What do you think?
Rate this book
The Vietnam War: The Definitive Illustrated History
Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, this authoritative guide chronicles America's fight against Communism in southeast Asia during the 1960s and 1970s, and comprehensively explores the people, politics, events, and lasting effects of the Vietnam War.
Filled with more than 500 photographs, "The Vietnam War" tells the story of Vietnam through powerful images; profiles of the war's most influential figures, such as Henry Kissinger and Pol Pot; and a complete overview of the conduct, strategies, and events in this controversial war, including Ho Chi Minh's rise to power, the Geneva conference, America's intervention, and the Christmas bombings. Gallery spreads feature collections of infantry weapons, artillery, aircraft, and armored vehicles, and diagrams and maps show exactly where battles and key moments happened.
A divisive and destructive event, the Vietnam War was the world's first televised war, and photographs from its front lines powerfully convey war's complex reality. Taking a global perspective, "The Vietnam War" remembers the people who served and features full spreads about prisoners of war, anti-war protest movements, and the significance of the war for black Americans as they struggled for civil rights.
"The Vietnam War" is a stirring visual record of the suffering, sacrifice, and heroism in America's longest and bloodiest conflict of the 20th century.
Filled with more than 500 photographs, "The Vietnam War" tells the story of Vietnam through powerful images; profiles of the war's most influential figures, such as Henry Kissinger and Pol Pot; and a complete overview of the conduct, strategies, and events in this controversial war, including Ho Chi Minh's rise to power, the Geneva conference, America's intervention, and the Christmas bombings. Gallery spreads feature collections of infantry weapons, artillery, aircraft, and armored vehicles, and diagrams and maps show exactly where battles and key moments happened.
A divisive and destructive event, the Vietnam War was the world's first televised war, and photographs from its front lines powerfully convey war's complex reality. Taking a global perspective, "The Vietnam War" remembers the people who served and features full spreads about prisoners of war, anti-war protest movements, and the significance of the war for black Americans as they struggled for civil rights.
"The Vietnam War" is a stirring visual record of the suffering, sacrifice, and heroism in America's longest and bloodiest conflict of the 20th century.
360 pages, Hardcover
Published April 4, 2017
45 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Publishing
9,126 books2,068 followersDorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 26, 2021
General William Tecumseh Sherman is commonly credited with saying, “War is Hell.” And , there is no doubt that the American Civil war with its deaths by bayonet and cannonball (total of well over 600,000) and subsequent deaths after amputations (there were over 30,000 amputations) would qualify. After viewing the photos in this book, I think that the Vietnam War (with about 1.5 million deaths from 1965-75) also qualifies.
I found the history of this war, its antecedents and consequences, no easier to take at a distance than when I was reading about it through contemporary journalist accounts or “the Pentagon Papers.” The addition of helpful graphics, maps and sidebars did nothing to distract me from the harsh photographs.
I am not saying that The Smithsonian (“the world’s largest museum and research complex”) and DK Publishing failed to produce a fine history. We get a prologue with the history of colonialism and some thoughtful articles at the end. In between there are plenty of eyewitness accounts, profiles of influential individuals, a “museum inventory” of weapons and uniforms, and a roll-out of the events that illuminate the subject matter. It is not dry history and part of the credit for that is the proliferation of appropriate graphics that accompany every page.
I am not of a mind to recapitulate this book’s subject but I did find it some of the “drill-down” topics particularly interesting. For example there is a double page exposition on “Medevac and Treatment.” It discusses aspects of improved response from what was done in the Korean War (yes, recall the show “M.A.S.H.”). To the innovative use of “super glue” as a sutureless wound closure. A key conclusion: “The efficiency of evacuating wounded men by helicopter and the effectiveness of medical treatment in Vietnam sharply lowered the death toll compared to previous American wars, but also led to a larger percentage of survivors with serious permanent injuries.”
I found the history of this war, its antecedents and consequences, no easier to take at a distance than when I was reading about it through contemporary journalist accounts or “the Pentagon Papers.” The addition of helpful graphics, maps and sidebars did nothing to distract me from the harsh photographs.
