10,000 Days of Thunder: A History of the Vietnam War

In this truly multifaceted presentation of the conflict, both on the front lines and on the homefront, Caputo has produced what is at once an overview and a sensitive, resonant picture of the war as seen and experienced by American soldiers, the Viet Cong, North Vietnamese guerrillas, and the citizens of both South Vietnam and the United States. Covering the period from the rise of Bolshevism in Russia in the early 20th century to the American normalization of relations with Vietnam in 1995, it's an ideal source for both information and understanding. Beginning with an affecting introduction, the author then gives a history of communism and the origins of the war. Following this, the American involvement in Vietnam is traced in numerous two- to four-page sections dealing with various aspects of the conflict, such as the Viet Cong, the Ho Chi Minh Trail and the DMZ, and the draft. Each section has a quick facts box that highlights the main issues surrounding each topic. Caputo's prose is clear and direct, and the award-winning photos, both black and white and color, add an immediacy that sets this title apart from more conventional treatments. The glossary is detailed and informative, and the bibliography is a veritable gold mine of sound sources. This is the book of choice for libraries serving today's students.