Triumph Forsaken
The Vietnam War, 1954–1965

Drawing on a wealth of evidence from all sides, this 2007 book overturns most of the historical orthodoxy on the Vietnam War.

Mark Moyar (Author)

9780521757638, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 2 March 2009

552 pages, 14 b/w illus. 4 maps
23.5 x 15.6 x 3.4 cm, 0.76 kg

'Mark Moyar has amply demonstrated the courage of his convictions in this outstanding piece of work, undoubtedly the most important book on Vietnam since Guenter Lewy's America in Vietnam, which sheds important light on the years between the French defeat in Indochina and the beginning of the main US commitment to South East Asia.' The Royal Society for Asian Affairs

Drawing on a wealth of new evidence from all sides, Triumph Forsaken, first published in 2007, overturns most of the historical orthodoxy on the Vietnam War. Through the analysis of international perceptions and power, it shows that South Vietnam was a vital interest of the United States. The book provides many insights into the overthrow of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem in 1963 and demonstrates that the coup negated the South Vietnamese government's tremendous, and hitherto unappreciated, military and political gains between 1954 and 1963. After Diem's assassination, President Lyndon Johnson had at his disposal several aggressive policy options that could have enabled South Vietnam to continue the war without a massive US troop infusion, but he ruled out these options because of faulty assumptions and inadequate intelligence, making such an infusion the only means of saving the country.

Preface
1. Heritage
2. Two Vietnams: July 1954–December 1955
3. Peaceful coexistence: 1956–9
4. Insurgency: 1960
5. Commitment: 1961
6. Rejuvenation: January–June 1962
7. Attack: July–December 1962
8. The battle of Ap Bac: January 1963
9. Diem on trial: February–July 1963
10. Betrayal: August 1963
11. Self-destruction: September–November 2, 1963
12. The return of the twelve warlords: November 3–December 1963
13. Self-imposed restrictions: January–July 1964
14. Signals: August–October 1964
15. Invasion: November–December 1964
16. The prize for victory: January–May 1965
17. Decision: June–July 1965.

Subject Areas: Military history [HBW], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], History of the Americas [HBJK]