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First published in 1991 as THE TURN, this is the gripping narrative of the passage of the United States and the Soviet Union from the Cold War to a new era. Now this widely praised book is available in a new, updated paperback edition that brings the narrative up to the dramatic collapse of the Soviet Union. Replete with historical personalities, as riveting as a spy thriller, this is an enthralling record of history in the making. 34 photos.
Finalist for the 1971 National Book Award In early 1968, Communist forces in Vietnam launched a surprise offensive that targeted nearly every city, town, and major military base throughout South Vietnam. For several hours, the U.S. embassy in Saigon itself came under siege by Viet Cong soldiers. Militarily, the offensive was a failure, as the North Vietnamese Army and its guerrilla allies in the south suffered devastating losses. Politically, however, it proved to be a crucial turning point in America's involvement in Southeast Asia and public opinion of the war. In this classic work of military history and war reportage—long considered the definitive history of Tet and its aftermath—Don Oberdorfer moves back and forth between the war and the home front to document the lasting importance of this military action. Based on his own observations as a correspondent for the Washington Post and interviews with hundreds of people who were caught up in the struggle, Tet! remains an essential contribution to our understanding of the Vietnam War.
While the Cold War is over in the rest of the world, a potentially deadly confrontation continues to grow on the bitterly divided peninsula of Korea, where two of the world's largest and most powerful armies - along with 37,000 US troops - face each other on hair-trigger alert across the demilitarized zone, ready to resume fighting on a moment's notice. This family quarrel, initiated and abetted by the great powers of the US, Japan, Russia and China, is one of the epochal struggles of modern times. But while much has been written about the war that began it all, few understand the Koreas of today. For twenty years Don Oberdorfer has had unique access to the key people who have controlled the events and decisions that shape the contemporary Koreas. His book is the only one to explain the Korean history as well as just what political and economic crises loom on the horizon.
An acclaimed history of the Korean Peninsula from World War II to the present day North Korea is an impoverished, famine-ridden nation, but it is also a nuclear power whose dictator Kim Jong-un regularly threatens his neighbors and adversaries, the United States in particular, with destruction. Even though Kim and President Donald Trump's responses to him dominate the daily headlines, the idea that North Korea is a menace is not a new one. Indeed, ever since Korea was first divided at the end of World War II, the tension between its northern and southern halves has riveted-and threatened to embroil -- the rest of the world. In this landmark history, veteran journalist Don Oberdorfer and Korea expert Robert Carlin grippingly describe how a historically homogenous people became locked in a perpetual struggle for supremacy -- and how other nations including the United States have tried, and failed, to broker a lasting peace.
On 1st September 1983, a Soviet military pilot tracked and shot down an unarmed Korean airliner, with the loss of all aboard, including a number of Americans. The outcry was fierce; the USA and the USSR seemed locked in a deepening spiral of hostility. Yet less than five years later, the world watched Ronald Reagan stroll through Red Square with Mikhail Gorbachev after signing a major arms reduction treaty. From hatred to something approaching friendship - this book offers an account of one of history's great turning points. Apart from covering, as a journalist, many of the meetings and events dealt with in the book, the author interviewed many of the key figures on both sides.
A spellbinding biography of one of the most powerful and dignified men ever to come to DC—Senator Mike Mansfield. Mike Mansfield's career as the longest serving majority leader is finally given its due in this extraordinary biography. In many respects, Mansfield's dignity and decorum represent the high-water mark of the US Senate: he was respected as a leader who helped build consensus on tough issues and was renowned for his ability to work across the aisle and build strong coalitions. Amazingly, he would have breakfast every morning with a member of the opposing party. Mansfield was instrumental in pushing through some of the most influential legislation of the twentieth century. He was at the helm when the Senate passed landmark legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the creation of Medicare, and the nuclear test ban treaty. Mansfield played a crucial role in shaping America's foreign policy, corresponding with JFK about his opposition to the growing presence of the US in Southeast Asia. As ambassador to Japan, his conversations with Cambodia and China paved the way for Nixon's historic trip to China in 1972.
Through Don Oberdorfer's words and J. T. Miller's illustrations, this book tells the fascinating, colorful, and sometimes surprising story of Princeton University's first 250 years. The first half focuses on major turning points and personalities as Princeton evolved over its first two centuries into a distinctive institution and campus culture. The second half examines the post-World War II era when Princeton became significantly more diverse (and in the 1960s coeducational), weathered an era of campus protest, created new structures for undergraduate life, and expanded its commitment to graduate education, research and new fields of knowledge. In a final chapter the book looks into Princeton's future with its president and some current students. Also included are profiles of the four presidents who have led Princeton since World War II and brief sketches on topics that range from Princeton's athletes and its Nobel laureates to things named after Princeton and the phenomenon of Princeton reunions.
Don Oberdorfer has written a gripping narrative history of Korea's travails and triumphs over the past three decades. The Two Koreas places the tensions between North and South within a historical context, with a special emphasis on the involvement of outside powers.
The epic history of Cuba from before Columbus arrived to modern times and its complex relationship with the United States
Bernard B Fall was 40 years old when he was killed by a booby trap in northern South Vietnam on February 21, 1967. By the time of his death he had already authored seven books on Vietnam. This book, first published shortly after Dr Fall's death, is a tribute to his life's work. It contains the only known autobiographical account of his life, several previously unpublished articles, notes for 'Street Without Joy Revisited', and transcripts of Dr Fall's tape recordings, including his last recorded words.