The American war in Vietnam was so much more than the sum of its battles. To make sense of it, we must look beyond the conflict itself. We must understand its context and, above all, the formative experiences, worldview, and motivations of those who devised communist strategies and tactics. Vietnam's American War, now in its second edition, remains a story of how and why Hanoi won. However, this revised and expanded edition offers more extensive and nuanced insights into Southern Vietnamese history, politics, and society. It puts to rest the myth of Vietnamese national unity by documenting the myriad, profound local fractures exacerbated by US intervention. It also includes over thirty-five new images intended to highlight that the Vietnam War was, fundamentally, a Vietnamese civil war and tragedy. This new edition is as richly detailed as it is original, eye-opening, and absorbing. ‘Now with detailed attention to the regime in Saigon alongside already excellent coverage of Hanoi, the second edition of Vietnam’s American War offers a deep, balanced assessment of Vietnam’s wars against the United States. This is a must-read for anyone interested in Vietnamese perspectives.’ Jessica Chapman, Williams College ‘Pierre Asselin has both done his homework with the details and developed a strong analytical voice that challenges most of what for decades has been written and taught about the war. This is a vast improvement over the myth-ridden narratives about the war that fill our bookshelves.’ K. W. Taylor, Cornell University, and author of A History of the Vietnamese Review of previous edition: ‘… an extraordinary piece of scholarship, with revelations in every chapter.’ History Today Review of previous edition: ‘Asselin has written a fine book, and we will be returning to it for years to come.’ Andrew J. Gawthorpe, H-Diplo ‘A very good survey, much more affordable than competitors. It covers a wide range of topics from a balanced perspective.’ Kyle Longley, Chapman University This new edition masterfully explains the origins and outcome of America's war in Vietnam by focusing on its local dimensions. Pierre Asselin holds the Dwight E. Stanford Chair in US Foreign Relations History at San Diego State University. He is the author of A Bitter Peace: Washington, Hanoi, and the Making of the Paris Agreement (2002) and Hanoi's Road to the Vietnam War, 1954–1965 (2013), and editor of The Cambridge History of the Vietnam War, Volume III: Endings.