Reviews
I know of no scholar more dedicated to bringing a thorough and accurate portrayal of America's involvement in Vietnam than Mark Moyar. Everyone who is interested in a full picture of that oftmisunderstood war should be grateful for his effort.” - James Webb, Marine combat veteran, author of Fields of Fire and Born Fighting, "Orthodox Vietnam historians, Moyar writes, tend to dismiss revisionists as politically motivated, since the issues surrounding the war, in their view, have long since been settled... Triumph Forsaken throws down a mighty challenge to orthodox historians; they should engage Moyar instead of ignoring him. As they ought to know, truth is its own reward, but it can also be damn practical." - The American Spectator, Paul Beston, ..."ÝMoyar¨ has done extensive and careful research in newly available primary sources such as North Vietnamese histories of the conflict. The result is a valuable revisionist study that rejects much of the conventional wisdom about our early involvement in the conflict." New York Sun, Guenter Lewy, 'The most noteworthy aspect of Triumph Forsaken is surely the depth and range of its research ... Moyar has provided those who take their history seriously with a stunning performance, and plenty to think about.' Times Literary Supplement, Triumph Forsaken is a remarkable book. Moyar's work is the most powerful challenge to the orthodox interpretation of the origins of America's war in Vietnam. In taking a fresh look at the primary sources, as well as exploiting new materials from the American and communist archives, Moyar has constructed an alternative explanation for the roots of the American commitment. Moyar's book compels historians to reopen the debate about the meaning of the Vietnam War.” - Thomas Alan Schwartz, Professor of History, Vanderbilt University, "This first installment in a two-volume project may well become the preeminent work in [revisionist history]…Moyar, who has strong credentials (a Cambridge PhD), has an engaging writing style and supports his arguments with dispassionate research… Highly recommended."- Choice, Numerous bits of conventional wisdom have accreted around the Vietnam War. It is commonly held that Ho Chi Minh was a Vietnamese nationalist above all, not a true communist, and that his victory was inevitable. That Ngo Dinh Diem was an unpopular and repressive reactionary. That the United States had no vital strategic interest in defending South Vietnam. That the 'domino theory' was a myth. That the U.S. was right not to invade North Vietnam or Laos for fear of triggering Chinese intervention. Mark Moyar, a young, bold, and iconoclastic historian, takes a sledge hammer to these hoary beliefs. It is 'revisionist' in the best sense of the word.” - Max Boot, author of The Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power and War Made New: Technology, Warfare, and the Course of History, 1500 to Today., '… [a] definitive examination … It is essential reading for anyone wanting a fresh understanding of one of America's longest and most misunderstood conflicts.' Charles Melson, Marine Corps Gazette, 'Moyar, who has strong credentials, has an engaging writing style and supports his arguments with dispassionate research, unlike many earlier revisionists' works ... Highly recommended.' Michael O'Donnell, Choice, 'Mark Moyar has amply demonstrated the courage of his convictions in this outstanding piece of work, undoubtedly the most important book on Vietnam since Guenter Lewy's America in Vietnam, which sheds important light on the years between the French defeat in Indochina and the beginning of the main US commitment to South East Asia.' The Royal Society for Asian Affairs, "The most noteworthy aspect of Triumph Forsaken is surely the depth and range of its research… Taking him at his word that he set out to redo the history of the war on the basis of primary sources 'rather than another's filtration and interpretation' of them Moyar has provided those who take their history seriously with a stunning performance, and plenty to think about." - Times Literary Supplement, 'The most noteworthy aspect of Triumph Forsaken is surely the depth and range of its research ... Moyar has provided those who take their history seriously with a stunning performance, and plenty to think about.' James M. Murphy, Times Literary Supplement, "ÝMoyar's¨ is a complex and well-written account that set the bar high for scholarship. It is essential reading for anyone wanting a fresh understanding of one of America's longest and misunderstood conflicts." Marine Corp Gazette, "The most noteworthy aspect of Triumph Forsaken is surely the depth and range of its research... Taking him at his word - that he set out to redo the history of the war on the basis of primary sources 'rather than another's filtration and interpretation' of them - Moyar has provided those who take their history seriously with a stunning performance, and plenty to think about." - Times Literary Supplement, "The book is meticulously documented; it draws on the substantial U.S. documentary record of the war, bringing fresh perspectives to familiar evidence. Moyar augments and supports his analysis with extensive use of North Vietnamese archival material, most of which was unavailable to the orthodox historians of the 1970s and 80s. In sum, Triumph Forsaken is an important book...." - National Review, 'Moyar makes so many striking contrarian arguments that one hardly knows where to begin. … This is an important book, a history that serves as a mirror on the present.' Robert H. Scales, Wall Street Journal, "Triumph Forsaken is a remarkable book. Moyar's work is the most powerful challenge to the orthodox interpretation of the origins of America's war in Vietnam. In taking a fresh look at the primary sources, as well as exploiting new materials from the American and communist archives, Moyar has constructed an alternative explanation for the roots of the American commitment. Moyar's book compels historians to reopen the debate about the meaning of the Vietnam War." -Thomas Alan Schwartz, Professor of History, Vanderbilt University, "Mark Moyar has produced the best 'revisionist' study to date of the U.S. intervention in Vietnam. Engagingly written and broadly researched, this book establishes Moyar as the leading voice of a new generation of historians intent on challenging conventional wisdom." - William Stueck, author of Rethinking the Korean War, "...impressive and scrupulously researched revisionist history....Moyar's controversial investigation will be challenged by many of the well-respected scholars he confronts in his authoritative account, which elevates the arguments of Vietnam War revisionists to a higher, more respected, level." - ForeWord, "...