America and Vietnam, 1954-1963: The Road to War

"The conventional narrative of the Vietnam War often glosses over the decade leading up to the United States' escalation of the ground war in the mid-1960s. Covering the years 1954-1963, this book presents a thought-provoking reexamination to the war's long prelude, from the aftermath of French defeat at Dien Bien Phu through Hanoi's decision to begin reunification by force to the assassination of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem. Established narratives of key events are given critical reappraisal and new light is shed on neglected factors. The strategic importance of Laos is revealed as central to understanding how the war in the South developed"--