They answered americas call to arms to fight the spread of communism in southeast asia. At the same time, advances in video and audio recording enabled both easier. While antiwar sentiment and protests raged at home, many americans volunteered to serve in the vietnam war. Find below a collection of the best books on the vietnam war. Vietnam revisited shares the personal stories of americas sons and daughters who fought the most unpopular war in our nations history. So i was intrigued by this newest history of vietnam from christopher goscha. The start of the book about the vietnam war covers the history of vietnam. A television history was the most successful documentary produced by pbs up to the time of initial broadcast. Sep 14, 2017 new ken burns series remembers vietnam war through the eyes of everyday people burns made a name for himself by finding the small stories that lend perspective and emotion to larger narratives. Unlike many books and films on vietnam in the 1960s and 70s and the nightly newscasts that focused primarily on americas role and its.
Online shopping for vietnam war history books in the books store. A television his tory contributor names bruce palling director mickey hart, bill kreutzmann, etc. This collection contains most of the materials gathered and created for the 1983 series, as well as additional vietnam related materials from the wgbh archive. By 1885 the french were in control of indochina and over 20 years or so pacified the population. Later, it was rebroadcast as part of the pbs series american experience from may 26 to july 28, 1997.
The real story, 57 minutes long, is being presented as part of a twohour production of inside story, the intermittent series that examines the press. I believed it would focus more on the early history of vietnam instead of the histories that mostly focus on, the war and the aftermath. As another foreign war dominates todays news, the vietnam conflict has once again become a hot political topic. New ken burns series remembers vietnam war through. True vietnam war buffs will be disappointed by its very brief mentioning of the ia drang battle, khesanh siege, etc. But 20 to 30 years is not so late that memories have faded and key people have all died.
A history is a monumental undertaking for both the author and the reader tracing the history of vietnam and its quest for freedom through the ages up until the 1980s when the book was published. Dec, 2017 in this post, you will find a list of the best vietnam books to read in 2020. The lessons learned from this tragic conflict continue to have great relevance in todays world. Bill hayton, a former bbc reporter in hanoi, has written a comprehensive account of vietnam today. An intimate history tells once again the painful tale of americas protracted, divisive and most would. Apr 10, 2017 in english, there are quite a few books. History of vietnam, early history of vietnam ebook by uzo. Originally published a companion to the emmywinning pbs series, karnows defining book is a precursor to ken burnss tenpart forthcoming documentary series, the vietnam war. Authored by journalist frances fitzgerald, this account of vietnam, its history, and the effects of its war with the united states was on the bestseller list for more than ten weeks. The battle of passchendaele 100th anniversary of the great war documentary timeline duration. What is the best book providing a comprehensive history of.
It went on to win a number of prestigious awards, including the pulitzer prize for nonfiction, national book award, and the bancroft prize. The penguin history of modern vietnam by christopher goscha. Usa today s bob minzesheimer recommends books by 10 authors. Important stories could be transmitted directly by satellite from tokyo. Oct 04, 1983 the part series, produced for public television by wgbhtv in boston, begins tonight at 9 oclock on wnettv, channel. Will lyman, henry kissinger, tin bui, van dong pham, dean rusk, nguyen giap vo, william c. Invariably, when cross examining this argument with our discussion, vietnam. Among the most positive is an abundance of topnotch books, many written by veterans of the conflict.
The vietnam war was the longest and most unpopular war in which americans ever fought. Some of these are fiction books about vietnam war based on factual information, whilst others include some of the best books on vietnam history of the war. Cold war tensions ran high as the country relentlessly fought against the alleged evils of communism. Now in its second edition, the encyclopedia of the vietnam war. A television history carefully analyzes the costs and consequences of a controversial but intriguing war. The vietnamese people represent a fusion of races, languages, and cultures, the elements of which are still being sorted. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war.
This part series covers the history of vietnam from frances colonial control, through the 1945 revolution, to the 1975 u. Whilst some of these books are a bit older, they are still brilliant to read and give you great insight into the war. Film from vietnam was flown to tokyo for quick developing and editing and then flown on to the united states. Two books from australian pam scott they are essential reading before any trip to vietnam. A television history were able to combine interviews ranging from child eyewitnesses through ground troops all the way to highlevel officials. The history of vietnam can be traced back to around 4000 years ago. The best history books five books expert recommendations. A television history is a part american documentary and television miniseries about the vietnam war from the perspective of the united states.
Occupying the eastern coastline of the southeast asian peninsula, vietnam is bounded by china on the north, by laos and cambodia on the west, and by the gulf of tonkin and the south china sea on the east and south. A history gets called the bible of vietnam and with good reason. In conjunction with ken burns vietnam war series, here are more great documentaries about that tumultuous time in american history, on the homefront. It was during this time that he began to write vietnam. He served as chief correspondent for the series vietnam. The film provides an overview of the significance of the war to the us and then looks at why france and the us became involved in a war 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.
May 19, 20 invariably, when cross examining this argument with our discussion, vietnam. A history puts events and decisions into such sharp focus that we come to understand and make peace with a convulsive epoch of our recent history. A television history 1983 is a part american documentary and television mini. Each weekend, book tv features 48 hours of nonfiction books from saturday 8am et to monday 8am et. It was produced for public television by wgbhtv in boston, and it was originally broadcast on pbs between october 4 and december 20, 1983. A slew of war memoirs stand with the best writing of that genre. Series like wwii in hd are great, but the world at war and vietnam. However, only 11 of the original episodes were rebroadcast. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. In their new intimate yet capacious history, the awardwinning, audienceenthralling duo of historian and screenwriter ward and documentarian extraordinaire burns investigate the complex, divisive, and tragic vietnam war from a unique plurality of perspectives this is a vivid, affecting, definitive, and essential illustrated history.
Published in conjunction with a proposed 1983 pbs program. Oliver layton press, c1966, by tuli kupferberg and robert bashlow page images at hathitrust. Karnow includes tons of pictures, an extensive chronology, a glossary of names with brief biographies, an index and the occasional map. Nov 08, 2012 enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. I have broken down the best books about vietnam into helpful sections. The first episode, roots of a war, traces the history of vietnam. Vietnam has had a tumultuous history this past century. Vietnam war bibliography by richard jensen july 2008. Great books look for them in your library or local book store. Whats more, vietnam a television history the remarkable tv series based on this book gained a plethara of awards. The former defense minister of cambodia, lon nol, orchestrated the coup that toppled prince norodom shanouk in 1970. 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. A television history was the most successful documentary.
The title is somewhat misleading, as this is really a history of the vietnam war rather than vietnam itself. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. As before, ward has written a weighty companion book to the series. This part series covers the history of vietnam from frances colonial control, through the 1945 revolution, to the 1975. The vietnam conflict is often referred to as the first television war.
The vietnam war 195575 was a time of great controversy in the united states. A television history is an awardwinning part documentary series, which was first broadcast on pbs in 1983. The complete text of the bestselling narrative history of the vietnam warbased on the celebrated pbs television series by ken burns and lynn novickmore than forty years have passed since the end of the vietnam war, but its memory continues to loom large in the national psyche. There has been much discussion of the way television brought battles directly to american living rooms, but in fact most television. Todays post comes from madie ward in the national archives history office. Central to the 20th century history of vietnam is ho chi minh. Ho moved to paris in 1917 and joined the communist party in 1920. Read history of vietnam, early history of vietnam by uzo marvin available from rakuten kobo.
It was enlightening to read the nort stanley karnows vietnam. List of books and articles about vietnamese history online. A television history was a landmark documentary series produced by wgbh. Listed are some of the most important history books ever written, as recommended by some of the most eminent historians working today. Archaeological findings from 1965, still under research, show the remains of two hominins closely related to sinanthropus, dating as far back as the middle pleistocene era, roughly half a million years ago. Learn more about ken burns and lynn novicks tenpart, 18hour documentary series, the vietnam war.
Enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. After we posted this article, times readers weighed in with their favorite books on the vietnam war. The fall of an empire and the making of americas vietnam, by fredrik logevall fredrik logevalls book focuses on the french conflict in vietnam at the end of world war ii and the beginning of the american one in 1959. A television history uses archival footage in order to tell the story of americas involvement in southeast asia from 1945 through 1975. Karnow is well qualified to write this text, with a career reporting on vietnam that dates back to the 1950s. Ward and ken burns have crafted a fresh and insightful account of the. We invite your comments about our web site, our television programming, and any books you want to. This emmy awardwinning history of the first american war to be widely televised traces the history of u.
The series was later edited and rebroadcast in 1997. Learn about vietnam war protests, the tet offensive, the my lai massacre, the pentagon papers and more. These include winners of national book awards and pulitzer prizes, both fiction and nonfiction. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. This first episode in the series deals with the history of vietnam up to 1954. A television history contributor names bruce palling director mickey hart, bill kreutzmann, etc. A television history 1983 is a part american documentary and television miniseries about the vietnam war 19551975 from the perspective of the united states. A television history series, which premiered on pbs in 1983 and later reaired on pbss american experience. Explore stories from viewers who experienced the events of the vietnam era. A sixyear project from conception to completion, vietnam.
Vietnam war bibliography by richard jensen jensen is a scholar with many books and articles. Take a look at five of the most influential technological developments to come out of the vietnam war. A history became the basis of the critically acclaimed hour pbs documentary, vietnam. English soundtracks are rendered in dolby digital stereo. Timeline world history documentaries 1,223,477 views.
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 has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. The vietnam war lasted more than a decade, was the longest war in u. An international history, the first illustrated history of our most influential cultural phenomenon, readers will find an invaluable resource that covers the whole expanse of the medium, from africa to australia, from burbank to bangkok, covering news, sports, drama, comedy, and more. Arlen 52 wrote in his book the livingroom war which coined the common phrase that television coverage of vietnam all sounded very safe and institutional, and rather like a. However, this program is mainly a political history of the war and not really a military history. The vietnam war lasted about 40 years and involved several countries. This is a student worksheet and answer sheet to accompany the documentary vietnam. Every book on vietnam in the section claimed to be the best ever written on the subject. Remembering the effect that television had had on public opinion during the war, many.