Publisher's Synopsis
In Vietnam, the French passed the baton of colonial confrontation to Americans concerned to contain communism. Both western nations suffered a traumatic defeat. America in particular has come to terms with that experience through exhibiting a profound indifference towards the Vietnamese. The book argues that the West should acknowledge VietnamÆs independence as a cultural, social and philosophical achievement that owed much to that nationÆs historical traditions of self-belief. It suggests that through an examination of the Vietnamese success, the West can most usefully understand the reasons for its failure there. Especially after the Gulf War, Vietnam should stand as an enduring warning to America û and the West û of the possible consequences of indiscriminate attempts to project its power abroad.
