Sanders, V: USA and Vietnam

Chapter 1 Introduction: The United States and Vietnam 1. Introduction 2. Overview of the War 3. Overview of the Debates on the Vietnam War Chapter 2 Vietnam and Foreigners before 1953 1. Ho Chi Minh and Vietnamese Nationalism 2. The United States and Vietnam, 1941-5 3. The Reasons for the Early American Involvement in Vietnam 4. 'These Situations ... Have a Way of Snowballing' 5. Key Debates on the Truman Years Chapter 3 Eisenhower and Two Vietnams 1. Ho, Giap and the French Failure in Indochina 2. Dienbienphu - the Debate over American Intervention 3. The Geneva Conference on Indochina, 1954 4. Two Vietnams and Two Leaders 5. Assessment of Eisenhower's Policy 6. Key Debates Chapter 4 'Vietnam is the Place' - the Kennedy Crusade (1961-3) 1. Introduction: Kennedy's War? 2. Kennedy's Early Ideas about Vietnam 3. The President and his Advisers 4. Kennedy's Actions in the Third World 5. Kennedy and Diem 6. Conclusions 7. Key Debates Study Guide Chapter 5 'Johnson's War'? 1. Why Johnson Continued US involvement in the War 2. How Johnson Was Able to Escalate the War 3. Why Did Johnson Escalate the American Involvement in Vietnam? 4. 'Where Are We Going?' 5. Historians and 'Johnson's War'? Study guide Chapter 6 Why the USA Failed: I - The People in Vietnam 1. The Vietnamese 2. The Americans 3. Key Debates Chapter 7 Why the USA Failed: II - US Politicians and People 1. Problems with Johnson's Aims and Methods 2. Why and How Johnson was Forced to Retreat 3. Johnson's Last Months 4. Conclusions about Johnson and the War Study Guide Chapter 8 1969-73: Richard Nixon - Diplomatic Genius or Mad Bomber? 1. The Transformation of a Cold Warrior? 2. President Nixon 3. 1969-71 4. 1972 - Getting Re-elected 5. Assessment of Nixon's Vietnam Policy 6. Key Debates Study Guide Chapter 9 Conclusions 1. Summarising the Debates 2. The Effects of the War

Vivienne Sanders has written extensively and successfully on American history in the Access to History series. She taught A Level History for over 30 years, mostly in independent schools, and is now retired.

'This book is well written, informative and very useful for anyone doing A-level history. It's relatively interesting in contrast to most textbooks and is highly accessible. Sets a standard for all history textbooks.' -- Amazon reviewer 20090607