Bound To Stay Bound

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Booklist - 09/15/2016 *Starred Review* How could an undeclared war with a tiny nation across the world become, according to former State Department official George Ball, “probably the greatest single error made by America in its history”? Leave it to Newbery medalist Freedman and his absorbing, concise style to explain it. He begins with a brief presentation of Vietnam’s long road to revolution, starting with a Chinese invasion in the first century BCE and continuing with French colonization. The main focus, however, is on North Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh: his rise, his ties to the Communist party, and his bid for Vietnam’s independence. The text then shifts to U.S. involvement in the region and how President Kennedy and subsequent presidents became caught in the cross fire of opposing opinions on Vietnam, which became the first line of defense against Communist expansion. Freedman effectively conveys how a presupposed “easy” American victory in Vietnam was anything but, contrasting the grisly guerrilla warfare with the antiwar protests and divisive sentiments back in the U.S. Numerous vintage photos, many now iconic, add an even greater emotional impact to Freedman’s account. The text concludes with a thought-provoking and hopeful chapter on the reconciliation between the once embattled enemies. Freedman makes one of history’s greatest messes easy to follow in this slim, but stellar, offering. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Freedman’s books are almost exclusively award winners, making this a must for all history shelves. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 12/01/2016 Gr 6–8—Freedman tackles head-on multiple perspectives and controversies surrounding the war, such as Vietnam's history as a French colony, the lead-up to U.S. combat involvement, and the resulting protest movement stateside. The well-researched, concise text covers major events and lesser-known episodes, along with an array of photos from different eras and thorough back matter. It fills a niche as riveting report material or for independent reading. - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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