Vietnam: The (Last) War the U.S. Lost

by Joe Allen, John Pilger (Foreword)

As the United States now faces a major defeat in its occupation of Iraq, the history of the Vietnam War, as a historic blunder for US military forces abroad, and the true story of how it was stopped, take on a fresh importance. Unlike most books on the topic, constructed as specialized academic studies, The (Last) War the United States Lost examines the lessons of the Vietnam era with Joe Allen’s eye of both a dedicated historian and an engaged participant in today’s antiwar movement.

Many damaging myths about the Vietnam era persist, including the accusations that antiwar activists routinely jeered and spat at returning soldiers or that the war finally ended because Congress cut off its funding. Writing in a clear and accessible style, Allen reclaims the stories of the courageous GI revolt; its dynamic relationship with the civil rights movement and the peace movement; the development of coffee houses where these groups came to speak out, debate, and organize; and the struggles waged throughout barracks, bases, and military prisons to challenge the rule of military command.

Allen’s analysis of the US failure in Vietnam is also the story of the hubris of US imperial overreach, a new chapter of which is unfolding in the Middle East today.

Joe Allen is a regular contributor to the International Socialist Review and a longstanding social justice fighter, involved in the ongoing struggles for labor, the abolition of the death penalty, and to free the political prisoner Gary Tyler.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

230 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2008

Reviews

[Castles · Rating 4 out of 5]

The focus of this book is not on the war itself, but on the counter-reaction to it in the US and how the US government dealt with the war.

Of course, the book is written from a left perspective and rightly accuses the US administration no less than war crimes and even genocide. From the book (and probably from any book that has dealt with and will deal with this war), it seems that most of the participants in that war, with the exception of the Vietnamese, very quickly stopped understanding what they were fighting for and why. That's always the strongest feeling you get from reading or watching any document about this war.

The book is written in simplicity and a flow that reminds me a bit of Anthony Bieber's books, but I must point out that I did not learn many new things that I had not already seen in Ken Burns' fascinating documentary.

The book links Vietnam to Iraq, and it's fascinating to read about all the madness that took place then on the civilian side as well, now that we are after a crazy year in which the Trump regime has taken many demons out of the bottle. The events of Black Life Mater and the Capitol Hill remind us once again of the fragility of the American society and the echoes of the split that accompanied the Vietnam War. Maybe what we see now is still, after so many years, a the result of that war.

[Sara Star · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very readable, concise history, great for people looking to learn about the subject in a way that isn't excusing US imperialism and violence. Very timely read; the chapters on protests could be written today about US crackdown on anti gen0cide protests.

[CoachKevin Madden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Makes some good points and in hindsight offers a fair perspective BUT it is rife with historical errors.

[kloppy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd honestly recommend skipping the first two chapters, which are diatribes against American atrocities that anyone who would pick up a book from Haymarket is hopefully familiar with. The remaining ~140 pages though have lots of useful anecdotes and data about the extent of radicalism outside of just the student movement, but it's by no means a conclusive overview of the cultural impact of the war.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the disaster in Iraq continued to be compared with Vietnam, Allen set out to illuminate the history of that conflict, having been obscured by time and distorted by decades of pop culture and political propaganda. Even if you think you know all about it, this book should be read.

By no means exhaustive, this is still a cogent, clear-eyed account that includes the history of colonization in Vietnam and tracks the U.S. involvement since the end of World War II. It examines the results of the war on the ground in Vietnam, in the halls of U.S. power, on campuses, in the streets, in work places, and in the media.

Recommended.

"The devastation wreaked by the United States on Vietnam should have put to rest once and for all the myth of the United States as a nation committed to upholding freedom and democracy throughout the world."

A lesson to be learned from this history also includes the fact that the rhetoric of those in power has never changed. The cops still say and do the same things to demonstrators--same overblown warnings about "violent" protestors, same brutal tactics, same excuses afterwards. The politicians say the same things about lights at the ends of tunnels and freedom and so on. The press dutifully reports. The liberals fear radical action more than the evils of war. The democrats twist themselves into antiwar candidates even though they support the venture overseas. The poor, working class, and people of color do the dirty work.

What did change, with regards to the so-called War on Terror, is that after mass protests prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the antiwar sentiment and action seemed to disappear rather than increase like during the war on Vietnam.

[Mr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe Allen's brief summation of the U.S. war in Vietnam is an excellent and compact history of both the U.S. war of aggression, as well as the domestic revolution that occurred at home. With excellent precision and historical breadth Allen reviews the context of French colonialism in Vietnam, followed by the US' multiple attempts to reclaim the former colony, namely military funding and support, followed by an air invasion, followed by the full-scale deployment of troops. Allen traces the web of deceit that flowed from the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations, which culminated in the secret bombing of Cambodia. Allen demonstrates quite lucidly, how the war was stopped through a combination of resistance at home, NLF resistance, and GI resistance. There are excellent descriptions of the Black Power movement, as well as the rise of working class militancy in the 1970's. Allen demolishes the myth that opposition to the US war was primarily student/intellectual led, and demonstrates that opposition to the war was overwhelmingly led by the working classes. Perhaps the only thing that is missing in this account is an analysis of the economic considerations of US policy makers. Still, an excellent work of history.

[Dictionaryhound · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book highlights what were the major questions, movements, conflicts in the U.S. involved in the build up to the Anti-Vietnam War Movement. It brings into view the debates of Black Civil Rights and Liberation groups, Unions and the Left in relationship to war. It addresses the three key elements that forced the US out of Vietnam: the resistance of the courageous Vietnamese, the anti-war movement in the US and the courageous and suppressed rebellion of soldiers against US military command. Most importantly Allen stresses opposition to the war was there from the beginning of the war. This is a very timely book to read!!!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on me throwing a lot of questions to my husband while reading this book, it is accurate and very informative for those of us who were not there. I learned a lot about the US Government, the good and the bad.

[Greg]

Seemed alright, but started off with little I hadn't read before. On to something else!