I am not saying that The Smithsonian (“the world’s largest museum and research complex”) and DK Publishing failed to produce a fine history. We get a prologue with the history of colonialism and some thoughtful articles at the end. In between there are plenty of eyewitness accounts, profiles of influential individuals, a “museum inventory” of weapons and uniforms, and a roll-out of the events that illuminate the subject matter. It is not dry history and part of the credit for that is the proliferation of appropriate graphics that accompany every page.
I am not of a mind to recapitulate this book’s subject but I did find it some of the “drill-down” topics particularly interesting. For example there is a double page exposition on “Medevac and Treatment.” It discusses aspects of improved response from what was done in the Korean War (yes, recall the show “M.A.S.H.”). To the innovative use of “super glue” as a sutureless wound closure. A key conclusion: “The efficiency of evacuating wounded men by helicopter and the effectiveness of medical treatment in Vietnam sharply lowered the death toll compared to previous American wars, but also led to a larger percentage of survivors with serious permanent injuries.”
September 26, 2023
“We are the unwilling led by the unqualified doing the unnecessary for the ungrateful.”
OK folks, it’s quiz time…So what do Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden and George W Bush all have in common?...Apart from all being awful and presidents, only around half are racist, and only half got done for perjury, but what they all have in common is that they avoided the Vietnam draft. Well done you if you got that. These gentlemen would have to wait until they were Presidents before they got to kill loads of civilians in foreign lands. But just like back in ‘Nam they would get others to do it for them instead…You wouldn’t catch any of those fellas stuck in steamy jungles getting shot at when you had loads of other poor suckers to do it.
Joking aside there can be few things more terrifying for a nation than to hear that America wishes “to bring democracy” to your country. A bit like when the IMF is interested in helping out, you know that things are only going to get worse, a lot worse and that some rich white men in America are about to make some serious money on the back of more poor people.
There is a case for arguing that all wars are pointless, but in terms of futile wars America’s illegal invasion and reign of terror carried out on the men, women and children of Vietnam has to be up there. An appalling waste of life, and served to show to the rest of the world, just how inhumane, weak and cruel America could be. In the veritable library of American military shame, a sizeable portion remains set aside for the section labelled VIETNAM.
“They are called the Viet Cong, but you are Marines. You are better trained. I expect all of you to come home.”
So said one colonel to his marines back in August 1965, turns out he was only out by about 13’000.
With regards to Vietnam’s options and philosophy, when it came to the US invasion of their homeland, it was very much a case of necessity being the mother of invention, but as the book rightly says the likes of the Truong Son Trail (Ho Chi Minh Trail) remains, “One of the great military engineering achievements of the 20th Century.” But there were also the network of highly sophisticated tunnels, which outfoxed many of the Americans and their allies.
We get to see the war from many angles, like the millions of Americans who were against it, the hundreds of thousands who protested and marched against it, and those who were shot and killed by other uniformed Americans for doing so. We see how the prevalence of American racism, extended deep into the rank and file of the army and was normalised as it was in everyday American society, with parole boards in the south packed with all white members, in one case even someone who was a grand wizard in the KKK.
Today America remains the bloated, braying bully of the globe, which has brought terror and horror to millions across many countries over multiple continents since WWII. We know that not only were they totally incapable of learning from their humiliating defeat by the Vietnamese, but a new generation of blood thirsty clowns would go and repeat the same mistakes decades later elsewhere in Asia, with equally if not even more devastating results, and again they fled in chaotic confusion.
In spite of committing war crimes on a vast scale across at least three nations and resorting to some truly appalling tactics such as chemical warfare on civilians as well as torture and assassinations, the Americans still lost and evaded justice for their crimes. The Vietnamese people endured phenomenal hardship and misery during the years of sustained American slaughter. Their struggle was beyond inspiring, and how they consistently outfoxed and outfought the largest, military machine in history, (with help from their communist cousins) forcing them to flee in defeated humiliation. At the end few understood the point of it all?...Many millions had to suffer or perish just so that a tiny group of lying, rich, white American men could protect their egos and further their careers.
