A Time of War: The United States and Vietnam, 1946-1975
1. Introduction
The United States and Vietnam War is one of the most controversial and devastating events in history. There are many different interpretations of what happened and why it happened. In this essay, I will be reviewing a book about this very topic- A Time of War: The United States and Vietnam, 1946-1975 by Robert D. Schulzinger. This book gives a detailed account of the events leading up to the war, the war itself, and the aftermath. It is a very well-researched book with many primary sources. I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the Vietnam War.
2. body
2.1 The United States and Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a long, costly armed conflict that pitted the communist regime of North Vietnam and its allies against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The conflict began in 1959 and ended in April 30, 1975. The war was fought in South Vietnam and Cambodia. About 2 million people were killed in the war, including 58,000 Americans.
The United States became involved in the war because they were afraid that if South Vietnam fell to communism, then other countries in Southeast Asia would also fall like dominoes. The United States had a policy of containment, which was to stop the spread of communism. They were also worried about the Domino Theory- if one country falls to communism, then surrounding countries will also fall like dominoes.
The United States started sending advisers to South Vietnam in 1950 and increased their involvement over the next few years. By 1965, there were over 200,000 American troops in South Vietnam fighting against the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong (VC). American involvement in the war peaked in 1968 with over 500,000 troops. The Tet Offensive was a turning point in the war- it was a massive attack by the VC on South Vietnamese cities that showed that the VC were not as weak as the Americans thought they were. After 1968, American public opinion turned against the war and there was a gradual withdrawal of troops until 1975 when Saigon fell to the communists and the war ended.
2. 2 A Time of War: The United States and Vietnam, 1946-1975 by Robert D
3 conclusion
In conclusion, I would recommend A Time of War: The United States and Vietnam, 1946-1975 by Robert D. Schulzinger to anyone interested in learning more about this topic. It is a very detailed and well-researched book with primary sources.