SHREVEPORT – Renowned military historian Dr. Geoffrey Wawro will visit LSUS to discuss his recently released book, “The Vietnam War: A Military History.”
Wawro will speak about his best-seller on Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. on the third floor of the Noel Memorial Library as part of The Noel Speaker Series sponsored by The James Smith Noel Collection.
The discussion is free and open to the public, but attendees will need to register for the event via Eventbrite.
The title of the talk, “Reassessing the Vietnam War,” relies on Wawro’s extensive review of thousands of pages of military, diplomatic, and intelligence documents leading up to and during the Vietnam War.
“Time always offers us – whether historians or the general public – an opportunity for a fuller understanding of the political, social, and international factors that shaped the Vietnam War,” said Dr. Alex Mikaberidze, the Ruth Herring Noel Endowed Chair for the Curatorship of the James Smith Noel Collection. “Retrospection allows us to move beyond the biases and intense emotions of the time, providing a clearer picture of the war’s causes, conduct and consequences.
“With decades now between us and the events, and with greater access to archives and primary sources, we can more critically assess controversial decisions like the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the domino theory, and the extensive bombing campaigns.”
Wawro details aspects of the war such as the American military’s struggle to locate enemy troops in the South Vietnamese wilderness to the reasons why the war continued despite an apparent slim chance of success because of anticipated political consequences of failure.
Herbicide operations devastated the lush Vietnamese countryside, and errant bombing campaigns killed 400,000 South Vietnamese civilians.
The war had consequences at home, which included American military casualties, economic inflation, and cultural upheaval.
“Reassessing the Vietnam War remains important because it stands as one of the most pivotal moments in modern U.S. history,” Mikaberidze said. “Vietnam fundamentally reshaped the U.S.
“In light of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, examining the lessons and missteps of Vietnam might encourage a more strategic approach. Long-term impacts are now clearer, such as the lasting effects of PTSD and Agent Orange on U.S. veterans and Vietnamese citizens to the cultural scars in both societies. Time has revealed the profound personal costs of the war that were not fully grasped at the time, and reflecting on these issues can help new generations understand the complexities of war, the role of media in war, government transparency, and the enduring impact of conflict on societies.”
Wawro’s book was released in October and can be purchased on Amazon as well as a variety of retailers.
The New York Times called Wawro’s book “the best overview of America’s misadventure in Southeast Asia,” that is “sure to become the standard one-volume book on the war.”
Wawro, a University Distinguished Research Professor at North Texas and director of the Military History Center, is the author of seven books that span eras like the United States’ involvement in the Middle East to the underappreciated World War I soldiers who defeated Germany.
