They are the young newbie soldiers, who are trained for war. The causes of the vietnam war history learning site. Books with antiwar themes have explicit antiwar messages or have been described as having significant antiwar themes or sentiments. It was a prolonged struggle between nationalists aimed at unifying the territories of south and north vietnam under a communist government and the united states with the south vietnamese assistance aimed at preventing the spread of communism friedrichs 1. Although the backdrop for this novel is the vietnam war, cherries exist in every war. In 1941, a vietnamese nationalist movement, the viet minh, was formed by ho chi minh to resist. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. The viet cong were vietnamese rebels in the south who fought against the southern vietnam government and the united states. A french colony, indochina made up of vietnam, laos, and cambodia had been occupied by the japanese during the war. In vietnam, the rate of mental breakdowns in soldiers was 1 percent, a massive reduction from the second world war 10 percent. As for the communist party of vietnam, it, too, would rather not hear certain voices.
The best histories of the vietnam war council on foreign relations. It is difficult to commit to one without dwelling on what the others could have offered. Other fiction deals with veterans and their suffering robert stones dog soldiers, national book award, 1975, the effects of the war on families bobbie ann masons in country, 1985, living and working in vietnam before the war ward justs a dangerous friend, 1999 and reinterpretations of our involvement denis johnsons tree of. In the early 1900s, nationalist movements emerged in vietnam, demanding more selfgovernance and less french. A novel of the vietnam war intense, powerful, and compelling, matterhorn is an epic war novel in the tradition of norman mailersthe naked and the dead and james joness the thin red line. The vietnam war in literature and film the united statess involvement in the vietnam war, which ended in april, 1975 when the last american soldiers.
Vietnam war, 19611975 engineering and construction base development in south vietnam, 19651970 1991, by carroll h. There is catch22, and slaughterhouse five, and these are classics to be sure. The best vietnam war books five books expert recommendations. Jul 18, 2012 the vietnam war is a timely account of the 6,000day conflict in southeast asia. The vietnam war by andrew wiest, chris mcnab books on.
See more ideas about historical fiction, fiction and vietnam war. The vietnam war has roots in vietnams centuries of domination by imperial and colonial powersfirst china, which ruled ancient vietnam, and then france, which took control of vietnam in the late 1800s and established french indochina. Not all of these books have a direct connection to any particular antiwar movement. Philip caputo was a marine who later became a very wellknown journalist. Diving into a book about the vietnam war can be a daunting task. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers.
The initial cause that caused the vietnam war was the intention to overthrow the south vietnamese government that was led by the communist guerrillas viet cong and the national liberation front, which had the support of north vietnam which ended in a war between the two countries. May 04, 2016 david means shares the music that inspired his latest book part vietnam war novel, part reflection on the nature of memory. What is best historical fiction book written about the. Top 10 books about the cold war books the guardian. Some made high falutin claims to be as good a war novel. A slew of war memoirs stand with the best writing of that genre. For example, in the late 19th century france controlled the country as part of its colonial empire. The necessary war, michael lind if you only read one book on the vietnam war, this is it.
Enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. Often compared to joseph conrad and ernest hemingway, and largely considered one of the best vietnam novels, stone focuses on two characters, one of whom is a sailor traveling home from vietnam. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. Dog soldiers won the 1975 national book award for fiction. The vietnam war has produced as much literature as w. This colonial history angered many in vietnam and caused a growing sense of mistrust towards foreign powers. 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. This epic threevolume masterpiece is to war what gibbons decline and fall of the roman empire was to history. It is difficult to commit to one without dwelling on.
Top 10 books about the cold war the long, nucleararmed standoff that followed the second world war was a terrifying parody of peace. The violence, tragedy, bravery, and loss of the vietnam war has been memorialized in countless novels and works of nonfiction. A vietnam war combat nurses 10year fight to win women a place of honor in washington, d. Booktopia buy vietnam war books online from australias leading online bookstore. May 02, 2017 this book is not just a north vietnamese war classic it is a classic war novel of any time and any place. Vietnam war military history oxford bibliographies. Feb 05, 2008 a rumor of war, philip caputo to call it the best book about vietnam is to trivialise it. Three are novels, two of which were written by vietnam war. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. The th valley by john del vecchio there have been a number of excellent books about vietnam. Dog soldiers won the 1975 national book award for fiction, the first vietnam war novel to do so. Bruce franklin, one of americas leading cultural historians and author or editor of 19 books, and more than 300 articles.
North and south vietnam were divided at the 17th parallel. In 1941, a vietnamese nationalist movement, the viet minh, was formed by their leader ho chi minh 18901969 to resist the occupiers. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, this debut novel could fit into. The city of saigon was later renamed to ho chi minh city in his honor. Among the most positive is an abundance of topnotch books, many written by veterans of the conflict. In the intervening years, many have tried to make sense of the disillusionment, pain, and the fracturing of the american identity that occurred during the vietnam war years. Once they come under fire and witness death firsthand, a lifechanging transition. Beyond that, on the fiction front, we quickly traipse into forgettable territory. Vietnam war fiction skip to main search results amazon prime. His third book about the war, it is based upon his experiences as a soldier in the 23rd infantry division. The war began soon after the geneva conference provisionally divided 1954 vietnam at 17 n lat. Riveting novel of the gradual unravelling of a civil war veteran turned town marshalclearly suffering from ptsdas a forest fire and a deadly epidemic threatens his small town in 1870s wisconsin. The book begins with the history of south east asia during world war ii, before discussing the french involvement in the first indochina war, and the subsequent drawingin of the united states and its allies, australia and south korea.
It escalated from a vietnamese civil war into a limited international conflict in which the united states was deeply involved, and did not end. The diary of molly mackenzie flaherty, boston, massachusetts, 1968, ellen emerson white, 2002 its a little strange to think that the vietnam war era is definitely considered historical now, which is why i think this book didnt really echo with the audience. Tell me about the first book on your list, a rumor of war 1977. The causes of the vietnam war revolve around the simple belief held by america that communism was threatening to expand all over southeast asia. The war in vietnam was the result of years and decades of tensions within the country. The powerful words in these seven books help us understand a complicated time in our recent history, and the political and personal legacy that it still carries. Get book recommendations, fiction, poetry, and dispatches from the world of. One is literary nonfiction by a vietnam war veteran. Dec, 2017 in the fiction section, you will find the best books on vietnam war, other vietnam bestseller novels as well as novels set in vietnam. The vietnam war was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of north vietnam against south vietnam and its principal ally, the united states.
Neither the soviet union nor the united states could risk an allout war against each other, such was the nuclear military might of both. Using the latest archival research in china, russia, and vietnam, this book places the vietnam war in a broader international context by providing the various perspectives of the war as seen by the major international actors. War memory, horror, and a vivid portrayal of postwar life are all crowded into this brisk, 200page book. Mar 06, 2015 dog soldiers won the 1975 national book award for fiction, the first vietnam war novel to do so. One of my favourites from this list is the beauty of humanity movement, it might be an oldie but it is a great book that tells an interesting story about key characters and their lives in old vietnam. Three are novels, two of which were written by vietnam war veterans. Causes and consequences of the vietnam war main causes. The top 30 vietnam war books to read this winter historynet. Ten vietnam war novels to read council on foreign relations. Perhaps the only decent thing to emerge from the vietnam war is a body of literature unsurpassed by the writing thats come out of any other war. They are presented randomly within the categories of nonfiction and fiction. Vietnam, was a prosperous village of some thirtyfive hundred people. The forever wars stance on war is probably best summed up by this quote.
Revealing the scarring effects of war on the soldiers, the landscape of the country, some. Ready to read the most celebrated and best vietnam war books. The vietnam war questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on. You may also request these titles online through our opac. How modern can a books setting be to still consider it historical fiction. A providence journal best book of the year in 1977, laura bell left her family home in kentucky for a wild and unexpected adventure. Patrick is the protagonist mollys brother, and the two books cover very different aspects of the war. The definitive collection of fiction and nonfiction on the war 1998 by stewart onan. Every book on vietnam in the section claimed to be the best ever written on the subject. Discover the best vietnam war history in best sellers.
In my mind its one of the first really wellwritten books that describe the moral ambiguities and difficulties faced by a young marine officer in this particular war. The causes of the vietnam war trace their roots back to the end of world war ii. Jun 14, 2018 winner of the 1974 national book award for fiction, dog soldiers is a story of the vietnam war and of drug smuggling. It is the definitive history of the us civil war it gives equal treatment to both sides, and is more than one million words, but is never boring. This intervention would become one of the most divisive decisions in u. List of books and articles about vietnam war online. This book is widely viewed as the best concise history of the vietnam war. From the tunes soldiers listened to, to the national, here is his. Winner of the 1974 national book award for fiction, dog soldiers is a story of the vietnam war and of drug smuggling. Apr 25, 2017 after vietnam, after the economic and tonal shift, haldemans book was published. The great vietnam war novel was not written by an american. To order any of these titles, contact the library by email, mail or phone. Nonfiction updated december 2006 a war story is good, but sometimes non fiction can be more interesting, as in these true vietnam war stories, compiled by reader advisor paul mathews. Janet maslin of the new york times called the lotus eaters a dazzling debut novel.
Usa today s bob minzesheimer recommends books by 10 authors. Oct, 2015 anyway, this book is the only dear america with a specific companion book, which ill cover next weekthat being the journal of patrick seamus flaherty, united states marine corps, khe sanh, vietnam, 1968. The vietnam war is also known as vietnam conflict and second indochina war. A journalist in vietnam hopes to profit from a drug deal, but things dont go according to plan. The vietnam war stands as one of the pivotal moments in recent u. However, most are not ready to absorb the harsh physical, mental and emotional stress of war.
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