A Noble Cause?: America and the Vietnam War

Ronald Reagan, during his 1980 presidential campaign, described the Vietnam War as a 'noble cause' and demonstrated that Vietnam is not just a war, but an idea, molded by cranks and demagogues to suit their political imperative. The war has become a morality tale through which to peddle a particular vision of America. In an effort to give the reader an unbiased view of why the war was fought, how it was lost and what effect it has had, Gerard De Groot has provided an analytical work, but with strong narrative drive, which offers a clear eyed treatment of themes which have frequently been masked by sentiment or myth.

The military events, the political and strategic contexts, and the social and cultural impact of the Vietnam War are all brought together in this single, compellingly readable study. As well as breadth and inclusiveness, the author has new things to say on -- the nature of the communist revolution and the communist way of war; the flaws in US Strategy and tactics; how these flaws affected the soldier on the ground; and the legacy of the war for Vietnam and America alike.