
The Vietnam War
A Concise International History
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Narrated by:
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Peter Berkrot
About this listen
Hailed as a "pithy and compelling account of an intensely relevant topic" (Kirkus Reviews), this wide-ranging volume offers a superb account of a key moment in modern U.S. and world history. Drawing upon the latest research in archives in China, Russia, and Vietnam, Mark Lawrence creates an extraordinary, panoramic view of all sides of the war. His narrative begins well before American forces set foot in Vietnam, delving into French colonialism's contribution to the 1945 Vietnamese revolution, and revealing how the Cold War concerns of the 1950s led the United States to back the French.
The heart of the book covers the "American war", ranging from the overthrow of Ngo Dinh Diem and the impact of the Tet Offensive to Nixon's expansion of the war into Cambodia and Laos, and the final peace agreement of 1973. Finally, Lawrence examines the aftermath of the war, from the momentous liberalization - "Doi Moi" - in Vietnam to the enduring legacy of this infamous war in American books, films, and political debate.
©2010 Mark Atwood Lawrence (P)2011 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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The Vietnam War
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- Length: 31 hrs and 15 mins
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Overall
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More than 40 years after it ended, the Vietnam War continues to haunt our country. We still argue over why we were there, whether we could have won, and who was right and wrong in their response to the conflict. When the war divided the country, it created deep political fault lines that continue to divide us today. Now, continuing in the tradition of their critically acclaimed collaborations, the authors draw on dozens and dozens of interviews in America and Vietnam to give us the perspectives of people involved at all levels of the war.
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The usual Vietnam info delivered in the old prose
- By Kevin Warren on 10-26-17
By: Geoffrey C. Ward, and others
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American Foreign Relations
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For better or worse - be it militarily, politically, economically, technologically, or culturally - Americans have had a profound role in shaping the wider world beyond them. The United States has been a savior to some, a curse to others, but either way such views are often based on a caricature of American actions and intentions. American foreign relations, then, is a subject of immense global importance that provokes strong emotions and much debate, but often based on deep misunderstanding.
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I would highly recommend the book
- By Dario Lombardo on 04-19-20
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Hue 1968
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- Length: 18 hrs and 45 mins
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By January 1968, despite an influx of half a million American troops, the fighting in Vietnam seemed to be at a stalemate. Yet General William Westmoreland, commander of American forces, announced a new phase of the war in which "the end begins to come into view". The North Vietnamese had different ideas. In mid-1967, the leadership in Hanoi had started planning an offensive intended to win the war in a single stroke.
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I KNEW This Book Would Sting Me . . . .
- By Rum Runner on 07-28-17
By: Mark Bowden
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Cold War: A Captivating Guide to the Korean War and Vietnam War
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The narrative of the Korean War in the West, and particularly in the United States, tells the tale of a conflict between two global superpowers and competing ideologies in a far-flung corner of the globe. The reality is that the wheels of motion that drove the country to war in 1950 began turning long before American boots set foot on Korean soil. The heart of the conflict was a civil war between a population arbitrarily divided by colonization and the global geopolitics at the end of the Second World War.
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Audiobook not too captivating
- By A. L. Hinson on 01-27-20
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Kill Anything That Moves
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- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
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Story
Americans have long been taught that events such as the notorious My Lai massacre were "isolated incidents" in the Vietnam War, carried out by a few "bad apples." However, as award-winning journalist and historian Nick Turse demonstrates in this pioneering investigation, violence against Vietnamese civilians was not at all exceptional. Rather, it was pervasive and systematic, the predictable consequence of official orders to "kill anything that moves."
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A book that shakes you to your core
- By Gary Yevelev on 04-26-15
By: Nick Turse
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Things I'll Never Forget
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- By: James M. Dixon
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- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Things I’ll Never Forget is the story of a young high school graduate in 1965 who faces being drafted into the Army or volunteering for the Marine Corps. These are his memories of funny times, disgusting times and deadly times. The author kept a journal for an entire year; therefore many of the dates, times and places are accurate. The rest is based on memories that are forever tattooed on his brain. This is not a pro-war book, nor is it anti-war. It is the true story of what the Marine Corps was like in the late 1960’s.
