The Illustrated History of the Vietnam War

by Chris McNab, Andrew Wiest

Overview

In the aftermath of World War II the decolonization process gained pace, but the transition to self-rule was often violent. The revolutionaries in Southeast Asia had demonstrated how to achieve political objectives in the face of overwhelming odds, but they continued their struggle to reunify Vietnam. Fearing an aggressive expansion of communism, the USA took the fateful step of intervening in Southeast Asia. Initially only political and monetary support were given to the new South Vietnamese government, but as the situation grew ever more complex, direct US military participation escalated. In the late 1960s there were as many as 500,000 American troops in Vietnam. By the time the US forces finally withdrew in 1973, the war had destabilized the entire region, spilling over into Laos and Cambodia. The repercussions of this bitter, tragic, and costly conflict were far-reaching, and it has affected US foreign policy ever since. As The Illustrated History of the Vietnam War reveals, the war remains a fascinating military study, embracing such diverse topics as guerrilla and conventional warfare, urban and jungle fighting, and political and ideological struggle. Illustrated throughout with both color and black-and-white photographs that bring the 10,000-day conflict to life, and including eye-witness accounts of the battles and incidents of America’s undeclared war, The Illustrated History of the Vietnam War provides a graphic and compelling account of one of the most brutal conflicts of modern history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781435161108
Publisher:	Metro Books
Publication date:	06/19/2015
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	433,613
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 9.70(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Andrew Wiest is Professor of History at the University of Southern Mississippi and serves as Director of the Vietnam Studies Program. He is author of The Boys of ’67.Dr. Chris McNab is a freelance writer, editor, and researcher based in South Wales, UK, who specializes in twentieth-century military history. Following a degree in Classical History and English at the University of Wales in Aberystwyth, he completed a PhD in social and political theory at the same university, before focusing his attentions on his primary interest, military affairs. He is the author of Military Uniforms Visual Encyclopedia, Battles that Changed Warfare, Germany’s Secret Masterplan, and Sporting Guns.