Masterful children's historian and Newbery Medalist, Russell Freedman (Freedom Walkers, Lincoln: A Photobiography) provides an in-depth account of the Vietnam War. In an enthralling book, Freedman examines perhaps the most puzzling and contentious of America's wars. Describing how a superpower caught up in Cold War politics became increasingly enmeshed in a conflict over 8,000 miles away, he then explains why twenty years later an exit was so difficult. Including almost 100 historic photographs and illustrations, Freedman chronicles the history leading up to the war and the unfolding events in Vietnam and in the US as increasing numbers of young men were sent into the jungles to fight. Coverage includes the French war in Vietnam, the rise of Ho Chi Minh, the fall of President Diem, the Tonkin Gulf, the Tet Offensive, the My Lai massacre, the bombing of Cambodia, and the fall of Saigon, as well as the US anitwar movement. After assessing the catastrophic damage, Freedman concludes the book with a hopeful epilogue on Vietnam today. A glossary, source notes, bibliography and index are included. A definitive resource for young history readers as well as anyone who wants a concise and authoritative understanding of the Vietnam War. A Junior Library Guild Selection