[Moyar] has done extensive and careful research in newly available primary sources such as North Vietnamese histories of the conflict. The result is a valuable revisionist study that rejects much of the conventional wisdom about our early involvement in the conflict." - New York Sun, Guenter Lewy, "A radically revisionist account of America's policy in Vietnam during the years before combat troops were introduced. Based largely on archival sources and Communist histories of the war, this highly provocative work attacks virtually every aspect of what Moyar calls the 'orthodox' historical interpretations of the war." - Library Journal, '... akin to reading Euripides' tales of self-inflicted woe and missed chances.' Victor Davis Hanson, City Journal, '... thought provoking, exhaustively researched, highly organized, and above all, outstanding.' Rick Baillergeon, History, "Moyar is a fine writer and switches from broad strategic and geopolitical issues to heart-gripping accounts of key military actions…Today's military leaders and policy-makers would do well to ponder this book." - Leatherneck, "Numerous bits of conventional wisdom have accreted around the Vietnam War. It is commonly held that Ho Chi Minh was a Vietnamese nationalist above all, not a true communist, and that his victory was inevitable. That Ngo Dinh Diem was an unpopular and repressive reactionary. That the United States had no vital strategic interest in defending South Vietnam. That the 'domino theory' was a myth. That the U.S. was right not to invade North Vietnam or Laos for fear of triggering Chinese intervention. Mark Moyar, a young, bold, and iconoclastic historian, takes a sledge hammer to these hoary beliefs. It is 'revisionist' in the best sense of the word." - Max Boot, author of The Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power and War Made New: Technology, Warfare, and the Course of History, 1500 to Today, Mark Moyar tells how and why the United States did not win its first war in Vietnam, 1954-1965. Triumph Forsaken replaces its predecessors because it shows how the counterinsurgency campaign might have been won at acceptable cost, thus avoiding 'the big war' that followed.” - Allan R. Millett, Director, Eisenhower Center for American Studies, University of New Orleans, "I know of no scholar more dedicated to bringing a thorough and accurate portrayal of America's involvement in Vietnam than Mark Moyar. Everyone who is interested in a full picture of that oftmisunderstood war should be grateful for his effort." - James Webb, Marine combat veteran, author of Fields of Fire and Born Fighting, '… thought provoking, exhaustively researched, highly organized, and above all, outstanding.' Rick Baillergeon, History, 'Moyar, who has strong credentials, has an engaging writing style and supports his arguments with dispassionate research, unlike many earlier revisionists' works … Highly recommended.' Michael O'Donnell, Choice, Mark Moyar has produced the best 'revisionist' study to date of the U.S.intervention in Vietnam. Engagingly written and broadly researched, this book establishes Moyar as the leading voice of a new generation of historians intent on challenging conventional wisdom.” - William Stueck, author of Rethinking the Korean War, "[Moyar's] is a complex and well-written account that set the bar high for scholarship. It is essential reading for anyone wanting a fresh understanding of one of America's longest and misunderstood conflicts." - Marine Corp Gazette, "A revisionist history that challenges the notion that U.S. involvement in Vietnam was misguided; defends the validity of the domino theory and disputes the notion that Ho Chi Minh was, at heart, a nationalist who would eventually turn against his Communist Chinese allies." - Chronicle of Higher Education, "Moyar's work is an excellent modern read on the Viet-Nam War." - Military "The well-researched analysis of policies runs deep, but there's also military analysis and accounts of important military action. This is revisionist history at its best." -Christian Nelson, VietNow, '... one of the most important books ever written on the Vietnam War.' Mackubin Thomas Owens, The Weekly Standard, "This first installment in a two-volume project may well become the preeminent work in [revisionist history]...Moyar, who has strong credentials (a Cambridge PhD), has an engaging writing style and supports his arguments with dispassionate research... Highly recommended." - Choice, "...this is an important book, a history that serves as a mirror on the present." - Wall Street Journal, '… one of the most important books ever written on the Vietnam War.' Mackubin Thomas Owens, The Weekly Standard, "Moyar is a fine writer and switches from broad strategic and geopolitical issues to heart-gripping accounts of key military actions...Today's military leaders and policy-makers would do well to ponder this book." - Leatherneck, "A brilliant young scholar with a Cambridge doctorate who is currently teaching at the Marine Corps University in Quantico, Moyar is representative of a small but increasingly influential revisionist school that rejects the fundamental orthodox premise that America's involvement in Vietnam was wrongheaded and unjust.... No review can do full justice to this critically important book. Triumph Forsaken is meticulously documented and bold in its interpretation of the record. Even orthodox historians will be forced to acknowledge the magnitude of Moyar's scholarly achievement. It should, at the least, reopen the debate about America's Vietnam enterprise, reminding us that countries are not destined to win or lose wars. Victory or defeat depends on decisions actually made and strategies actually implemented." - Weekly Standard, Mackubin Thomas Owens, '... [a] definitive examination ... It is essential reading for anyone wanting a fresh understanding of one of America's longest and most misunderstood conflicts.' Charles Melson, Marine Corps Gazette, 'Moyar makes so many striking contrarian arguments that one hardly knows where to begin. ... This is an important book, a history that serves as a mirror on the present.' Robert H. Scales, Wall Street Journal, "Mark Moyar tells how and why the United States did not win its first war in Vietnam, 1954-1965. Triumph Forsaken replaces its predecessors because it shows how the counterinsurgency campaign might have been won at acceptable cost, thus avoiding -the big war- that followed." - Allan R. Millett, Director, Eisenhower Center for American Studies, University of New Orleans, '… akin to reading Euripides' tales of self-inflicted woe and missed chances.' Victor Davis Hanson, City Journal, 'The most noteworthy aspect of Triumph Forsaken is surely the depth and range of its research … Moyar has provided those who take their history seriously with a stunning performance, and plenty to think about.' James M. Murphy, Times Literary Supplement
