Vietnam: A History of the War

by Russell Freedman

An accessible and authoritative account of what led to the Vietnam War and its legacies from Newbery Medalist Russell Freedman.

With prose that is clear, concise, and enthralling, Russell Freedman presents a detailed history of the Vietnam war.

Beginning with an overview of Vietnam's long fight for independence from the Chinese, the French, and the Japanese, Freedman then untangles the puzzling and catastrophic decisions that led to U.S. boots on the ground.

Coverage includes the French war in Vietnam, the rise of Ho Chi Minh, the fall of President Diem, the Tonkin Gulf, the Tet Offensive, the My Lai massacre, the bombing of Cambodia, and the fall of Saigon, as well as the U.S. anti-war movement. Freedman concludes with a hopeful epilogue on modern Vietnam.

The book includes nearly 100 historic photographs and illustrations, as well as candid photographs showcasing the state of Vietnam today. A glossary, source notes, bibliography, and index are included.

A Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A CCBC Choices Title
A Junior Library Guild Selection

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, Middle Grade, Historical, Military Fiction, Asia

160 pages, Hardcover

First published August 30, 2016

About the author

Russell A. Freedman was an American biographer and the author of nearly 50 books for young people. He may be known best for winning the 1988 Newbery Medal with his work Lincoln: A Photobiography.

He grew up in San Francisco and attended the University of California, Berkeley, and then worked as a reporter and editor for the Associated Press and as a publicity writer. His nonfiction books ranged in subject from the lives and behaviors of animals to people in history. Freeedman's work has earned him several awards, including a Newbery Honor each for Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery in 1994 and The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane in 1992, and a Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal.

Freedman traveled extensively throughout the world to gather information and inspiration for his books. His book, Confucius: The Golden Rule was inspired by his extensive travels through Mainland China, where he visited Confucius' hometown in modern day QuFu, in the Shantung Province.

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've long believed that the Vietnam War was a tragic mistake, reading this book has only confirmed that belief in my mind. I've always loved reading Freedman's books, they are always eminently readable and easy to follow. I'm sad that with his death, there won't be many more like this one to share with young people. Freedman begins by telling about the march on Washington by 2000 Vietnam War veterans who believed the war was wrong. Freedman then goes back and provides background information on Vietnam and the years leading up to the actual fighting that became known as the Vietnam War even though war was never officially declared by Congress. The years leading up to the war were hard ones for Vietnam, they weren't a wealthy country and as a small country they were often at the mercy of their northern neighbor (China). After France made Vietnam their colony, the desire for independence started to become an actual political movement. A brief history of Vietnam's experiences during and after World War II opened my eyes as to why Vietnam turned communist. The irony is that after World War II, America had the chance to help Vietnam become an independent democratic country but chose to support France's desire to get their colony back instead.

But many Vietnamese refused to succumb to the French demands and the conflict that would rage almost unbroken for the next thirty years began. When the French proved unable to tame the demands for independence, America stepped in, supposedly to stop the spread of communism. But the supposed democratic government that the U.S. helped install turned out to be a brutal dictatorship instead. And events carried us into war when it became apparent that the South Vietnamese wouldn't be able to defeat the North on their own. It's sickening to realize however that what kept us at war wasn't a so-called 'noble cause' but leaders who couldn't bear the thought of losing a war. It was only as American citizen's opposition increased that thoughts of withdrawal were even considered. And even then it took several more years before it actually happened. Freedman's account of war provides a great overview of a conflict that even today is controversial. The stories told here are worth hearing and powerfully told.

[Sal Siciliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.8/5
Short, concise, and informative.

Being into history I decided to take on a book about the Vietnam war. I’ve learned a little about it but not nearly as much until I read this book. The war was in many ways pointless and unnecessarily violent. The book is written chronologically, from the Chinese rule of Vietnam, to the French colonization, to the Japanese control in ww2, and to ho chi Minh’s indochinese communist party. Political blunders from Lyndon Johnson are described lucidly (ex. Operation rolling thunder, golf of Tonkin resolution). Could say the same for nixon. “I don’t want to be the first u.s president to lose a war” seemed to be a selfish reason for costing civilians thousands of lives. I found it particularly fascinating how the Vietcong and north Vietnamese troops were able to withstand the u.s and south Vietnamese throughout the entire war. Don’t get me wrong I love America, but this war was a huge mistake. Very good book!

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a huge fan of non-fiction, but since the Vietnam War is a subject I know little about, I did find myself engaged several times while discovering facts I'd not read before. Quotes from politicians and soldiers after the fact were particularly powerful, and support the general opinion that the war was a huge mistake that the US couldn't win but couldn't figure out a way to get out of.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Russell Freedman is in consistently fine form here as he weaves a comprehensible portrait of a complicated war. This at first appears similar in scope to last year's Most Dangerous, but each book focuses on different aspects of the war. While Sheinkin really dives into the Pentagon Papers and each U.S. President's response to the war, they are included only briefly in Vietnam. What really shines here is the perspective that focuses largely on the Vietnamese and the history that led them to war.

Photos can also make or break a nonfiction text, and the ones chosen here are well chosen and perfectly placed.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read it. Makes our involvement seem all more idiotic. We should have done our research before even thinking about getting involved. And we shouldn't have worried so much about saving face, about not appearing weak.

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Russell Freedman is an icon in children's nonfiction. His writing flows well and he includes lots of great photos. This book is quite different from the one written by Philip Caputo. Caputo's book is all about the U.S. military campaign in Vietnam, whereas Freedman's book is equally about the history of the French occupation, the rise of Ho Chi Minh and Communism, and the U.S. involvement.

Here's what you'll learn from the book. Colonialism was rampant in the 1800s. Many European countries (and the US) controlled Asian and African countries. France controlled Vietnam and by the end of World War I, Vietnam was sick of it. About the same time a Vietnamese man named Ho Chi Minh was coming into popularity in North Vietnam. He wanted the French out and Vietnam unified under Communism. The French dug into South Vietnam and fought until 1954, when they finally surrendered.

Enter the Cold War. Two huge countries, the Soviet Union and China, are Communist. President Eisenhower is afraid that if South Vietnam falls to Communism, all of Asia is at risk. President Kennedy believes the same and sends in thousands of "advisers" to coach the South Vietnamese. This doesn't accomplish much because the SV government is incompetent. By the time Johnson becomes president, it's clear the only way to get business done is by sending in American troops. Tiny country. Big country. Johnson and his advisers believe this will be an easy, quick job.

Nope. The war goes on for nearly 10 years, through both of Johnson's terms and into Nixon's. The whole thing is a disaster. America withdraws. All of Vietnam becomes Communist. And guess what? Vietnam is thriving today under essentially a free market economy. Same as China. Ho Chi Minh wasn't all that bad.

Fairly short book. Long review. You'll get snippets of lots of other things. Protests. Agent Orange. You'll probably come to the conclusion that, yes, the war was a big mistake. Hind sight is 20/20.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freedman continues his string of outstanding narrative non-fiction titles...

Having recently viewed the new Vietnam War series by filmmaker Ken Burns, I really appreciate Freedman's overview of the Vietnam Conflict. Many of the passages read in my mind as what I had heard on the film series. Obviously the researchers for the film and Freedman consulted many of the same materials on the topic. Forty years later, we have gained perspective on military actions in this region are now writing down the lessons learned from that horrible time in U.S. History.

Freedman is very clear in his writing, with organization tight and on the money. For the most part, black and white period photographs appear in appropriate places throughout the text. A significant number come from the Associated Press, Library of Congress, and the National Archives. They serve not only to extend the text, but also aid in making the reader slow down to read captions and pour over the details of the photographs as they progress through the book.

Backmatter includes a time line (which could serve as an outline of the conflict very nicely), source notes, a glossary of terms, and a selected bibliography of materials Freedman consulted in doing his research. Most of these are adult works.

An excellent introduction for those not quite ready to tackle either the new book The Vietnam War: An Intimate History by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns (Knopf, 2017) or Stanley Karnow's classic "Vietname: A History" (Viking, 1983).

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1955 America took action towards communist influence that was opposing French colonialism and winning. Ho Chi Min who was trained by United States Intelligence forces along with a lot of his fighters who went on to be makeshift drill instructors for the Vietcong's fight with America.

Were the characters credible? Ho Chi Min was aided by the United States only to betray them as soon as the French were pushed from Vietnam. Ho and his men had this plan from the very beginning, showing Ho to be not only a communist but a liar too. The American aid of arms ammo and training is no doubt in my mind the real reason we went to war with Ho Chi Min.

