Vietnam War
Last updated: April 03, 2025
The Vietnam War caused great social and political upheaval in South East Asia in the 1960s and 1970s. But US participation in that conflict and the increasing opposition it generated domestically had, arguably, profound effects on US society and attitudes to US involvement in overseas conflicts – at least until the first Gulf War. We have a number of book recommendation interviews that offer insight into the causes and impact of the conflict, both in Vietnam and in the US.
Karl Marlantes, Vietnam veteran and author of Matterhorn, a novel about his experiences during the war, chooses his best books on the Vietnam War. Other interviews on the subject put the war in its wider context. Martin Bell chooses his best books on reportage and war and includes The Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam, who covered the war for The New York Times.
Stephen Glain also chooses Halberstam among his best five books on US militarism, and Lawrence Kaplan looks at US intervention, choosing books that illustrate the tension in the US between isolationism and intervention overseas. Photographers Thom and Beth Atkinson talk about their best books on the “myths of war” and choose some books with a Vietnam focus.
The Best Vietnam War Books, recommended by Karl Marlantes
In 1968 Karl Marlantes was a 22-year old Rhodes scholar and did not have to go to Vietnam. He nonetheless joined the US Marine Corps, ending up with multiple medals but also lifelong PTSD. In this interview, he recommends the best Vietnam War books, exploring its moral ambiguities, the warrior mentality and the humanity of ‘the enemy.’
The best books on Reportage and War, recommended by Martin Bell
The former BBC war reporter picks out essential reading on the Bosnia and Vietnam wars and explains why a book of poetry speaks more to him about the reality of conflict than any other writing
The best books on US Intervention, recommended by Lawrence Kaplan
The foreign affairs commentator explains why US presidents have less room to manoeuvre on foreign policy than they think, and why President Obama had to set aside his “minimalist” inclinations.
The best books on Myths of War, recommended by Thom and Beth Atkinson
Photographers Beth and Thom Atkinson, authors of the acclaimed photobook Missing Buildings, discuss five books that explore the mythology of war.
The best books on US Militarism, recommended by Stephen Glain
American presidents may not want to send troops into battle or militarise foreign policy but, in the end, most of them do. The author and journalist explains how this happens, and why it’s not even the military that’s to blame. He picks the best books on American militarism.
