Often thought of as an American conflict, the Vietnam War was actually a war for independence from colonial France and later a civil war with sides backed by the major Cold War adversaries. The motive for American involvement, stopping the spread of communism, remains controversial to this day when weighed against the cost of the conflict in human lives. The war deepened fissures in American culture, as new ways of embracing racial identity and alternative modes of living broke apart traditional communities across the country. This incisive volume analyzes the turbulent period of the Vietnam War from diverse perspectives, offering students a broad understanding of the war and its consequences. Chapters examine the elusive path to independence for the people of Vietnam, the escalation of the war as the United States ramps up its involvement, the social justice and political struggles at the home front, the failure of Nixon’s policy of Vietnamization, and the aftermath of the war.