My favorite part of the book is when we leave Vietnam. Same as the modern-day middle east, this war was a perfect set up for government businessmen to send clueless boys to fight in war, except in this case they were sent to die by no choice of their own, while some were brainwashed by birth and joined the forces on their own for honor, pride, those who feared the draft knew something that those poor helpless brainwashed Americans could never face.

This book is a tremendous documentation of our actions and process in Vietnam. I have not read many Vietnam war books but this one covers everything else I have read and heard about. I feel any red-blooded American reader who has any stake in this country should read this book and or educate themselves of the failure that was Vietnam.

[Opu Hossain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vietnam, one of the countries in modern history went through the bloodiest of wars for the longest period of time ended up defeating the modern super power USA. In just 160 pages Russell Freedman superbly managed to cover all the major events took place during the war convinces us his brilliance in penning war moments in history.

The book to begin with went back to 2000 years to show the promising Vietnamese fighting for independence against the Chinese later for 30 years the French, the Japanese ultimately overthrowing the Americans in the late 20th century. How a tiny Asian nation stood convincingly against the three powerful countries by turns, lost millions of life yet morally unbroken is an astonishment for the world to realize. Finally they achieved of what they stepped for. The book also informs us how the invaders illegally tried to size a peaceful nation in the name of politics and so called peace yet the world remains silent. If we look around the scenario of the similar events still go on that must be eliminated by the nations of the globe to bring peace.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes perspective helps us understand what happened more clearly than we did when we were caught up in the events swirling around us. For those of us who lived through the turbulent times associated with the war in Vietnam and for those who know very little of that conflict other than its brief mention in history books, Russell Freedman, master chronicler of historical events, provides a balanced account of how the United States became increasingly embroiled in a conflict thousands of miles away from home. In order to understand what happened in Vietnam during the undeclared war that took thousands of lives, readers must first understand some of the country's history and its role as a political football and place to expand for some nations. Freedman also introduces readers to some of the important figures in Vietnam's history and how the United States became involved in the conflict while shedding light on the increasing frustration and anger that was simmering back home and erupting in protests as several Presidents vowed to stop the fighting only to get caught up in fears about being seen as losing a war. Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon, all had their time as President shaped, in part, by Vietnam. Drawing from newspaper coverage, first-hand accounts of the war from the front lines, and comments from insiders, Freedman reveals a nation--ours--seemingly caught in a trap of its own making as it tried to save another nation--Vietnam--from itself and its own path of self-determination. There are several archival photographs included in the book as well as reflections on the American military's last days in Vietnam and the breakdown in discipline among the troops, many of whom no longer believed in the cause for which they were fighting. This book is packed with many important stories, providing a retrospective for those of us who lived through those days or marked our own political coming of age during those times, and offering a possible lens through which to regard some of our most recent military involvement overseas.

[Mrs. Melaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Russell Freedman, a master of non-fiction writing, dissects the complex mess of the Vietnam War and presents it back to readers in terms understandable even to middle school students. The first third of the book is devoted to a succinct, cogent history of Vietnam providing background information that is necessary to have in order to understand how the United States became embroiled in combat there. The rest of the book describes the escalation of hostilities, the nature of the guerrilla combat, and finally the withdrawal and aftermath of the war. Plentiful throughout are photos, relevant anecdotes, and quotes from people who were involved. (Note: There are a few swear words contained in the quotes.) The work concludes with a thorough timeline and a fantastic example of how to cite sources.

[Judi Paradis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vietnam is not an easy war to understand, and Freedman does an outstanding job providing historical context and describing how the United States got increasingly pulled in and trapped in this no-win war. In some ways, this seems like the Executive Summary of Ken Burns' excellent PBS documentary on the war. In just 150 pages of text and well-chosen photographs, Freedman provides a balanced overview of the role of France, the complications of the Cold War, and the difficulties facing the Johnson and Nixon administrations as they became mired in conflict, including strong domestic protest. This book, paired with Steven Scheinkin's Most Dangerous about Daniel Ellsburg's role in the war, could provide a good comprehensive education on Vietnam for middle and high school students (and adults who want a good overview).

[Jacki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Freedman writes a great narrative of the Vietnam War and the U.S.’s involvement in it. A history of the politics in the area following WWII is presented, followed by Vietnam’s desire to be independent from colonialism, and the U.S.’s desire to prevent the spread of communism. Pictures scattered throughout show people and conditions during the period.

I embarrassingly admit that I didn’t know much about Vietnam or the war before reading this book, besides the famous images of children from the war. This book was very educational without being dry, and the chapters were split up well, timelining the events in smaller, more comprehendible sections. Both advocate’s and protestor’s views of the war are shown to be valid, making this a nice piece of informational text.

[Alexis Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is centered towards explaining the Vietnam war from an American and Vietnamese perspective. It helps the reader visualize and understand the feelings and outcomes of the war. This book is great for students because this war was a huge time period within American history and first hand experience is a great way to interest students rather than just reading out of a history book. Students who are learning about the war most likely have older family members who have fought in this war, so it will be a great way to involve and interest students to learn about history. I personally am very interested at my grandfathers first hand accounts pertaining to this war, since I was a little girl I’ve been interested in this war.

[Tnb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, what a mess. I did not learn anything during the 90s about this war. It was a tiny talk, quiet under the table. And I understand why now. But was it ugly! It is good that at least with respect to this grave mistake the US has being coming out of the closet. I am wondering now if the big elite powers, us and our political friends, are not just an unruly mob that is mostly out of control unless some fancy dancing and appeasing is taking place.
I really did not mind the hypocrisy coming out over the last four years, but in relation to this story, we saw that it too was bad because it was replaced by a worse form of hypocrisy.

[John Yingling · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an outstanding one-volume history of the Vietnam War: succinct yet comprehensive as well. Russell Freedman joins Steve Sheinkin as my favorite juvenile nonfiction writer and historian. And may I say: Mr. Freedman's and Mr. Sheinkin's books are worthwhile reading for adults as well as young readers. Just when I thought I knew a lot about a person or a period in history, I find that these historians prove me wrong, happily so.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Political history of the war including political history of Vietnam. Many iconic photos included though no graphic images of wounded soldiers or amputees. Sources are well-documented. Includes timeline and glossary. Written from an American perspective and lacks Vietnamese cultural history as context; overall point of view reads as the people of the Vietnam region should have been left to self-determination of their choice of government.

[Saleena Longmuir · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed Russell Freedman's books. He does a lot of research and delivers intelligent information in a truly readable style. I learned a lot from this, and I thought I understood the Vietnam War; but there was so much more. Lots of pictures and background make this a wonderful research tool but also just incredibly easy to read and immerse yourself

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seems a random book to give five stars too, but this was the perfect introduction to this topic for someone who knew pretty much nothing about it. Loved the pictures and YA style writing that gave me plenty of detail but didn’t go full scholar mode so I didn’t get lost in the weeds of a very complex topic.

Decided to read this after starting the Harry Bosch series since he is a Vietnam vet.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Freedman's explanation of the war, with the political climate of both America and Vietnam, and the events leading up to the war. Freedman covered the local response in both countries, which was also awesome. Approachable, understandable, and highly recommended.

Includes timeline, source notes, glossary, selected bibliography, picture credits, and index.

[Amy Calkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a tragic error on the part of American policy makers. An utter failure of American intervention. Are we making the same mistakes in foreign policy today? Freedman makes a complicated story readable and understandable.

[Tianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

DNF

This was a really interesting account of the war: both the causes, the war itself, and the aftermath. I don't usually read historical non-fiction, but I enjoyed this one! Unfortunately, I wan't able to finish it completely, but not because of lack of interest.

[Paula]

Just couldn't make myself finish this book. Such a senseless waste. I read Most Dangerous last year and just couldn't read anymore about this topic.

[JoJo Ames · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched; and a fair presentation of the history leading up to the Vietnam War, and the political, social, and military events during the War.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A concise, yet informative text about the Vietnam War. The inclusion of multimedia enhanced the information presented.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's sad how we don't seem to be learning from history.

[Matthew Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book and it covered a lot about the Vietnam War.

[Leia Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect introduction and overview for our family/homeschool study.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a very good history book about the wars that Vietnam was in. It is interesting for people who like history or want to learn about it otherwise people will not like it.

[LordOfDorkness · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad place to start if you know nothing about the Vietnam War. Short and to the point. Maybe a little too short if you're looking for a heavily detailed account