Vietnam: A History (Audible Audio Edition):
Stanley Karnow, Edward Holland, Inc. Blackstone Audio: Books
In this comprehensive history, Stanley Karnow demystifies the tragic ordeal of America's war in Vietnam. The book's central theme is that America's leaders, prompted as much by domestic politics as by global ambitions, carried the United States into Southeast Asia with little regard for the realities of the region. Karnow elucidates the decision-making process in Washington and Asia and recounts the political and military events that occurred after the Americans arrived in Vietnam. Throughout, he focuses on people, those who shaped strategy and those who suffered, died, or survived as a result.
Panoramic in scope and filled with fresh revelations drawn from secret documents and from exclusive interviews with hundreds of participants on both sides, Vietnam: A Historytranscends the past with lessons relevant to the present and future.
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Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 27 hours and 42 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
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Top customer reviews
Magnitude
3.0 out of 5 starsJust "a history"November 19, 2017
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Second read. This review is of the 1997 edition.
This book served my purposes well, in that I was looking for an overview history of the entire period of American involvement. Karnow delivers on that, and also provides some broader context of the ancient Vietnamese history, its history as a colony, and the French war in Indochina.
Originally published in 1983, Karnow includes updates from later visits. His first-hand reportage and interviews with leading figures (such as Giap and Westmoreland) give this account some immediacy and weight. If anything, Karnow was there, living these events and connecting them with other people who lived through them. Some of these interviews must have been for a related TV series at the time, and as far as TV-associated books go, this definitely rises to the top. Too, the photographs are well chosen and underscore the narrative, bringing this period to life. Karnow certainly understands the major issues, and for the most part covers the war adequately from all perspectives. For all these reasons, it's easy to see why this book is frequently recommended as the one-volume history to read.
Yet, I wanted more from this. I find the first three chapters difficult to get through, mainly because they weave backwards and forwards in time. The first chapter is sort of an update to the earlier editions, covering Vietnam since the end of the war in 1975. The next chapter goes backwards, dealing with Vietnam as a European colony. Then the third chapter goes back even further, dealing with the long Vietnamese historical struggle for independence, often against China. To be sure, all of these chapters are worth reading -- and understanding Vietnam's long conflict with China is still relevant today -- but they are not arranged chronologically.
After this, though, the book gets rolling. If there's one theme that comes through loudly and clearly, it was that Vietnam was fighting for its independence for a long time, and that this will to national autonomy and unity was something the United States could not beat, as others before it had tried to do as well. This seems banal to write, because it is well known by now, but it is nevertheless important to remember and still a salient takeway from this Karnow's history.
Looking at the endnotes, it appears that much of the research was based on secondary sources that were used before the original publication. There are some limitations to this approach, mainly that there's little to no obvious archival work, but also that the books used for research are themselves dated. The coverage of North Vietnam seems a little weak, for understandable reasons, more understandable in 1983 than perhaps it is today.
I also would have liked a better understanding of the military aspects of events, and Karnow seems to shy away from the kind of military descriptions that Rick Atkinson or Barbara Tuchman, other journalist-historians, excel at. Instead, Karnow focuses on higher political maneuverings, as the last chapter about the Nixon era especially highlights. So, given that this is a book about a war, I can't say that in either reading I've come away with a better understanding of how it was fought day to day. Even so, it remains a good starting point for a general reader looking to understand the dynamic sweep of Vietnam throughout its history, but especially for the American involvement in that country.
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jim Waters
4.0 out of 5 starsReview : VIETNAM A HISTORY.November 3, 2017
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An excellent and comprehensive coverage of a major historical event .
Having lived through the war in another western society as a teenager, it is a revelation to put together what were confusing and sometimes obfuscurated facts. The book ( which accompanied the television history in 11 parts) has the added ability to furnish prose detail to News events at the time.
Both political systems and the Media in the US had to grow rapidly with the discovery that this War in particular was not simply one with soldiers but with citizens and families connected in a unique way around the evening dinner table . The book is a mature delivery of the warts and all facts of the “first casualty”, which is always, in any war, the truth.
Not just Presidents but everyone involved got caught up in the “policy of limited candour”
It was good to read also at this distance in time ..... a respectable 50 plus years.Review
Jim Waters
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samuel Wonders
5.0 out of 5 starsFive StarsNovember 7, 2017
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proper perspective
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MartyMcFly
5.0 out of 5 starsEXCELLENT BOOK ON VIETNAMJuly 24, 2014
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EXCELLENT...fascinating reading about the war in Vietnam...I was lucky not to be shipped out to Nam....so I am always interested in the background of the war
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goofyman
5.0 out of 5 starsA great intro to the warSeptember 25, 2015
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Easy ..fast pace. Recommended to those who have a basic understanding of the war. A page turner..finish the book in 5 days...my fastest
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Dennis M. Gehley
5.0 out of 5 starsFrom Quicksand to Solid Ground 1945-1975August 18, 2015
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Unemotional Detail of the Tragedy Involving France, the U.S., and the Vietnamese People
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Snakewoman
5.0 out of 5 starsThis will be a good research source for himDecember 5, 2014
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This book was bought as a gift for someone who is writing about his time in vietnam. This will be a good research source for him.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsVietnam, an astonishing country.June 29, 2014
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A remarkable, complete and insightful history of an amazing country. Karnow obviously did his research and wrote in an easy to comprehend manner.
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5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars
ByDennis Snyderon June 24, 2015
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One of the better books about Viet Nam.
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5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars
Bydiploconciergeon April 24, 2015
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The English-language book to read about Vietnam
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5.0 out of 5 starsExceptionally weñl written; breathtaking in its scope and coverage ...
ByRoberto Newellon August 8, 2014
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Exceptionally weñl written; breathtaking in its scope and coverage.
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5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars
Byrobert formanon November 5, 2014
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Excellent book on Viet nam!
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4.0 out of 5 starsInteresting, but biased.
ByRobert V. Rose, retired education researcheron November 23, 2014
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This was an interesting book to read, because I had lived through the era, and it brought back many memories.
However, the journalist author was obviously opposed to the war; he himself mentions that a member of the Nixon adminitration considered him an "enemy".
Makes me remember a SNL skit about Bill Clinton, when he was first running for president. His imitator said, "Of course I'm not going, and if I do go, I'm not sure which side I'll fight for".
But Vietnam is now a dynamic and very interesting place, probably with fewer socialist citizens than we have. As one visiting veteran said, "We get a better reception here now than we got returning to America from the war".
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5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars
ByGregg J. Harrison November 30, 2014
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A great read
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4.0 out of 5 starsExcellent Book
ByRobert R.on May 29, 2013
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Well written and thorougly researched, this history captures the Vietnam era. There was more emphasis on internal Vietnamese polictics than I expected, and less on the American anti-war movement. If you lived through this period of history, you will have flashbacks from cover to cover.
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5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars
Bycharlie whetzelon June 25, 2015
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Great book to read if you are interested in Vietnam history and strategy.
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5.0 out of 5 starsEnjoyed by son - this was the war that his ...
ByBeth Hoffmanon November 21, 2014
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Enjoyed by son - this was the war that his mom grew up with. Had heard many stories about how soldiers were treated on return. He is very interested in history.
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5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars
ByPaul A. Crimon July 19, 2015
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Arrived as described
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