Vietnam: A History of the War Hardcover – Illustrated, August 30, 2016

He could not put the book down

Freedman has written a wonderful book that is told from the Vietnamese point of view, perspective. That focus is hard to do but, as a reader, I find he describes the rich history of the people, their resourcefulness, their culture and cultural history, and the events of the 20th century as though from the inside of the country, as though from the perspective of the people. Freedman also describes the long history of defending a country from the nations who wanted to colonize it. The archival photographs document his descriptions and explanations showing the beautiful architecture and art the people designed and maintained. The book gives a sense of the people who live and lived in the country and it is well documented, with rich stories in the nonfiction and detailed information that evokes vivid images. Comprehensive book in the library.

This is a great overview of the disastrous series of French and American decisions that led ultimately to the horror of the American War on Vietnam.Prior to reading the book, I had been unaware that Ho Chi Minh had spent approximately 30 years abroad, living in both France and the United States. Thus, he knew and understood the cultures of his country's occupiers, while the latter understood little to nothing of Vietnamese culture or traditions.The appalling (and senseless) loss of life, as strongly implied by this fast-paced book, was largely attributable both to overwhelming Western hubris, and a lamentable series of mistaken decisions made on the basis of this hubris and of general ignorance.

Great book for anyone who wants to review the basic history and events of the Vietnam War. My daughter read this for a ninth grade project and it helped her greatly. There are no pictures too graphic or disturbing for a school library and the viewpoint of the war is neutral, telling the information as it is instead of biased input.

My father was in Vietnam. He spoke rarely @ it. Thanks for this. It's helpful with some of the other people I've spoke to and books I've read @ the years he spent away from us.

If you just want the facts of the war then this is the prefect book for you. This is exactly what I was wanting. Good read.

The book Vietnam a history of the war is a good showcase of the Vietnam war and the events that caused it. The book explains in depth the events that took place during this horrific war.

It was a good overview of the history, but lacked depth. I would like to have read more of the players--great and small. It avoided discussing any issue in dispute.

Very easily read in a very additive way. Enjoying reading ut

It is a beautiful book, lovely pages with lots of interesting photographs. The history, starting with the French colonization of Vietnam and going up to the end of the war was easy to follow and well-written. It goes into just enough detail about people and places to help the reader understand what brought about the American involvement in the war, as well as the events during the war for liberation from the French. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in that country and era.