The Vietnam War: The Definitive Illustrated History

Description

Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, this authoritative guide chronicles America's fight against Communism in southeast Asia during the 1960s and 1970s, and comprehensively explores the people, politics, events, and lasting effects of the Vietnam War. Filled with more than 500 photographs, The Vietnam War tells the story of Vietnam through powerful images; profiles of the war's most influential figures, such as Henry Kissinger and Pol Pot; and a complete overview of the conduct, strategies, and events in this controversial war, including Ho Chi Minh's rise to power, the Geneva conference, America's intervention, and the Christmas bombings. Gallery spreads feature collections of infantry weapons, artillery, aircraft, and armored vehicles, and diagrams and maps show exactly where battles and key moments happened. A divisive and destructive event, the Vietnam War was the world's first televised war, and photographs from its front lines powerfully convey war's complex reality. Taking a global perspective, The Vietnam War remembers the people who served and features full spreads about prisoners of war, anti-war protest movements, and the significance of the war for black Americans as they struggled for civil rights. The Vietnam War is a stirring visual record of the suffering, sacrifice, and heroism in America's longest and bloodiest conflict of the 20th century. 4 Contents THE BACKGROUND BEFORE MARCH 1959 12 Introduction 14 Timeline 16 Indochina Colonized 18 Revolt and Resistance 20 HO CHI MINH 22 From Independence to War 24 Revolutionary Guerrilla Warfare 26 The First Indochina War 28 The Cold War 30 French Defeat at Dien Bien Phu 32 DIEN BIEN PHU 34 The Geneva Accords 38 Vietnam Divided 40 NGO DINH DIEM 42 Cambodia and Laos AMERICA DRAWN INTO VIETNAM MAR 1959 – DEC 1964 46 Introduction 48 Timeline 50 Guerrilla War Resumes 52 The Viet Cong 54 VIET CONG GEAR AND WEAPONRY 56 Creating the Ho Chi Minh Trail 58 The Kennedy Administration 60 PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY 62 American Intervention in Laos 64 The Green Berets 66 THE GREEN BERETS IN VIETNAM 68 The Mountain People 70 Strategic Hamlets 72 The Buddhist Crisis 76 Diem Assassinated 78 South Vietnam on the Brink 80 The Tonkin Gulf Incident 82 PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON AMERICA GOES TO WAR JAN 1965–SEP 1967 86 Introduction 88 Timeline 90 The Decision for War 92 GENERAL WILLIAM WESTMORELAND 94 Bombing North Vietnam 96 AIRCRAFT 98 Air-to-Air Combat 100 A PILOT’S VIEW 102 Search-and-Destroy 104 Battle of Ia Drang Valley 106 Air Mobility 108 The Call to Service 110 Life on Base 112 Recuperation and Entertainment 114 MEMENTOS AND MEMORABILIA 116 A PLACE TO PARTY 118 America’s Allies 120 Battle of Long Tan 122 War in the Iron Triangle 124 The African American Experience 126 AN AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIER 128 Airpower over South Vietnam 132 HELICOPTERS IN VIETNAM 134 Digging In 136 TUNNEL RAT 138 War on the Ho Chi Minh Trail 140 Combined Action Program 142 The Naval War 144 Operation Junction City 146 Chemical Warfare 150 The North Vietnamese Army 152 NVA KIT AND WEAPONRY 154 Vietnamese Women at War 156 A WOMAN IN THE NVA 158 The Challenges of Ground Combat 162 The War at Home THE TURNING POINT SEP 1967 –DEC 1968 168 Introduction 170 Timeline 172 Going for Victory 174 GENERAL GIAP 176 Prelude to the Tet Offensive 178 The Saigon Circle 182 TET OFFENSIVE 184 US GEAR AND WEAPONRY 186 The Media and the War 188 SAIGON EXECUTION 190 The Battle for Hue 194 US Marines in Vietnam 198 US Women at War 200 The Siege of Khe Sanh 204 THE SIEGE OF KHE SANH 206 ARTILLERY IN VIETNAM 208 Opening Negotiations 210 The “Mini Tet” 212 CORDS and Pacification 214 The Phoenix Program 216 Protest and Elections NIXON’S WAR JAN 1969 –DEC 1971 220 Introduction 222 Timeline 224 The Nixon Administration 226 PRESIDENT RICHARD M. NIXON 228 Vietnamization 230 GENERAL CREIGHTON ABRAMS 232 The ARVN 234 Withdrawal and Demoralization 238 Hamburger Hill 240 Medevac and Treatment 242 US Nurses 244 NURSING THE SERIOUSLY WOUNDED 246 The My Lai Case 248 Cambodia Drawn into the War 250 The Khmer Rouge 252 Cambodian incursion 254 Political Storm 256 HORROR AT KENT STATE 258 Prisoners of War 262 POW OBJECTS 264 Lam Son 719 EASTER OFFENSIVE TO US EXIT JAN 1972–JAN 1973 268 Introduction 270 Timeline 272 Decision to Invade 274 American Strategy in 1972 276 Easter Offensive: Quang Tri 280 NAPALM ATTACK 282 Easter Offensive: Kontum 284 ARMORED VEHICLES 286 Easter Offensive: An Loc 288 BESIEGED AT AN LOC 290 Mining Haiphong Harbor 292 Linebacker I 294 Progress of the Peace Talks 296 HENRY KISSINGER 298 The Christmas Bombing 300 The Peace Accord ENDGAME AND AFTERMATH AFTER JANUARY 1973 306 Introduction 308 Timeline 310 Breaking the Ceasefire 312 GENERAL THIEU 314 Prelude at Phuoc Long 316 The Final Offensive Begins 320 The Battle of Xuan Loc 322 Evacuation 324 The Fall of Saigon 326 Khmer Rouge Victory in Cambodia 328 The Mayaguez Incident 330 Pathet Lao Takeover 332 The Fate of South Vietnam 334 BOAT PEOPLE 336 Cambodia under Communism 340 Aftermath in Indochina 342 Indochina into the 21st Century 344 American Homecoming 346 THE WAR IN AMERICAN POPULAR 350 Visiting Vietnam 352 Index 358 Acknowledgments