Vietnam: A New Historical Perspective
Triumph Forsaken overturns most of the historical orthodoxy on the Vietnam War and shows that South Vietnam was a vital interest of the U.S. Mark Moyer's revealing "Triumph Forsaken" provides many new insights into the unnecessary overthrow of Ngo Dinh Diem in 1963. The coup negated the South Vietnamese government's tremendous, and hitherto unappreciated, military and political gains between 1954 and 1963.LBJ's subsequent troop buildup was instituted as the result of faulty assumptions and inadequate intelligence, making such a buildup the only means of saving the country.
Top Recommendation for December
Triumph Forsaken, by Mark Moyar ( 2006 - 512 pp)
Alternative view of Vietnam as vital to U.S. interests and Diem as a savvy, wise and effective leader who had done much to improve conditions in Vietnam.