DK have a well-earned reputation for putting out top quality reference books, and this has to be up there with their strongest. This is a real achievement it’s bursting with high quality photos, images, sidebars, fact boxes and other ephemera relating to the conflict, and they made a huge effort to ensure that very little detail is left out.
OK folks, it’s quiz time…So what do Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden and George W Bush all have in common?...Apart from all being awful and presidents, only around half are racist, and only half got done for perjury, but what they all have in common is that they avoided the Vietnam draft. Well done you if you got that. These gentlemen would have to wait until they were Presidents before they got to kill loads of civilians in foreign lands. But just like back in ‘Nam they would get others to do it for them instead…You wouldn’t catch any of those fellas stuck in steamy jungles getting shot at when you had loads of other poor suckers to do it.
Joking aside there can be few things more terrifying for a nation than to hear that America wishes “to bring democracy” to your country. A bit like when the IMF is interested in helping out, you know that things are only going to get worse, a lot worse and that some rich white men in America are about to make some serious money on the back of more poor people.
There is a case for arguing that all wars are pointless, but in terms of futile wars America’s illegal invasion and reign of terror carried out on the men, women and children of Vietnam has to be up there. An appalling waste of life, and served to show to the rest of the world, just how inhumane, weak and cruel America could be. In the veritable library of American military shame, a sizeable portion remains set aside for the section labelled VIETNAM.
“They are called the Viet Cong, but you are Marines. You are better trained. I expect all of you to come home.”
So said one colonel to his marines back in August 1965, turns out he was only out by about 13’000.
With regards to Vietnam’s options and philosophy, when it came to the US invasion of their homeland, it was very much a case of necessity being the mother of invention, but as the book rightly says the likes of the Truong Son Trail (Ho Chi Minh Trail) remains, “One of the great military engineering achievements of the 20th Century.” But there were also the network of highly sophisticated tunnels, which outfoxed many of the Americans and their allies.
We get to see the war from many angles, like the millions of Americans who were against it, the hundreds of thousands who protested and marched against it, and those who were shot and killed by other uniformed Americans for doing so. We see how the prevalence of American racism, extended deep into the rank and file of the army and was normalised as it was in everyday American society, with parole boards in the south packed with all white members, in one case even someone who was a grand wizard in the KKK.
Today America remains the bloated, braying bully of the globe, which has brought terror and horror to millions across many countries over multiple continents since WWII. We know that not only were they totally incapable of learning from their humiliating defeat by the Vietnamese, but a new generation of blood thirsty clowns would go and repeat the same mistakes decades later elsewhere in Asia, with equally if not even more devastating results, and again they fled in chaotic confusion.
In spite of committing war crimes on a vast scale across at least three nations and resorting to some truly appalling tactics such as chemical warfare on civilians as well as torture and assassinations, the Americans still lost and evaded justice for their crimes. The Vietnamese people endured phenomenal hardship and misery during the years of sustained American slaughter. Their struggle was beyond inspiring, and how they consistently outfoxed and outfought the largest, military machine in history, (with help from their communist cousins) forcing them to flee in defeated humiliation. At the end few understood the point of it all?...Many millions had to suffer or perish just so that a tiny group of lying, rich, white American men could protect their egos and further their careers.
DK have a well-earned reputation for putting out top quality reference books, and this has to be up there with their strongest. This is a real achievement it’s bursting with high quality photos, images, sidebars, fact boxes and other ephemera relating to the conflict, and they made a huge effort to ensure that very little detail is left out.
March 7, 2018
The title of this book does not do it justice. Yes, it is full of some great images which do capture the true horrors of the conflict but it is so much more than that. Bio's of the key figures, a breakdown of all weapons and combat wear, tanks, planes, helicopters all filtered through a detailed timeline of events which led to the war, the war itself and the consequences. Everything you need to know about the war is in this book and its been mapped out for real ease of use. Great stuff....
