American perspective on the vietnam war books from vietnamese

As someone who grew up in the 60s watching the vietnam war on the tv i was fascinated by what america was doing there. These 10 books, in addition to the ones below, were recommended multiple times. But many others were poor or workingclass teenagers who enlisted or were drafted into the military right out of high school. Eight writers share their mustread books from vietnam and the diaspora by trang bui eight writers recommend classics and modern classics from vietnam and the diaspora that touch on colonization, wars, and life after warall told through the vietnamese kaleidoscope. American and vietnamese perspectives by hunt, michael ed. Vietnamese army shares his insights into many aspects of the vietnam war. Accounts of the vietnam war from the perspective of vietnamese are often overlooked, and books by south vietnamese soldiers in particular are. After the vietnam war ended in 1975, there was an increase in american films that were more raw, containing actual battle footage. Sep 27, 2017 s ome of the 20th centurys most defining pop music emerged from the period during which the vietnam war was fought and in the installment of the ken burns and lynn novick docuseries the. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. American and vietnamese perspectives by hunt, michael isbn. At the seminar, leading western diplomatic and military historians and vietnam scholars met with prominent vietnamese communists to reflect on the vietnam war. A slew of war memoirs stand with the best writing of that genre.

Ray greiner, an american war veteran who returned to. Here are two very different accounts of that same extraordinary day. This is a great piece of writing and the guy is obviously a talented writer. America is a crassly materialistic and innocent nation. Eight writers share their mustread books from vietnam and. How young vietnamese view the vietnam war the atlantic. On april 30, 1975, the war came to an abrupt end when saigon transferred hands. The vietnamese revolution and politicalmilitary strategy. Recommended vietnams history before and after 1975 books. These include winners of national book awards and pulitzer prizes, both fiction and nonfiction. This is an excellent primer for those looking for a basic chronological understanding of the events of the war. A vietnamese perspective on the wars war is boring medium.

Studying vietnams history for more than 12 years in school cannot compare to 12 days reading one of these books. Page v the united states and all other countries respect the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of vietnam as recognized by the 1954 geneva agreements on vietnam. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. Children of the vietnam war travel smithsonian magazine. Civilians and the vietnam war in a new book, nick turse says the pressure on u. When heaven and earth changed places and child of war, woman of peace. There was no war front to advance, no safe region to defend, not even a welldefined theatre in which to operate. The novel explores the war from the perspective of a former north vietnamese soldier, kien, and is a nonlinear telling of how the conflict transformed himself, his country and those around him. Memoirs of a victim turned soldier accounts of the vietnam war from the perspective of vietnamese are often overlooked, and books by south vietnamese soldiers in particular are relatively rare. A north vietnamese perspective on the war bui tin on. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. A vietnam war reader american and vietnamese perspectives.

Apr 30, 2015 how young vietnamese view the vietnam war. Vietnams american war by pierre asselin cambridge core. There are fictional and nonfictional vietnam war books, some of which. Book examines vietnam war from viet congs point of view pbs. James zumwalt about his new book on the vietnam war, as seen through. How the north vietnamese remember the vietnam war, 40. A article noted that american filmmakers appeared more confident to put vietnam combat on screen for the first time during that era. Ending the vietnam war the vietnamese communists perspective. This book, based on extensive original research, including vietnamese, chinese and former soviet sources, tells the story of the war from the tet offensive in 1968 up to the. After we posted this article, times readers weighed in with their favorite books on the vietnam war. May 23, 2016 on april 30, 1975, the war came to an abrupt end when saigon transferred hands. Diving into a book about the vietnam war can be a daunting task. The author was the highest ranking member of the communist party to defect after the war. S ome of the 20th centurys most defining pop music emerged from the period during which the vietnam war was fought and in the installment of.

What is the best book about vietnam war written from. Accounts of the vietnam war from the perspective of vietnamese are often overlooked, and books by south vietnamese soldiers in particular are relatively rare. But most vietnamese are too young to remember the day in 1975 when saigon fell, celebrated in hanoi as. It was part of a larger regional conflict as well as a manifestation of the cold war. Another revolutionary telling of the vietnam war, bao ninhs the sorrow of war is reported to have been written against the communist partys wishes. But phillip jennings is here to set the record straight, about one of the bright spots in u. One significant problem faced by vietnam war soldiers was being engaged in a conflict without clear military objectives. Novick may have featured more white american voices than. Stewart onans the vietnam reader is perfect for the indecisive as it highlights the best texts from an american perspective, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Woman in vietnam by dana sachs algonquin books of chapel hill a memoir of life in hanoi in the mid1990s, told from the perspective of an american who went to live there. Apr 16, 2015 the vietnam war, as seen by the victors. When truong nhu tang returned to vietnam to fight for national liberation.

