The Vietnam War: The Definitive Illustrated History

by DK, Smithsonian Institution (Contribution by)

Overview

The Vietnam War remains one of the most heroic and heartbreaking events in history. This definitive guide charts the unforgettable story of the world’s first televised war.

Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, this authoritative guide chronicles America's fight against Communism in southeast Asia during the 1960s and 1970s, and comprehensively explores the people, politics, events, and lasting effects of the Vietnam War.

Hundreds of insightful images and a compelling narrative combine to chronicle this catastrophic conflict.

 From 1955, the communist government of North Vietnam waged war against South Vietnam and its main ally, the USA. Over the course of two decades of hostility and warfare, the number of casualties reached an incomprehensible three million people.

Detailed descriptions of every episode, including Operation Passage to Freedom and the evacuation of the American embassy in Saigon, tell the stories in iconic photographs and eyewitness accounts. Discover the real people behind the conflict, with gripping biographies of key figures, including Henry Kissinger, General Thieu, President Nixon, and Pol Pot. This incredible visual record is supported by locator maps, at-a-glance timelines, archive photography, and key quotations to ensure an all-encompassing experience.



The Vietnam War is an essential historic reference to help humanity learn the lessons of suffering and sacrifice from one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 20th century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781465457691
Publisher:	DK
Publication date:	04/04/2017
Series:	DK Definitive Visual Histories
Pages:	360
Sales rank:	206,528
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 11.90(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

DK was founded in London in 1974 and is now the world's leading illustrated reference publisher and part of Penguin Random House, formed on July 1, 2013. DK publishes highly visual, photographic nonfiction for adults and children. DK produces content for consumers in over 87 countries and in 62 languages, with offices in Delhi, London, Melbourne, Munich, New York, and Toronto. DK's aim is to inform, enrich, and entertain readers of all ages, and everything DK publishes, whether print or digital, embodies the unique DK design approach. DK brings unrivalled clarity to a wide range of topics with a unique combination of words and pictures, put together to spectacular effect. We have a reputation for innovation in design for both print and digital products.   Our adult range spans travel, including the award-winning DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, history, science, nature, sport, gardening, cookery, and parenting. DK’s extensive children’s list showcases a fantastic store of information for children, toddlers, and babies. DK covers everything from animals and the human body, to homework help and craft activities, together with an impressive list of licensing titles, including the bestselling LEGO® books. DK acts as the parent company for Alpha Books, publisher of the Idiot's Guides series and Prima Games, video gaming publishers, as well as the award-winning travel publisher, Rough Guides.

Editorial Reviews

09/01/2017
The Smithsonian Institute and DK collaborate to tell the history of the Vietnam War (1955–75). Chronologically arranged chapters are supplemented with a time line of important events and maps charting the locations of major battles and bombings. The book provides brief biographies of the key figures of the war, including Communist revolutionary and Vietnam President Ho Chi Minh, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, and U.S. Gen. William Westmoreland. The work also contains hundreds of photographs from the Smithsonian's collection, many of which are iconic and powerful. The guide provides context and explains the factors that led up to the conflict, describing how the influence of the Soviet Union, the impact of French colonialism, and Japanese occupation during World War II led to revolution in Vietnam. The United States, on the other hand, emerging as a global superpower following World War II, felt compelled to keep Soviet power in check and to prevent the spread of communism around the world. This extremely thorough title explores a range of relevant subjects, including media coverage of the war, equipment and weapons, and the effect of the fighting on popular culture. VERDICT A terrific starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about the conflict.—Dave Pugl, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL

Library Journal

09/01/2017
Gr 8 Up—DK, in consultation with the Smithsonian Institution, delivers a hefty tome that provides a sweeping overview of the Vietnam War. Informational spreads containing color photographs take readers more or less chronologically through the saga of the war, from Indochina's precolonial history to the region's current situation. Most of the spreads focus on specific events or aspects of the war, such as "The Tonkin Gulf Incident" and "The African American Experience," while some feature biographies, eyewitness accounts, time lines, selections of artifacts and weaponry, and full-bleed images. The presentation of content, in particular, the clear and consistent subject headings and iconography, aids reader comprehension. Especially useful are the "before" and "after" panels accompanying each topic, which assist readers in connecting the topic at hand to previous and upcoming sections. The material is broad and inclusive and takes a critical approach to all parties involved, despite the book's self-proclaimed American lens. The layout, table of contents, index, and acknowledgements section citing sources for the hundreds of photographs make the volume easily navigable. There are a few factual errors, such as an incorrect statement of the scope of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. However, this is overall a solid resource. VERDICT Strongly recommended for young military enthusiasts, readers seeking to gain a broad understanding of the war, and those conducting research.—Darla Salva Cruz, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

School Library Journal