Osprey Essential Histories 38 : The Vietnam War 1956-1975

The Vietnam War was arguably the most important event, or series of events, of the 'American Century.'. The United States of America entered the brutal conflict certain of its Cold War doctrines and certain of its moral mission to save the world from the advance of communism. The war, though, was not at all what the United States expected. Outnumbered and outgunned the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces resorted to a guerrilla war based on the theories of Mao Zedong of China. Thus American forces would be forced to wage a war that they did not understand and fight for a nation that was largely a French colonial construct. Over 3 million Americans saw service in Vietnam, fighting in conditions ranging from the steamy Mekong Delta to mountain peaks in the Central Highlands. Though there were massive battles in the war, from the Tet Offensive to the bloody struggle at Hamburger Hill, the war was - in the main - one of savage, small unit fighting. In their efforts to defeat their elusive enemy American forces resorted to the 'body count' as the arbiter of victory. The war was reduced to its most basic level - find the enemy and kill him. During the grueling years of conflict American forces won every major battle and inflicted horrendous losses upon the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong - but they were not destined to win the war. Text by Andrew Wiest.

Contents

• Introduction
• Chronology
• Background to War : The Cold War
• Warring Sides : Superpower versus Guerrilla Forces
• Outbreak : An Undeclared War
• The Fighting : Battles of Attrition
• Portrait of a Soldier : John Young
• The World around War : A Nation Divided
• Portrait of a Civilian : Kim Herzinger
• How the War Ended : US Withdrawal
• Conclusion and Consequences : Legacies of Victory and Defeat