The Vietnam War

Description

The Vietnam War was a time of social, political, and economic upheaval, a time of confusion, passion, and loss, a time that reshaped the American character and the relationship between the United States and the rest of the world. In The Vietnam War, middle school kids learn world history of the era through the lens of policy, cultural rebellion, and the gritty realism of war.

Barbara Diggs is a non-fiction writer who has written a range of historical articles for children. Her work has been featured in Learning Through History Magazine, History Magazine, and Renaissance, among others. A graduate of Stanford Law School, Barbara practiced law in New York for several years before becoming a professional writer. She and her family currently split their time between Paris, France, and Washington DC. Sam Carbaugh has illustrated several books for Nomad Press, including Forensics: Uncover the Science and Technology of Crime Scene Investigation and Shakespeare: Investigate the Bard's Influence on Today's World. He wrote and illustrated Comics: Investigate the History and Technology of American Cartooning. Sam lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

School Library Connection . . . The highlight of the book is its interactive aspect. Numerous sidebars ask students to consider critical questions, "Vocab Lab" invites readers to compile and practice vocabulary, and codes can be scanned to lead students to additional information such as Ho's Declaration of Independence, propaganda cartoons, and relevant speeches. School Library Journal Gr 8 UP A well-organized and succinct work to accompany U.S. history units. The book follows the trajectory of the Vietnam War and includes vocabulary labs at the end of each chapter, project ideas (writing a song or poem about a current political/social concern), investigative questions and points to ponder or debate. ("How was guerilla warfare different from traditional warfare?"). Content includes the Chinese occupation, French imperialism, and U.S. sentiment following the fall of Saigon. The writing is concise with relevant sources and differing points of view. Tech enthusiasts will like the inclusion of QR codes with primary source videos and documents. VERDICT: This text could be used as a supplemental study guide for dedicated students. Matthew Masur, Associate Professor of History, St. Anselm College, Co-editor of Understanding and Teaching the Vietnam War (UW Press). A great introduction to the Vietnam War for young readers. Diggs' book is clear, readable, and engaging. She takes an important but challenging topic and treats it with fairness and sensitivity." SWON Libraries Literary Merit: Great; Recommended: Yes; Level: High School This history book was great! The author gave an excellent scope of the war. The photographs were powerful and related to the text. The author was very tactful to include the Civil Rights Movement within the book. Tom Heneghan, Reuters bureau chief in Bangkok for Thailand and Indochina in the late 1980s. The Vietnam war was the nightmare of my high school and college years, and I later covered post-war Vietnam as a foreign correspondent. This fine history gives today's students both a clear overview of the conflict and the historical context to understand how it began and what its legacy has been.