The Vietnam War was one of America's longest, bloodiest, and most controversial wars. This volume examines the complexities of this protracted conflict and explains why the lessons learned in Vietnam are still highly relevant today. Vietnam War: The Essential Reference Guide provides a compendium of the key people, places, organizations, treaties, and events that make up the history of the war, explaining its causes, how it was conducted, and its far-reaching consequences. Written by recognized authorities, this ready-reference volume provides essential information all in one place and includes a comprehensive list of additional sources for further study. The work presents a detailed chronology that outlines the numerous battles and campaigns throughout the war, such as the Tet Offensive, the Battle of Hamburger Hill, Operation Rolling Thunder, and the Battle of Hue. Biographies on Lyndon Johnson, William Westmoreland, Robert McNamara, Ngo Dinh Diem, and other major political figures and military leaders provide insight into the individuals who played key roles in the conflict, while primary source documents such as President Nixon's speech on Vietnamization provide invaluable historical context.

Table of Contents:
Overview of the Vietnam War Causes of the Vietnam War Consequences of the Vietnam War Communist Strategy Opposition to the War The Tet Offensive and the Media U.S. Involvement in Indochina Reference Entries Abrams, Creighton Williams, Jr. (1914–1974) African Americans in the U.S. Military Airpower, Role in War Attrition Bao Dai (1913–1997) BARREL ROLL, Operation (1964–1973) Bundy, McGeorge (1919–1996) Bundy, William Putnam (1917–2000) Bunker, Ellsworth (1894–1984) Cambodian Incursion (April 29–July 22, 1970) China, People's Republic of, Policy toward Vietnam Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support Colby, William Egan (1920–1996) Con Thien, Siege of (September 4–October 4, 1967) Containment Policy Cooper-Church Amendment Cu Chi Tunnels Dak To, Battle of (June 17–November 22, 1967) Dau Tranh Strategy Dien Bien Phu, Battle of (March 13–May 7, 1954) Domino Theory EAGLE PULL, Operation (April 12, 1975) Easter Offensive (1972) FARM GATE, Operation (1961–1967) Ford, Gerald Rudolph (1913–2006) FREQUENT WIND, Operation (April 29–30, 1975) Fulbright, James William (1905–1995) Geneva Conference and Geneva Accords of 1954 Goldwater, Barry Morris (1909–1998) Gulf of Tonkin Incident (August 2 and 4, 1964) Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Haig, Alexander Meigs, Jr. (1924–2010) Hamburger Hill, Battle of (May 11–20, 1969) Ho Chi Minh (1890–1969) Ho Chi Minh Campaign (April 1975) Ho Chi Minh Trail Hue, Battle of (January 31–February 25, 1968) Ia Drang, Battle of (October 19–November 26, 1965) Indochina War (1946–1954) Johnson, Lyndon Baines (1908–1973) JUNCTION CITY, Operation (February 22–May 4, 1967) Kennedy, John Fitzgerald (1917–1963) Kennedy, Robert Francis (1925–1968) Kent State University Shootings (May 4, 1970) Khe Sanh, Battle of (April–October 1967 and January–March 1968) Kissinger, Henry Alfred (1923–) Komer, Robert W. (1922–2000) Laird, Melvin Robert (1922–) LAM SON 719, Operation (February 8–March 24, 1971) Laos Le Duan (1907–1986) LINEBACKER I, Operation (May 10–October 23, 1972) LINEBACKER II, Operation (December 18–29, 1972) Lon Nol (1913–1985) MARKET TIME, Operation (1965–1972) McCarthy, Eugene Joseph (1916–2005) McNamara, Robert Strange (1916–2009) MENU, Operation (March 18, 1969–May 26, 1970) My Lai Massacre (March 16, 1968) Ngo Dinh Diem (1901–1963) Nguyen Van Thieu (1923–2001) Nixon, Richard Milhous (1913–1994) Paris Peace Accords (January 17, 1973) Pentagon Papers and Trial (1971) Pham Van Dong (1906–2000) Phoenix Program (1968–1972) Prisoners of War, Allied RANCH HAND, Operation (January 12, 1962–January 7, 1971) ROLLING THUNDER, Operation (March 2, 1965–October 31, 1968) Rusk, David Dean (1909–1994) Search and Destroy Sihanouk, Norodom (1922–2012) STEEL TIGER, Operation (April 3, 1965–December 11, 1968) Strategic Hamlet Program (1961–1964) Taylor, Maxwell Davenport (1901–1987) Tet Offensive, Overall Strategy (January 30–March 31, 1968) Union of Soviet Socialist Republics United States Congress and the Vietnam War Vann, John Paul (1924–1972) Vo Nguyen Giap (1911–) Westmoreland, William Childs (1914–2005) Primary Source Documents Vietnamese Declaration of Independence (September 2, 1945) Final Declaration of the Geneva Conference on Indochina (July 21, 1954) President Dwight Eisenhower: Letter to Ngo Dinh Diem (October 23, 1954) National Security Action Memorandum No. 328 (April 6, 1965) Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense: Excerpt from Memorandum for President Lyndon Johnson (April 21, 1965) Ho Chi Minh: Letter to Lyndon Johnson (February 15, 1967) President Lyndon Johnson: Excerpt from Address in San Antonio, Texas (September 29, 1967) General William Westmoreland, Commander of U.S. Forces in Vietnam: Excerpts from National Press Club Address (November 21, 1967) President Lyndon Johnson: Excerpts from Televised Address (March 31, 1968) President Richard Nixon: Excerpts from Speech on Vietnamization (November 3, 1969) President Richard Nixon: Excerpts from Speech on Cambodia (April 30, 1970) Henry Kissinger, National Security Advisor: Excerpt from News Conference (October 26, 1972) President Richard Nixon: Letter to President Nguyen Van Thieu (November 14, 1972) Excerpt from Paris Peace Agreement (January 27, 1973) Vietnam War Chronology Bibliography Editor and Contributors List Index