American Tragedy | American Tragedy

At a glance:

Author: David Kaiser
First Published: 2000
Type of Work: History
Time of Work: 1954-1975
Setting: Southeast Asia and the United States
Principal Characters: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Ngo Dinh Diem, Robert S. McNamara, Dean Rusk, McGeorge Bundy, George Ball, William Westmoreland, Frederick Nolting, Henry Cabot Lodge
Genres: Nonfiction, History
Subjects: 1950’s, 1960’s, 1970’s, United States or Americans, Twentieth century, Vietnam War, Politicians, Presidents, Southeast Asia, Vietnam or Vietnamese people, Cold War
Locales: United States, Southeast Asia

David Kaiser’s central argument is based on his interpretation that President John F. Kennedy would have avoided the insertion of American ground troops to fight Communist forces in South Vietnam. Kaiser’s American Tragedy is meticulously researched, based on nine years of study of now-declassified American policy documents. Kaiser documents extremely well the discussions and actions taken by American policy leaders, and the articulation of policy in numerous government documents. As Kaiser shows, frustration with Communist gains ultimately led to President Johnson’s...

American Tragedy | American Tragedy

At a glance:

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