Embers of War : The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America's Vietnam

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE Written with the style of a great novelist and the intrigue of a Cold War thriller, Embers of War is a landmark work that will forever change your understanding of how and why America went to war in Vietnam. Tapping newly accessible diplomatic archives in several nations, Fredrik Logevall traces the path that led two Western nations to tragically lose their way in the jungles of Southeast Asia. He brings to life the bloodiest battles of France's final years in Indochina--and shows how, from an early point, a succession of American leaders made disastrous policy choices that put America on its own collision course with history. An epic story of wasted opportunities and deadly miscalculations, Embers of War delves deep into the historical record to provide hard answers to the unanswered questions surrounding the demise of one Western power in Vietnam and the arrival of another. Eye-opening and compulsively readable, Embers of War is a gripping, heralded work that illuminates the hidden history of the French and American experiences in Vietnam. ONE OF THE MOST ACCLAIMED WORKS OF HISTORY IN RECENT YEARS Winner of the Francis Parkman Prize from the Society of American Historians Winner of the American Library in Paris Book Award Winner of the Council on Foreign Relations Arthur Ross Book Award Finalist for the Cundill Prize in Historical Literature NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post The Christian Science Monitor The Globe and Mail "A balanced, deeply researched history of how, as French colonial rule faltered, a succession of American leaders moved step by step down a road toward full-blown war."--Pulitzer Prize citation "This extraordinary work of modern history combines powerful narrative thrust, deep scholarly authority, and quiet interpretive confidence."--Francis Parkman Prize citation "A monumental history ... a widely researched and eloquently written account of how the U.S. came to be involved in Vietnam ... certainly the most comprehensive review of this period to date." -- The Wall Street Journal "Superb ... a product of formidable international research." -- The Washington Post "Lucid and vivid ... [a] definitive history." -- San Francisco Chronicle "An essential work for those seeking to understand the worst foreign-policy adventure in American history ... Even though readers know how the story ends--as with The Iliad --they will be as riveted by the tale as if they were hearing it for the first time." -- The Christian Science Monitor "A remarkable new history ... Logevall skillfully explains everything that led up to Vietnam's fatal partition in 1954 [and] peppers the grand sweep of his book with vignettes of remarkable characters, wise and foolish." -- The Economist "Fascinating, beautifully written ... Logevall's account provides much new detail and important new insights. ... It is impossible to read the book without being struck by contemporary parallels." -- Foreign Policy "[A] brilliant history of how the French colonial war to hang on to its colonies in Indochina became what the Vietnamese now call 'the American war.'" --Esquire "An excellent, valuable book." --The Dallas Morning News WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE ONE OF THE MOST ACCLAIMED WORKS OF HISTORY IN RECENT YEARS Winner of the Francis Parkman Prize from the Society of American Historians • Winner of the American Library in Paris Book Award • Winner of the Council on Foreign Relations Arthur Ross Book Award • Finalist for the Cundill Prize in Historical Literature NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • The Christian Science Monitor • The Globe and Mail Written with the style of a great novelist and the intrigue of a Cold War thriller, Embers of War is a landmark work that will forever change your understanding of how and why America went to war in Vietnam. Tapping newly accessible diplomatic archives in several nations, Fredrik Logevall traces the path that led two Western nations to tragically lose their way in the jungles of Southeast Asia. He brings to life the bloodiest battles of France’s final years in Indochina—and shows how, from an early point, a succession of American leaders made disastrous policy choices that put America on its own collision course with history. An epic story of wasted opportunities and deadly miscalculations, Embers of War delves deep into the historical record to provide hard answers to the unanswered questions surrounding the demise of one Western power in Vietnam and the arrival of another. Eye-opening and compulsively readable, Embers of War is a gripping, heralded work that illuminates the hidden history of the French and American experiences in Vietnam. Praise for Embers of War “A balanced, deeply researched history of how, as French colonial rule faltered, a succession of American leaders moved step by step down a road toward full-blown war.” —Pulitzer Prize citation “This extraordinary work of modern history combines powerful narrative thrust, deep scholarly authority, and quiet interpretive confidence.” —Francis Parkman Prize citation “A monumental history . . . a widely researched and eloquently written account of how the U.S. came to be involved in Vietnam . . . certainly the most comprehensive review of this period to date.” — The Wall Street Journal “Superb . . . a product of formidable international research.” — The Washington Post Prologue: A Vietnamese in Paris pt. 1. Liberations, 1940-1945 "The Empire is With Us!" The Anti-Imperialist Crossroads "All Men Are Created Equal" pt. 2. Colonial Clash, 1946-1949 The Warrior Monk Conflagration War without Fronts "If I Accepted These Terms I'd Be a Coward" pt. 3. East Meets West, 1949-1953 "The Center of the Cold War" Attack on the RC4 De Lattre's Moment The Quiet Englishman The Turning Point that Didn't Turn Eisenhower in Charge Navarre's American Plan pt. 4. The Cauldron, 1953-1954 The Arena of the Gods "We Have the Impression They Are Going to Attack Tonight" "Vietnam Is a Part of the World" America Wants In Dulles versus Eden Valley of Tears pt. 5. Peace of a Kind, 1954 With Friends Like These "We Must Go Fast" "I Have Seen Destiny Bend to That Will" pt. 6. Seizing the Torch, 1954-1959 " We Have No Choice But to Win Here" Miracle Man Things Fall Apart Epilogue: A New War. A history of the four decades leading up to the Vietnam War offers insights into how the U.S. became involved, identifying commonalities between the campaigns of French and American forces while discussing relevant political factors