The Tet Offensive: Politics, War, and Public Opinion (Vietnam: America in the War Years)
The Tet Offensiveis a lucid and authoritative reexamination of a key moment in the Vietnam War. Schmitz is an intelligent and discerning historian, and he shows it in this excellent brief introduction to the subject. (Fredrik Logevall, Cornell University; author of Choosing War: The Lost Chance for Peace and the Escalation of War in Vietnam)The Tet Offensiveis essential reading for scholars and students of the Vietnam War as well as general readers interested in one of the key turning points in post-1945 American history. Writing with remarkable economy and clarity, David F. Schmitz persuasively argues for a new understanding of U.S. decision-making during the critical early months of 1968. In the process, he dismantles the old and pernicious notion that the American media turned a military victory for the United States into a defeat by convincing the U.S. public that the war was unwinnable. This book will surely stand for years to come as the most authoritative brief account of American responses to the Tet Offensive. (Mark A. Lawrence, University of Texas at Austin; author of The Vietnam War: A Concise International History)Schmitz offers a concise, convincing portrayal of the Tet Offensive's crucial significance in the history of the Vietnam War. . . . Highly recommended. (H. Shapiro, University of CincinnatiCHOICE)David F. Schmitz has produced a compact and readable history of what is arguably the most important chapter in the American war in Vietnam.(Erik B. Villard, U.S. Center of Military History)David Schmitz has provided a sound, compact, and fast-paced account of the critical phase of the Vietnam War, nicely blending military, political, diplomatic, and economic developments. This book should prove appealing to students and general readers alike. (Robert J. McMahon, The Ohio State University)