Oct 03, 2017 what do vietnameseamericans think of the vietnam war. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, this debut novel could fit into half a dozen genres of vietnam war books from war narrative to immigrant story, from mystery to political, from metafiction to historical and even dark comedy. The vietnam war was the secondlongest war in united states history, after the war in afghanistan promises and commitments to the people and government of south vietnam to keep communist forces from overtaking them reached back into the truman administration. Dec, 2017 find below a collection of the best books on the vietnam war. What struck me about it is the similarity of the feeling between people who just by the grace of god, by luck, were on. A vietnamese perspective on the wars war is boring.

Sep 15, 2017 whats your favorite book about the vietnam war. Among the most positive is an abundance of topnotch books, many written by veterans of the conflict. His role with the vietnamese communists began when he met ho chi minh while in france. Offering a unique and impressively informed and informative perspective, vietnam s american war. The mainstream vietnameseamerican population looked down on them, assuming that their mothers were prostituteswhich was sometimes the case, though many of the. While the list of books about this conflict includes hundreds of enlightening works, we pick ten of the best texts offering illuminating perspectives on the war, its context and the effects it had on vietnam. American and vietnamese perspectives 2010 michael h. Aug 17, 2017 studying vietnams history for more than 12 years in school cannot compare to 12 days reading one of these books. The whole of the anti vietnam war movement sprang from the belief that the vietnam war was essentially a national revolutionary movement against the south vietnamese regime, perceived by them as unpopular, not one fomented or directed by the communist north which, in turn, was being instructed by communist china. What do vietnameseamericans think of the vietnam war. The vietnam war, as seen by the victors the atlantic. This book, based on extensive original research, including vietnamese, chinese and former soviet sources, presents a history of the war from the perspective of the vietnamese communists. Stanley karnow was there, as a reporter, and this book has become a staple in the vast collection of american vietnam war books.

What is the best book about vietnam war written from vietnams. Aug 14, 20 accounts of the vietnam war from the perspective of vietnamese are often overlooked, and books by south vietnamese soldiers in particular are relatively rare. Some of these are fiction books about vietnam war based on factual information, whilst others include some of the best books on vietnam history of the war. Existing studies of the vietnam war have been written mostly from an american perspective, using western sources, and viewing the conflict through western eyes. Recently, i was invited by professor susan schnall to address her class at new york university studying what is referred to as the vietnam war by americans and the american war by the vietnamese i guess nomenclature is a matter of perspective. The definitive collection of fiction and nonfiction on the war 1998 by stewart onan diving into a book about the vietnam war can be a daunting task. American vietnam war veterans and south vietnamese vietnam war veterans meet up to discuss the pbs documentary on the vietnam war by american filmmaker ken burns on thursday, sept. The thesis of turse, and of his vietnam war books, is that american acts of violence against vietnamese civilians werent accidental and they werent rarethey were a systematic part of the war and soldiers were trained for and ordered to take part in hatebased slaughter. Veterans angry, disappointed following pbs vietnam war.

Vietnamese and american perspectives werner, jayne, huynh, luu doan on. In this book, he generally does not praise the american soldier who fought in the. Next on your list of vietnam war books is one written from the perspective of the viet cong. Enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. A documentary history from american and vietnamese perspectives 9780807859919. In addition to jayne werner and luu doan huynh, the contributors are mark bradley, william duiker, david elliott, kristin pelzer, george vickers, james harrison, george herring, ronald spector, paul joseph, jeffrey clarke, ngo vinh long, benedict kiernan, marilyn young, david hung, keith taylor, and tran van tra.

The mainstream media and history books would have you believe that the vietnam war was tragic and a dismal failure. Americans, and how very little was written about the vietnamese. The best vietnam war books five books expert recommendations. This book is an excellent factual overview of the american experience in vietnam. Sorrow of war offers the north vietnamese perspective by tracing. A history is an extraordinary study of exceptional scholarship and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library vietnam war collections and supplemental studies lists. Since then i have gathered up quite a collection of books and dvds on the vietnam war or as the vietnamese say the american war. Jun 28, 2005 existing studies of the vietnam war have been written mostly from an american perspective, using western sources, and viewing the conflict through western eyes. Vietnam war 195475, conflict that pitted the communist government of north vietnam and its allies in south vietnam, the viet cong, against south vietnam and its principal ally, the united states.