Karnow

STANLEY KARNOW: //VIETNAM: A HISTORY// Karnow has an excellent section (pages 703-720) containing biographical sketches on the "Cast of Principal Characters." His extensive chronology is wonderful, too (see pages 686-702). Karnow has made a fine choice of photos. Please look carefully at each of them and read their captions.

This chapter summarizes much of the book. During the semester, we will cycle back to many of these issues. 14 Last paragraph 18 Policy of minimum candor 25 Small nations must be wary of Americans 33-34 War is war. But why was Vietnam so destructive? 39 VC agents: Pham Xuan and Pham Ngoc Thao 42 Reeducation centers 43 Little Saigon; Amerasian children; Boat people (one million) 49 Hospitality of Vietnamese to American visitors 52 Soviets cut off aid to Vietnam
 * Chapter 1: The War Nobody Won**

This chapter summarizes the competition between French imperialism and Vietnamese nationalism. Note the complexity of the various factions in France as well as the numerous factions within Vietnam. America will confront a similar complexity. 71 Role of Catholic Church in colonizing Indochina. 72 Alexander de Rhodes: simplified script for Vietnamese language 88 Middle paragraph particularly 95 French expansionism 96 Colonial policy the daughter of industrial policy 97 Protectorate or possession [compare similar arguments over Philippines] 100 Indochinese Union
 * Chapter 2: Piety and Power**

Try to get a sense of how old Vietnam is, who its heroes are, and its prior relationship to China. 101 Picture of Trieu Au (heroine from 3d century A.D.) 109 First paragraph represents beautiful writing by Karnow. Ho Chi Minh [Nguyen Ai Quoc] Take from the West versus be dominated by the West 110 Comparative influences of India and China 112 Trung sisters as national heroines; role of women in Vietnam 113 Role of Tran Hung Dao as symbol (1287 A.D.) 115 Role of Le Loi 118 Vietnam never was entirely unified 119-21 Prior "insurgencies" 130 French intransigence 130-138 Biographical material: Ho Chi Minh
 * Chapter 3: The Heritage of Vietnamese Nationalism**

What could we have learned from the French war against the Vietminh? Why did we not learn these lessons? 147 What does it mean to compare Ho to Tito of Yugoslavia? 148 U.S. State Dept: Far East section versus European section 149 U.S. role in Indochina in WWII OSS Deer Team. What was the OSS? U.S. perception of Ho Chi Minh 152-153 Vo Nguyen Giap: embraced French culture; resisted colonialism 160 Ngo Dinh Diem Famine 169 Ho's agreement with the French 175 French domestic politics influenced Indochina policy
 * Chapter 4: The War with the French**

Get an overall sense of how the French fought their war against the Vietminh: strategy; generals; battles. 184 Context: Communism/Containment/China/McCarthy/Korea 187 Bao Dai; mandate of heaven; comparison to Ho Chi Minh 194 Role of Dean Rusk in early stages of U.S. policy toward Vietnam 202 Jaunissement. role of allies. comparison to Vietnamization. 204-214 Battle of Dienbienphu. One of the major battles in 20th c. 215-221 Geneva Conference. What players; what positions; results Vietminh lost out—in their view.
 * Chapter 5: The Light That Failed**

What is a mandarin. Follow the trail of Ngo Dinh Diem and his family as they rule over South Vietnam. Who are his adversaries: domestic, Vietminh remnants, who else 244 How could one stay neutral 246 Agrovilles 250-251 Diem's manipulative maneuvering 255 North forms National Liberation Front
 * Chapter 6: America's Mandarin**

Prochnau's book focuses on this period. Get a sense of the precedent of Laos: how we almost got involved there, what model it provided for Vietnam. 272 Strategic hamlets 275 Helicopters 276-279 Battle of Ap Bac. John Paul Vann. Role of American advisors 282-283 Madame Nhu
 * Chapter 7: Vietnam is the Place**

Prochnau's book coordinates with this chapter, too. What drove the U.S. to want to be rid of Diem? 294 Buddhism/Confucianism/Christianity 295 Buddhist protests; monk burns himself 297 Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge 298 Lucien Conein 302-303 Hilsman cable 312 Madame Nhu on speaking tour of U.S. at the time
 * Chapter 8: The End of Diem**

VanDeMark's book coordinates with this material. Situation worsens for the South Vietnamese. Contrast how the private and public assessments of American visitors often differ. 335-338 LBJ; his fear of right-wing reaction 342 U.S. Senators express concern: Russell, Mansfield North Vietnam has its own problems: Soviet Union versus PRC 347-349 Ho Chi Minh trail 358 War of Liberation Draft issue on both sides 361 Westmoreland; Maxwell Taylor; "Best and the Brightest"
 * Chapter 9: The Commitment Deepens**

VanDeMark's book goes along with this chapter. 372-392 Read all of this, but make sure you catch the following: 372 Goldwater threat in 1964 presidential election 379 Air America Studies and Observations Group (SOG) 380 DeSoto missions 384 Tonkin Gulf incident 390 Tonkin Gulf Resolution 393-394 Read carefully this excellent summary material 399 Difficulty of dealing with our South Vietnamese allies 400-401 Amazing paragraph
 * Chapter 10: Disorder and Decision**

411-412 LBJ wins 1964 presidential election; his views on Vietnam 429 VP Humphrey cut out of discussions: not "on the team" 431 Bomb tonnage dropped on North Vietnam 433 Rival services competed for a share of the action 436 Interesting advisory role of Abe Fortas—"kitchen cabinet" 437 Song Be: Phuoc Long Province—where I spent most of my time
 * Chapter 11: LBJ Goes to War**

Note particularly the picture of the bicycles used to move material down the Ho Chi Minh trail. 450-457 U.S. build-up 458-459 U.S. as neocolonialists; South Vietnamese as "puppets" 467-478 View of the war from the North Vietnamese perspective 479-487 The experience of the "grunt" [compare to Appy's book]
 * Chapter 12: Escalation**

Role of battlefield success versus negotiating strategy. How could U.S. win: attrition not working. How to negotiate: use of bombing as a variable. 504-505 Little official internal resistance to U.S. policy at this time. 516-520 What doubts are U.S. leaders having?
 * Chapter 13: Debate, Diplomacy, and Doubt**

This is a pivotal moment in the U.S. public perception of the war. 536-540 Excellent summary material about the Tet fighting 547 Tet was a military disaster for the Viet Cong; Phoenix program 548-550 What the North Vietnamese hoped to accomplish at Tet 551 Song Be 552-555 Khe Sanh. 558-562 Results of Tet 568-569 Clark Clifford's doubts 572-581 Shifts in political landscape
 * Chapter 14: Tet**

Catch the importance of Nixon's victory in the 1968 presidential election. As a new president (and a Republican), he is better positioned to shift our policy than LBJ could have. Also note the increasing role of Henry Kissinger. 598 Nixon plays off the Soviets against the PRC 608-609 Vietnamization 625-627 Kent State
 * Chapter 15: Nixon's War**

I have elected to spend more time on the events leading up to America's participation in Vietnam than to the elongated peace process. This chapter deals with the attempts of the U.S. to conclude a "peace with honor" in Vietnam. No reading assignments for this chapter.
 * Chapter 16: The Peace That Never Was**