June 11, 2023
In preparation for a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, my wife suggested that I read this book. Although I didn’t finish the entire book before I left, it was very valuable and giving me a nice overview to what I was going to experience while there. The photography and organization was superb, and the explanations were concise, and felt to me to be very unbiased. This was appreciated even more fully when I was actually visiting Vietnam, where the war, which was actually a Vietnamese Civil War, was entirely sold as a war against American aggression. This, of course, was the communist Vietnam government’s take on the war. in any case, this book did a fabulous job of giving me an education on the happenings both before the Vietnam war, what led to the Vietnam war, and how the war was prosecuted by both the North Vietnamese communist government, the American government, and other allies that were involved. it also briefly addressed some of the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, but I felt that this part of the history of this area of the world was largely ignored as the focus was primarily the Vietnam war.
February 26, 2023
This is such a concise and interesting history of the Vietnam War, complete with pictures and explanatory maps that bring everything together so well. I read it in preparation for an upcoming trip to the area, and it's going to make my visit much more meaningful. Not only does it give a lot of information on Vietnam, but also on Cambodia and Laos.
I loved the organization of the work - chronological, but with special topics tucked in where appropriate. There were pages dealing with everything from specific weapons to prominent individuals to women in the war to home front protests. The Vietnam War: The Definitive Illustrated History is definitely a "coffee table book," but it also was effective as a studious history read front to back. I was impressed with the overall analysis on policy, war strategy, and political consequences which came through even though the book was created with the expectation that it may be consumed in small bites.
4.5 stars - a great overview.
I loved the organization of the work - chronological, but with special topics tucked in where appropriate. There were pages dealing with everything from specific weapons to prominent individuals to women in the war to home front protests. The Vietnam War: The Definitive Illustrated History is definitely a "coffee table book," but it also was effective as a studious history read front to back. I was impressed with the overall analysis on policy, war strategy, and political consequences which came through even though the book was created with the expectation that it may be consumed in small bites.
4.5 stars - a great overview.
December 31, 2022
Exceptional.
A visually rich, brief overview.
This book provides a brief overview of the war. Several pages in the beginning are spent on the time before America's involvement and Vietnam under the French. Most of the book covers the period of American involvement. This is a DK book so the pictures and graphics are outstanding.
Every two pages covers a different portion or event in the war. Women in Vietnam for example. The book also roughly moves in a chronological fashion as it covers each topic. This is a good book to introduce someone to the Vietnam war or for someone who wants a survey type book that goes over a large number of topics in a very brief fashion.
Recommended reading for a similar type book after this one would be The Vietnam War: An Intimate History.
A visually rich, brief overview.
This book provides a brief overview of the war. Several pages in the beginning are spent on the time before America's involvement and Vietnam under the French. Most of the book covers the period of American involvement. This is a DK book so the pictures and graphics are outstanding.
Every two pages covers a different portion or event in the war. Women in Vietnam for example. The book also roughly moves in a chronological fashion as it covers each topic. This is a good book to introduce someone to the Vietnam war or for someone who wants a survey type book that goes over a large number of topics in a very brief fashion.
Recommended reading for a similar type book after this one would be The Vietnam War: An Intimate History.
December 1, 2022
Vietnam War - The Definitive Illustrated History is an exhaustive book which takes us on an in-depth journey covering all the aspects of the Vietnam War. My initial assumption was that the book would be just a collection of pictures but it turned out to be much more than that.
To be sure the book is very much one-sided and covers things mostly from the American side. We hardly get a glimpse of the thinking from the North Vietnam side. My biggest issue is how an American life is valued so much whereas a Vietnamese death is just a statistic. 58,000 American died but then more than 1,000,000 Vietnamese died too and the latter is not given much weight-age.
To be sure the book is very much one-sided and covers things mostly from the American side. We hardly get a glimpse of the thinking from the North Vietnam side. My biggest issue is how an American life is valued so much whereas a Vietnamese death is just a statistic. 58,000 American died but then more than 1,000,000 Vietnamese died too and the latter is not given much weight-age.
May 20, 2018
The Vietnam War: The Definitive Illustrated History, (Smithsonian and DK Publishing 2017) (959.7043). It is big. It is definitive. In keeping with the tradition established by past collaborations between the publishing arms of these two entitites, Dorling - Kindersley Limited and the Smithsonian Institution have compiled a history of Vietnam that is remarkably thorough and accessible. I savor the attention to historical detail which oozes from this sweeping volume. My rating: 7.25/10, finished 5/20/18.
December 4, 2022
a brief and bias view of a very sad, bloody, painful,betrayed war of all parts and the loss belongs to Vietnamese people. The causes lie big on the incompetence and failure and betrayal of leaders all sides. The failure caused total damages to people until now all fields, moral, education, healthcare, culture, etc people still have to seek way to get out of the country. The society still runs under corruption and inhumane. what’s the war achievement that cost millions of lives? lessons to learn? still nothing! the real proud independence of country still very far from achieved!
April 18, 2024
If you want a great condensed book on The Vietnam War. Look no further than “The Vietnam War The Definitive Illustrated History BY DK and the Smithsonian” . You might remember from your childhood that “Eye Witness books by DK” you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this much more thorough and adult version of that series. The pictures and the accompanying information in this book is stellar. 5/5 for me.
December 11, 2024
It's a pretty good book. It's great if you are trying to get the history and not only just of the U.S. side of the war in Vietnam. It covers it top to bottom, from the beginning, to the French colonialism, and ending with the American occupation and war of the country. It's not the end all book, but it's well written, has good photos and breaks down details of even the gear that was used on all the sides.
February 3, 2025
A detailed account of the long and gruelling war that encompassed several countries - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, China, USSR and of course the USA. Short chapters cover the background and context on a larger scale, as well as the experiences of the generals, grunts, nurses, politicians, students and other participants at a micro level, providing a rounded appreciation. The photographs accompanying the text are visceral, and often speak more than the written word.
January 25, 2019
Living in Canada which did not participate in the Vietnam War I was not aware of many of the issues and battles that occurred taken from the American perspective but also reasonably neutral this book is a good survey of the war. The book is easy to read and there are some great pictures. The Smithsonian has done a wonderful job at telling this very important conflict.
February 25, 2021
Authoritative and engaging. First few pages are very interesting until it went to the nitty gritty. The most compelling images were the self immolation (burning) of a monk and the Napalm girl fleeing the war. A very good reference on the Vietnam War, its atrocies, from its ideological and colonial beginnings to its fateful end.
December 8, 2025
Excellent Visual Overview of the Vietnam War
If you're interested in the history of the Vietnam War, I highly recommend this book. Loaded with information as well as maps, biographical information, and tons of pictures, this book traces the long and complicated history of the Vietnam War.
If you're interested in the history of the Vietnam War, I highly recommend this book. Loaded with information as well as maps, biographical information, and tons of pictures, this book traces the long and complicated history of the Vietnam War.
May 9, 2022
Not as good as WWI, but interesting. I never knew the whole Pol Pot ordeal or the events in Vietnam before the U.S. involvement. Nevertheless for a DK book i wish the Napalm photo wouldn't have been there.
May 21, 2017
An excellent resource. Highly recommended.
July 1, 2017
A middle-school-textbook-level history. Disappointing.
December 15, 2017
A very good book put out by DK books. Provides a basic overview of the Vietnam War, from people involved, battles, to equipment used in the War. A must read for the illustrations too.
April 6, 2019
Great book about Vietnam war I have ever read
March 14, 2021
Stuff I learnt:
- French Defeat at Dien Bien Phu, page 30.
- Hamburger Hill. A grim and grueling battle, it produced a high body count on both sides and further inflamed public debate on US conduct of the war, page 238.
- The My Lai massacre was the largest single American atrocity in the ground war in Vietnam, page 246.
- French Defeat at Dien Bien Phu, page 30.
- Hamburger Hill. A grim and grueling battle, it produced a high body count on both sides and further inflamed public debate on US conduct of the war, page 238.
- The My Lai massacre was the largest single American atrocity in the ground war in Vietnam, page 246.
October 4, 2025
A good introductory text to The Vietnam War. It covers all the basics. I'm a huge fan of the DK visual history series.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews