Vietnam War Era: People and Perspectives

(Hardback)

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An insightful look into the immediate and long-term impact of the Vietnam War on a wide range of people and social groups, both Americans in the United States and in Vietnam. This collection of essays by highly respected social historians looks at the Vietnam War era through the eyes of the ordinary citizens caught up in those tumultuous times. Focusing on the period between 1961 and 1975from the dramatic U.S. military escalation to the fall of Saigonit offers fresh insight on the impact of the war on individuals on the home front and the battlefront. Each chapter of Vietnam War Era: People and Perspectives examines how a particular group of Americans interacted with the war and its related issues, among them military advisors and soldiers, the silent majority and antiwar activists, women, labor unions, African Americans, students, government leaders, veterans, the media, and religious communities. The authors draw clear connections between the stories of individual lives and the larger social movements that defined the era's human drama.

Reviews

Hall (Crossroads) chronologically arranges 11 chapter-long essays by as many Vietnam scholars, whose works devote detailed retrospective descriptions to all perspectives relevant to the war, from military veterans and antiwar demonstrators to America's 'Silent Majority.' Essays also consider the war's polarizing effect on major cultural and social segments, including women, African Americans, journalists, religious groups, and labor unions. A vital chronology locates the genesis of the Vietnam conflict in 1941, when the Communist Vietminh was formed. A balanced historical retrospective. * Library Journal *
Editor Hall (history, Central Michigan U.) has aimed this history textbook on the Vietnam War era for high school students and undergraduates in American History courses, using analyses from leading historians to emphasize the social underpinnings of these events in order to stimulate classroom discussion. These essays focus on the generational divisions that led to anti-war activism and explore the war through the eyes of religious communities, military personnel, women, journalists, African-Americans, unions and students. A lengthy appendix contains relevant documents such as the Port Huron Statement and the AFL-CIO Vietnam Resolution. * Reference & Research Book News *
The value of [this title] is the accessibility for student researchers to pull out chapters pertaining to their area of study. Recommended. * Library Media Connection *
This volume on the Vietnam War era contains some good essays, each written by scholars who have published on that particular topic. * ARBA *
Mitchell K. Hall has edited a very worthwhile textbook on the Vietnam War. While each essay is worthy in its own right, together they create a colorful mosaic of the spectrum of American social thought during this period. Recommended for high school, community college, college libraries, and public libraries. * Catholic Library World *

Author Bio

Mitchell K. Hall is professor of history at Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI.