAM,S FINAI
OFFENSIVE,1.975 347
To the lnstructor
CHANGES TO THE FIFTH EDITION
The fifth edition of America's Longest War continues the tradition of explain-
ing how the United States became involved in the Vietnam War and what
the consequences of this involvement were for both the Vietnamese and the
Americans. New features include:
.
Extensive revision of chapters based on recent scholarship on North
Vietnam, the origins of the Vietnamese revolution, the First Indochina
War between the Viet Minh revolutionaries and France, and more.
o Additional material further characterizing Lyndon B. |ohnson's and
Richard Nixon's opinions and actions during wartime.
.
Updates that take into account recent progress toward a United States-
Vietnam strategic partnership and other major developments in the
twenty-first century.
SUPPLEMENTS
Visit the Online Learning Center for a wealth of student and instructor
resources. At www.mhhe.com/herring5e, you will find:
For the Student For the Instructor
. Multiple Choice Quiz o Instructor's Manual
.
o Internet Exercise Powerpoint Lecture Slides
.
Flash Cards
.
Review Questions
.
Additional Links
v1
To The lnstructor Vii
This edition of America's Longest war includes an exciting supplements
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gev9l9nuE such supplements, which is substantial. please consult your
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About the Author
GEORGE C. HERRING has devoted much of his career to teaching
and writing about the Vietnam War. He is widely recognized as the
"dean" of American scholars of that conflict.
Dr. Herring taught his first class on the war in the spring of 1973
as the last U.S. troops were returning home from Vietnam. He began
research on America's Longest War in 1975, shortly after the fall of
Saigon. First published in 7979, the book quickly established itself
as a standard work in the field and enjoyed extensive classroom use'
Dr. Herring has published numerous articles and essays on the war
and has lectured across the United States and abroad. His books
include The Secret Diplomacy of the Vietnam War: The Negotiating Vol'
umes of the Pentagon Papers (1983) and LBI and Vietnam: A Dffirent
Kind of War (1994). At the University of Kentucky, he directed the
work of scores of doctoral and M.A. students who have also contrib-
uted significantly to the history of the Vietnam War.
A native of Virginia, Dr. Herring graduated from Roanoke
College. After service in the U.S. Navy, he earned M.A. and Ph.D.
degrees at the University of Virginia. He taught at the University of
Kentucky fuom7969 until his retirement in 2005. In199T7994, he was
a visiting professor at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, and in
2001 Douglas Southall Freeman Professor of History at the University
of Richmond. Flis most recent book is From Colony to Superpower: U.S.
Foreign Relations Since 1776 (2008), a volume in the Oxford History of
the United States Series. He lives in Lexingtory Kentucky.
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