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Accurate Description
- By USMC VIETVET on 07-02-19
By: James M. Dixon
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The Vietnam War
- An Intimate History
- By: Geoffrey C. Ward, Ken Burns
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders, Ken Burns, Brian Corrigan
- Length: 31 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
More than 40 years after it ended, the Vietnam War continues to haunt our country. We still argue over why we were there, whether we could have won, and who was right and wrong in their response to the conflict. When the war divided the country, it created deep political fault lines that continue to divide us today. Now, continuing in the tradition of their critically acclaimed collaborations, the authors draw on dozens and dozens of interviews in America and Vietnam to give us the perspectives of people involved at all levels of the war.
-
-
The usual Vietnam info delivered in the old prose
- By Kevin Warren on 10-26-17
By: Geoffrey C. Ward, and others
-
American Foreign Relations
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Andrew Preston
- Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For better or worse - be it militarily, politically, economically, technologically, or culturally - Americans have had a profound role in shaping the wider world beyond them. The United States has been a savior to some, a curse to others, but either way such views are often based on a caricature of American actions and intentions. American foreign relations, then, is a subject of immense global importance that provokes strong emotions and much debate, but often based on deep misunderstanding.
-
-
I would highly recommend the book
- By Dario Lombardo on 04-19-20
By: Andrew Preston
-
Hue 1968
- A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam
- By: Mark Bowden
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 18 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By January 1968, despite an influx of half a million American troops, the fighting in Vietnam seemed to be at a stalemate. Yet General William Westmoreland, commander of American forces, announced a new phase of the war in which "the end begins to come into view". The North Vietnamese had different ideas. In mid-1967, the leadership in Hanoi had started planning an offensive intended to win the war in a single stroke.
-
-
I KNEW This Book Would Sting Me . . . .
- By Rum Runner on 07-28-17
By: Mark Bowden
-
Cold War: A Captivating Guide to the Korean War and Vietnam War
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 4 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The narrative of the Korean War in the West, and particularly in the United States, tells the tale of a conflict between two global superpowers and competing ideologies in a far-flung corner of the globe. The reality is that the wheels of motion that drove the country to war in 1950 began turning long before American boots set foot on Korean soil. The heart of the conflict was a civil war between a population arbitrarily divided by colonization and the global geopolitics at the end of the Second World War.
-
-
Audiobook not too captivating
- By A. L. Hinson on 01-27-20
-
Kill Anything That Moves
- The Real American War in Vietnam
- By: Nick Turse
- Narrated by: Don Lee
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Americans have long been taught that events such as the notorious My Lai massacre were "isolated incidents" in the Vietnam War, carried out by a few "bad apples." However, as award-winning journalist and historian Nick Turse demonstrates in this pioneering investigation, violence against Vietnamese civilians was not at all exceptional. Rather, it was pervasive and systematic, the predictable consequence of official orders to "kill anything that moves."
-
-
A book that shakes you to your core
- By Gary Yevelev on 04-26-15
By: Nick Turse
-
Things I'll Never Forget
- Memories of a Marine in Viet Nam
- By: James M. Dixon
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Things I’ll Never Forget is the story of a young high school graduate in 1965 who faces being drafted into the Army or volunteering for the Marine Corps. These are his memories of funny times, disgusting times and deadly times. The author kept a journal for an entire year; therefore many of the dates, times and places are accurate. The rest is based on memories that are forever tattooed on his brain. This is not a pro-war book, nor is it anti-war. It is the true story of what the Marine Corps was like in the late 1960’s.
-
-
Accurate Description
- By USMC VIETVET on 07-02-19
By: James M. Dixon
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American Reckoning
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- Length: 14 hrs and 31 mins
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How did the Vietnam War change the way we think of ourselves as a people and a nation? Christian G. Appy now examines the relationship between the war's realities and myths and its impact on our national identity, conscience, pride, shame, popular culture, and postwar foreign policy.
