The Vietnam War was the longest in U.S. history, with American involvement there stretching back to 1955, and losses of more than 50,000 servicemen. It was the first war America lost, and it left the country bitterly divided, while many of the 2.7 million Americans who served there suffered psychologically for decades. Nigel Cawthorne presents a balanced account of the emotive impact of Vietnam and its daily presence in television news coverage, charting the course of the war and its place in a historical perspective. The account includes previously classified material on U.S. offensive movements and offers original and thought-provoking arguments.