The history of the Vietnam War—what actually happened there, and why certain strategic choices were made—remains murky for most Americans. With six short essays and nearly 50 chronological entries, this heavily illustrated book traces the history of our involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1975, offering a concise yet engaging account that highlights its causes, its conduct, and the key places, people, and events of the conflict. The book is grounded in recent scholarship and integrates multiple perspectives, while the captioned color and black and white photos, posters, and artifacts vividly evoke the period, both on the war front and at home.