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Lefitist propaganda at best
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A more nuanced view than Ken Burns' companion book
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Critic reviews
What listeners say about The Vietnam War
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Performance
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- Oldie
- 11-22-13
I served but did not know this subject. Now I do.
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Highly recommended. This books is thorough, well written, very well read. It provided the big picture as well as many interesting but obscure details.
What other book might you compare The Vietnam War to and why?
I have read a lot on Vietnam, but nothing so comprehensive and, for the subject matter, so brief.
Have you listened to any of Peter Berkrot’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Berkrot is outstanding.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The very last chapter when he quotes from a novel by a Vietnamese author.
Any additional comments?
If you've been there, read this. It will possibly change your opinions about the cause and the execution of the way both positive and negative.
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1 person found this helpful
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- ken
- 12-12-11
Good story good history.
Good history told in a good story. I would recommend it for commuting.
And now I am adding words.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Jonathan Hoyle
- 04-11-14
Politically Slanting But Enjoyable Narrative
What did you like best about The Vietnam War? What did you like least?
For an otherwise brief overview, it was detailed enough to really make the narrative flow. Sadly though, the author clearly has a political axe to grind, and Nixon remains his villain, just as Kennedy his hero. His heroes do bad things reluctantly, whereas his villains do it malevolently. The same is true in reverse for good things. I still have yet to hear one in which this war can be discussed objectively. Sigh. Perhaps we are still too early write anything objective about this war? In any case, if you can get past his personal political commentary (or if your political orientation aligns with his), you will find this a very informative and fascinating story. One of the more enjoyable reads of the Vietnam War. Peter Berkot also gets high marks for his performance in reading the material.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Douglas
- 07-20-20
Excellent Intro/Review
This book is exactly as advertised. It's perfect as introduction for someone just starting to study the war, or as a review for someone who has read other books in the past and is looking for a refresher. This book does an especially great job of reviewing the long history leading up to the conflict.
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- Paul
- 12-11-22
Top notch narration / great writing
For those looking for an overview of the origins and duration of the Vietnam War, this has just enough detail with a bit of analysis to give a good perspective and understanding.
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Overall
- Nancy
- 06-05-11
Highly recommended
In spite of living during the Vietnam era, I never could put all the pieces into a coherent whole. This book really helps listeners to understand just how the war developed. Narrator is very good and makes it easy to listen.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Tony
- 02-06-13
A history lesson that keeps on giving
Would you listen to The Vietnam War again? Why?
Yes. The historical facts appeared to be well-researched and were not trivial in significance. I would listen to it again simply to absorb the plethora of facts that I may have missed the first time.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes
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1 person found this helpful
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- Matthew B
- 09-15-17
Perfect summary
I can't imagine a more clear and concise overview of the Vietnam War. Recommended for anyone who wants to achieve a basic understanding of the causes, course and aftermath of the Vietnam War.
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- Patricia B. Stogsdill
- 11-22-11
Good additional historical perspective on Vietnam
This book I thought provided a valuable history of the Vietnam war from a different perspective from that normally found in other readings and as taught in classrooms.
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The existing title is perfect.
What did you love best about The Vietnam War?
I enjoyed, if that is the word, relearning how duplicitous the U.S. government was in perpetrating this tragedy.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Again, my favorite (a dubious adjective) character is LBJ. He simply could not allow principles to supersede what he thought to be political pragmatics. As it turned out, his path was the most complicated, most destructive, and least effective.
Which scene was your favorite?
The poignant moment when the last helicopter left Saigon.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I am again saddened by the misery of this atrocious war. Even if the war did serve to check Communist expansion, I am not at all sure it was worth it. At best, the U.S. can claim it as a Pyrrhic victory, but one which lost the confidence of an entire generation of Americans.
Any additional comments?
In conjunction with Smoke Signals, these two books tell us a lot about why Boomer Hippies and Wannabes distrust American Politics.
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1 person found this helpful