Vietnam: An American Ordeal

PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
1 ORIGINS OF AMERICAN INTERVENTION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
THE JAPANESE OCCUPY INDOCHINA
THE VIETNAMESE REVOLUTION, AUGUST 1945
AMERICA SUPPORTS THE FRENCH RETURN TO INDOCHINA
NOTES
2 THE FRENCH INDOCHINA WAR, 1946-54
THE FRENCH RETURN TO INDOCHINA
FRANCO-VIETMINH NON-NEGOTIATIONS
THE FRENCH INDOCHINA WAR BEGINS
A DEVELOPING FRANCO-AMERICAN PARTNERSHIP
AMERICA EXTENDS CONTAINMENT TO SOUTHEAST ASIA
THE ROAD TO DIEN BIEN PHU
BATTLE OF DIEN BIEN PHU, 1954
AMERICA SEES FAILURE AND OPPORTUNITY
THE GENEVA CONFERENCE
LESSONS FROM A WAR
NOTES
3 AMERICA'S DIEM EXPERIMENT
THE FORMATION OF SEATO, 1954
THE ADVENT OF NGO DINH DIEM
DIEM STRUGGLES TO SURVIVE
THE BATTLE FOR SAIGON, APRIL 27 TO MAY 3, 1955
DIEM CONSOLIDATES HIS REGIME
THE NON-ELECTIONS OF 1956
SOCIAL REVOLUTION IN NORTH VIETNAM
BUILDING A NATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
“DEMOCRACY” IN ACTION
ROOTS OF REVOLUTION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
HANOI TAKES CONTROL OF THE SOUTHERN INSURGENCY
CIVIL WAR IN LAOS
A FAILING EXPERIMENT
NOTES
4 AMERICA RAISES THE STAKES IN VIETNAM, 1961-63
COLD WAR CRISES
CRISIS IN LAOS
SHORING UP THE DIEM REGIME
A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
SOCIAL REVOLUTION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
STRAINS IN THE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
THE BUDDHIST CRISIS, MAY-AUGUST, 1963
THE DECLINE OF NGO DINH DIEM
THE FALL OR NGO DINH DIEM, NOVEMBER 1, 1963
A FAILED LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
NOTES
5 AMERICA GOES TO WAR, 1964-65
A CHANGING WORLD ORDER
DOING THE SAME ONLY DOING MORE OF IT
COUP SEASON IN SOUTH VIETNAM
THE GULF OF TONKIN INCIDENTS, AUGUST 2-4, 1964
THE GULF OF TONKIN RESOLUTION
THE ELECTION OF 1964
ORIGINS OF THE AIR WAR OVER NORTH VIETNAM
THE U.S. GROUND WAR IN SOUTH VIETNAM BEGINS
LYNDON JOHNSON AMERICANIZES THE WAR IN VIETNAM
NOTES
6 WAGING LIMITED WAR IN VIETNAM, 1965-68
THE CONCEPT OF LIMITED WAR
THE STRATEGY OF ATTRITION WARFARE
INITIAL SEARCH AND DESTROY OPERATIONS
IA DRANG: THE BATTLE THAT TRANSFORMED A WAR
ESCALATING THE WAR ON THE GROUND, 1966
THE BIG UNIT WAR, 1967
WAR IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS AND NORTHERN PROVINCES
THE LIMITS OF ATTRITION WARFARE
ROLLING THUNDER: THE AIR WAR AGAINST NORTH VIETNAM, 1965-68
ARC LIGHT: THE SOUTH VIETNAM AIR CAMPAIGNS, 1965-68
THE AIR WAR IN LAOS, 1964-68
NOTES
7 THE POLITICS AND DIPLOMACY OF WAR, 1965-68
GENERAL KY TAKES CHARGE IN SOUTH VIETNAM
THE BUDDHIST REVOLT: THE STRUGGLE MOVEMENT, 1966
PACIFICATION EFFORTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
POLITICAL REFORMS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
DIPLOMATIC CHARADES, 1965-68
CRACKS IN THE COLD WAR CONSENSUS, 1965-66
THE WAR AT HOME, 1967
FIGHTING THE VIETNAM ERA DRAFT
LYNDON JOHNSON PROMOTES THE WAR IN VIETNAM
NOTES
8 THE TET OFFENSIVE, JANUARY 30 TO MARCH 31, 1968
THE BATTLES THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF THE WAR
HANOI PLANS A GENERAL OFFENSIVE
SURPRISE ATTACK!
SIEGE AT KHE SANH
STALEMATE
U.S. MILITARY LEADERS PROPOSE TO WIDEN THE WAR
THE CLIFFORD TASK FORCE
JOHNSON AGONISTES
POLITICAL SHOCKS
ECONOMIC CRISES
THE “WISE MEN” OPT OUT OF THE WAR
THE SPEECH, MARCH 31, 1968
TURNING POINT
NOTES
9 AFTERMATH OF THE TET OFFENSIVE, APRIL-DECEMBER 1968
VIETNAM: THE FIRST TELEVISED WAR
1968: THE BLOODIEST YEAR OF THE WAR
MASSACRE AT MY LAI
PACIFICATION AND THE BEGINNINGS OF VIETNAMIZATION
THE ELECTION OF 1968
NOTES
10 NIXON'S VIETNAM WAR, 1969-71
NIXON TAKES CONTROL
VIETNAMIZATION: SHIFTING THE BURDEN OF FIGHTING
MOBILIZING AGAINST THE VIETNAM WAR, OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 1969
THE BATTLE OF HAMBURGER HILL
THE DECLINE OF THE U.S. ARMY
WIDENING THE WAR: CAMBODIA, APRIL 29, 1970
KENT STATE AND THE REVIVAL OF STUDENT PROTEST
CONGRESSIONAL OPPOSITION TO THE VIETNAM WAR
WIDENING THE WAR: LAOS, FEBRUARY 8, 1971
PROJECT PHOENIX AND THE LIMITS OF PACIFICATION
NOTES
11 NIXON'S VIETNAM WAR, 1971-73
NEW PROPOSALS REVIVE THE PEACE TALKS
A WAR WEARY NATION
THE PENTAGON PAPERS
THE NVA EASTER OFFENSIVE, 1972
LINEBACKER I: NIXON REVIVES THE AIR WAR AGAINST NORTH VIETNAM
NEGOTIATING AN END TO THE AMERICAN WAR IN VIETNAM
LINEBACKER II: THE CHRISTMAS BOMBINGS, DECEMBER 18-29, 1972
THE FINAL PHASE OF NEGOTIATIONS, JANUARY 1973
NEITHER PEACE NOR HONOR: THE PARIS ACCORDS, JANUARY 27, 1973
NOTES
12 ENDING THE WAR: DECLINE AND FALL OF SOUTH VIETNAM, 1973-75
HOMECOMING: THE RELEASE OF THE POWs, FEBRUARY-MARCH, 1973
THE POSTWAR WAR: WAR CONTINUES IN SOUTH VIETNAM
THE DECAY OF SOUTH VIETNAM: CORRUPTION AND ECONOMIC COLLAPSE
THE FINAL OFFENSIVE, DECEMBER 1974 TO APRIL 1975
THE HO CHI MINH OFFENSIVE, APRIL 5-30, 1975
AMERICA ABANDONS CAMBODIA
AMERICA ABANDONS LAOS
AMERICA ABANDONS SOUTH VIETNAM
THE FALL OF SAIGON, APRIL 27-30, 1975
WHY WE LOST AND THEY WON
THE COSTS OF A LOSING WAR
NOTES
13 LEGACIES OF A WAR
THE ENDLESS WAR, 1975-92
NORMALIZING RELATIONS, 1992-95
DEVELOPING COMMERCIAL AND DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, 1995-2008
VIETNAM VETERANS COME HOME
THE WALL: THE VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL
VIETNAMESE IN AMERICA
THE SPECTER OF VIETNAM
NOTES
TABLES
GLOSSARY
CHRONOLOGY OF AMERICAN INTERVENTION IN VIETNAM, 1954-75
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX