American perspective on the vietnam war books from vietnamese

When truong nhu tang returned to vietnam to fight for national liberation. Vietnams american war by pierre asselin cambridge core. May 23, 2016 on april 30, 1975, the war came to an abrupt end when saigon transferred hands. Existing studies of the vietnam war have been written mostly from an american perspective, using western sources, and viewing the conflict through western eyes. What struck me about it is the similarity of the feeling between people who just by the grace of god, by luck, were on. Recommended vietnams history before and after 1975 books. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. A vietnamese perspective on the wars war is boring medium. 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. 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. How young vietnamese view the vietnam war the atlantic. 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. Americans, and how very little was written about the vietnamese. 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 documentary history from american and vietnamese perspectives 9780807859919. His role with the vietnamese communists began when he met ho chi minh while in france. Sorrow of war offers the north vietnamese perspective by tracing. A slew of war memoirs stand with the best writing of that genre. There are fictional and nonfictional vietnam war books, some of which. 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. This is an excellent primer for those looking for a basic chronological understanding of the events of the war. At the seminar, leading western diplomatic and military historians and vietnam scholars met with prominent vietnamese communists to reflect on the vietnam war. 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. This book is an excellent factual overview of the american experience in vietnam. When heaven and earth changed places and child of war, woman of peace. The best vietnam war books five books expert recommendations.

But phillip jennings is here to set the record straight, about one of the bright spots in u. These include winners of national book awards and pulitzer prizes, both fiction and nonfiction. 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. Next on your list of vietnam war books is one written from the perspective of the viet cong. But most vietnamese are too young to remember the day in 1975 when saigon fell, celebrated in hanoi as.

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. Children of the vietnam war travel smithsonian magazine. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. Offering a unique and impressively informed and informative perspective, vietnam s american war. What is the best book about vietnam war written from. 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. The mainstream vietnameseamerican population looked down on them, assuming that their mothers were prostituteswhich was sometimes the case, though many of the.

Accounts of the vietnam war from the perspective of vietnamese are often overlooked, and books by south vietnamese soldiers in particular are. A north vietnamese perspective on the war bui tin on. American and vietnamese perspectives by hunt, michael isbn. What do vietnameseamericans think of the vietnam war. These 10 books, in addition to the ones below, were recommended multiple times. The author was the highest ranking member of the communist party to defect after the 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. Diving into a book about the vietnam war can be a daunting task. 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.

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 relatively rare. James zumwalt about his new book on the vietnam war, as seen through. In this book, he generally does not praise the american soldier who fought in the. Oct 03, 2017 what do vietnameseamericans think of the vietnam war. The mainstream media and history books would have you believe that the vietnam war was tragic and a dismal failure. Apr 16, 2015 the vietnam war, as seen by the victors. A vietnam war reader american and vietnamese perspectives. As an american who has lived in the vietnamese capital for three years, i rarely hear the conflict discussed. Ending the vietnam war the vietnamese communists perspective. A article noted that american filmmakers appeared more confident to put vietnam combat on screen for the first time during that era.

There was no war front to advance, no safe region to defend, not even a welldefined theatre in which to operate. Sep 15, 2017 whats your favorite book about the vietnam war. As someone who grew up in the 60s watching the vietnam war on the tv i was fascinated by what america was doing there. Dec, 2017 find below a collection of the best books on the vietnam war. Here are two very different accounts of that same extraordinary day. 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. Eight writers share their mustread books from vietnam and. 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. Aug 17, 2017 studying vietnams history for more than 12 years in school cannot compare to 12 days reading one of these books. The vietnamese revolution and politicalmilitary strategy. A vietnamese perspective on the wars war is boring. Stewart onans the vietnam reader is perfect for the indecisive as it highlights the best texts from an american perspective, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Stanley karnow was there, as a reporter, and this book has become a staple in the vast collection of american vietnam war books. Vietnamese and american perspectives werner, jayne, huynh, luu doan on.

How the north vietnamese remember the vietnam war, 40. 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. American and vietnamese perspectives by hunt, michael ed. 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. Readers weighed in on the best books about 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, as seen by the victors the atlantic. On april 30, 1975, the war came to an abrupt end when saigon transferred hands. Whilst some of these books are a bit older, they are still brilliant to read and give you great insight into the war. After the vietnam war ended in 1975, there was an increase in american films that were more raw, containing actual battle footage. American and vietnamese perspectives 2010 michael h.

One significant problem faced by vietnam war soldiers was being engaged in a conflict without clear military objectives. America is a crassly materialistic and innocent nation. Studying vietnams history for more than 12 years in school cannot compare to 12 days reading one of these books. It was part of a larger regional conflict as well as a manifestation of the cold war. 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. Among the most positive is an abundance of topnotch books, many written by veterans of the conflict.

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. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Ray greiner, an american war veteran who returned to. 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. Apr 30, 2015 how young vietnamese view the vietnam 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. 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. 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. Novick may have featured more white american voices than.

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. What is the best book about vietnam war written from vietnams. Civilians and the vietnam war in a new book, nick turse says the pressure on u. After we posted this article, times readers weighed in with their favorite books on the vietnam war. 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. Enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. But many others were poor or workingclass teenagers who enlisted or were drafted into the military right out of high school. 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. Veterans angry, disappointed following pbs vietnam war. Book examines vietnam war from viet congs point of view pbs.