THE PENGUIN HISTORY OF MODERN VIETNAM PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Christopher E. Goscha | 672 pages | 30 Jun 2016 | Penguin Books Ltd | 9781846143106 | English | London, United Kingdom The Penguin History of Modern Vietnam PDF Book The Penguin History of Modern Vietnam. He has spent much of his adult life studying the people, politics and history of Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. No trivia or quizzes yet. The Viet people came from the Red R This is a high-level overview of the entire history of the Viet people and the place we now call Vietnam. Corruption is an issue due to the centralized nature of the Vietnamese government, and the retention of power by the Communist elite. But, I have to say it was immensely hard going at times. Highlights in particular that Vietnam as we think of it has not existed for long. We see how Confucianism, Catholicism and Buddhism fought for supremacy amidst an ever shifting political, religious and territorial landscape. Threads collapsed expanded unthreaded. In , the United States cut diplomatic ties with the country after the end of the Vietnam Waror, more formally, the Second Indochina War. Authors A-Z. The book takes us on a journey through Vietnam's history ands it turns out we were only one of many who had problems in the region. Diem's rule was not entirely a failure -- his rule was pretty successful from to as he rolled out land reform and garnered the support of religious groups. The French further spread there influence over Cambodia and into Laos, and eventually conquered the entire Indochinese area and creating the colony of Indochina. Close X. There were bizarre conjunctions. Unquestionably, these books are incredible works of scholarship and deserve all of their accolades. The communists decided to try to unite the three states into one Vietnam, leading to the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam War. President Obama lifted the ban on sales of lethal arms to Hanoi, which had been in place since the end of the war. Vietnam has been colonized by the Chinese, the French, and the Americans. So many books about Vietnam that are in English center Americans and the war they started, and thankfully this book doesn't. The Vietnamese timed there crackdown on the Chinese community in Vietnam with growing tensions with Deng Xiaoping's modernizing China, which was increasingly improving ties with the West. Penguin gifts. Written from a scholarly, academic perspective but remaining accessible, published The Penguin History of Modern Vietnam is a broad-ranging, detail-oriented history of Vietnam that goes well beyond the usual focus of the American War years so much favoured by Western authors. The Penguin History of Modern Vietnam. And a very good conclusion chapter open to the future of this complex and very interesting country. These two schools bred competing nationalist interests - one centered on France and professing for a slow development and eventual independence within the French Empire as a commonwealth state much like Britain and its colonies , and the other looking at revolutionary tactics to decolonize the area and expel the French. Want to Read saving…. The Penguin History of Modern Vietnam Writer About the Author. The Chinese rulers of this area sought to export their Confucian ideology and turn Northern Vietnam into an internal Chinese province. Unless they are seeking a form of penance In the arena of historical non-fiction critics, the golden laurels are - with rare exception - laid upon those books that aim for depth and nuance in a unique corner of history that is neglected. That's an intriguing point Goscha's book gave me what I was looking for, going back in time, covering the details of the period I was familiar with, and bringing me up almost up to the present. Refresh and try again. One of the problems being that keeping track of Vietnamese names was for me almost impossible. Politics books Vietnam Asia Pacific reviews. Yet US policy-makers insisted then — and some still insist — that they acted differently, that America was not a colonial power in Vietnam and the US could succeed, they thought, by working with local nationalist leaders. Of course, a lot of the South Vietnamese were nationalists too, just non-communist ones. Christopher Goscha draws on the latest research and discoveries in Vietnamese, French and English. A Brief History of Indonesia. It takes the US involvement as a given and shows the importance of a much broader perspective. Unless they are seeking a form of penance, another survey history of the American Revolution or Athens is an exercise in wanton tedium. Sort order. The detail is impressive, no doubt about it, but at points it was detailed to the point of wearying, and I'd lose track of the names they rarely became memorable people to me. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. He has written extensively about many of the different regions of Indo-China. Such a swing in relations might seem unusual. Dispatched from the UK in 1 business day When will my order arrive? It is the definitive single-volume history for anyone seeking to understand Vietnam today. Dec 18, Jared Peterson rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: History buffs seeking a survey of Vietnamese history with emphasis on 20th to 21st century. Vietnam has been colonized by the Chinese, the French, and the Americans. The Penguin History of Modern Vietnam Reviews It takes the US involvement as a given and shows the importance of a much broader perspective. Over the centuries, numerous kingdoms, dynasties, and states have ruled over -- and fought for -- what is now Vietnam. The war also included Laos and Cambodia, and Goscha goes into some of their histories as well. This led to the Khmer Rouge gaining power in Cambodia. But their inability to beat their northern neighbours eventually annoyed the Americans so much that Kennedy gave the green light to a coup, in which the South Vietnamese leader was deposed and, for good measure, assassinated. Features Find your next read Threads collapsed expanded unthreaded. We do however suspect they are both excellent, each coming from academics who have devoted their professional lives to the study of the Southeast Asian region. In addition, Christopher Goscha's de-glorification of wars in general, and "patriotic wars" in particular and military forces, no matter which side, is also a very nice touch although more thorough portrays of politicians from both sides of the Vietnam War would be better for the audience to grasp the big picture of this period of Vietnam history. Japan in the 's was Asia's first nation to modernize along Western lines, and Japan became a central location for nationalists to study, organize and arm. Definitely one of the fairer ones I have read so far. Coronavirus delivery updates. More Details Unquestionably, these books are incredible works of scholarship and deserve all of their accolades. This makes sense in the earlier portion of his history, when he is dealing with events that have little direct bearing on later events, but it feels jarring in the more recent parts of the history. About Christopher E. The United States' assumption of the French colonial mantle made the Vietnamese civil war between north and south much longer and many times more destructive than it would have been otherwise. If you are looking for one book to give you a sweeping overview of Vietnam's transition from colonialism to independence, this is a good pick, but a reader already familiar with the country will be disappointed. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. The French often promised Cochinchinese nationalists more democracy, they repeatedly failed to do so. Diem's rule was not entirely a failure -- his rule was pretty successful from to as he rolled out land reform and garnered the support of religious groups. Given the often poor state of English-language explanations in museums throughout the country and their often pro- government slant , it makes for a fine substitute. Modern Vietnam as a concept did not exist at this time. This happened over a longer period. After Japan lost the war, there soldiers remained in Vietnam. Home Contact us Help Free delivery worldwide. The book, by a leading Vietnam scholar at the University of Quebec at Montreal, is probably the finest modern one-volume history of the country in English. An excellent and comprehensive book on the complicated history of Vietnam. This book is a great and relatively concise read on the subject of Vietnamese history, and touches on aspects of politics, global history, economics, and cultural and social changes. Thank you for signing up to the Penguin Newsletter Keep an eye out in your inbox. Despite these often overwhelming pressures, Vietnam has survived as one of Asia's most striking and complex cultures. Shelves: history. Destined to be a standard work on the subject -- Fredrik Logevall, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America's Vietnam For those who have wanted a distinct and comprehensive overview of Vietnam's history, this is it. Such a swing in relations might seem unusual. The Chinese rulers of this area sought to export their Confucian ideology and turn Northern Vietnam into an internal Chinese province. As such, a wonderfully researched, organized and composed survey history of a period is often underappreciated by the critical establishment. The Nguyen dynasty was establishing new tax and irrigation systems, new schools and a modern bureaucracy when France declared its rule over Indochina.