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The conventional narrative of the Vietnam War often glosses over the decade leading up to it. Covering the years 1954-1963, this book presents a thought-provoking reexamination of the war's long prelude--from the aftermath of French defeat at Dien Bien Phu--through Hanoi's decision to begin reunification by force--to the assassination of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem. Established narratives of key events are given critical reappraisal and new light is shed on neglected factors. The strategic importance of Laos is revealed as central to understanding how the war in the South developed.
List of contents
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Abbreviations
Preface
Part I-The Path to War
¿1.¿Going to War in 1959
¿2.¿Fight for Survival in South Vietnam
¿3.¿The 1955 Battle for Saigon and Diem Consolidates Power
¿4.¿South Vietnam Under Ngo Dinh Diem in 1959
Part II-The Combatants
¿5.¿A Comparison of the Two Vietnams, 1959
¿6.¿South Vietnam's Military in 1959
¿7.¿The People's Army of Vietnam and the Entry of the Viet Cong
¿8.¿Who Were the Viet Cong? Part 1
¿9.¿Who Were the Viet Cong? Part 2
Part III-What About Laos?
10.¿The Agony of Laos
11.¿Geneva, the Battle of Nam Tha, and Hanoi's Logistics War
12.¿End of the Laos Crisis: A Solution that Doomed the Peace
Part IV-How the War Went and the Fall of Diem (1959-1963)
13.¿The Vietnam War in 1959-1961 and the CIA's Secret Wars
14.¿The Vietnam War in 1962-1963 and the Battle of Ap Bac
15.¿What Was the 1963 Buddhist Crisis?
16.¿How About a Coup?
17.¿The Murder of Diem and Its Consequences
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Michael M. Walker, Colonel USMC (Ret) served in the Marine Corps for 26 years as an infantry and intelligence officer to include three tours in the Pacific-East Asia region, one in Europe, and two in Southwest Asia. He lives in Meridian, Idaho.
