Cold War Mandarin

Reviews / Votes

Seth Jacobs's Cold War Mandarin is a perfect introduction to the complexities of the U.S. war in Vietnam. Jacobs rescues Ngo Dinh Diem from the simplicities to which he was often reduced in his life time and through his life and death offers readers a profound understanding of how he and the Americans with whom he dealt led both countries ever deeper into war. -- Marilyn J. Young, professor of history at New York University and author ofThe Vietnam Wars, 1945-1990 Seth Jacobs's Cold War Mandarin tells the astonishing and tragic tale of Ngo Dinh Diem's failed leadership of South Vietnam. This fast-paced narrative puts readers in the midst of American policy makers' many miscalculations that set the United States on course for participation in a doomed war. -- Robert D. Schulzinger, University of Colorado Cold War Mandarin is a superb examination of the complicated relationship between Americans and their difficult ally Ngo Dinh Diem. Part tragedy, part farce, laden with blundering, cupidity, and pathos, the story is an object lesson in how not to conduct foreign policy. Jacobs tells the tale with wit and grace, sensitive to the parties involved but properly critical of their foolishness and arrogance. Cold War Mandarin is essential reading for students and teachers of the Vietnam War. -- Andy Rotter, Colgate University Cold War Mandarin is impressively researched, judicious, and reads like a novel. A natural for classroom use. -- Frank Costigliola, University of Connecticut This story is well told and engagingly written. . . . Recommended. * Choice Reviews * A well-written, well-researched, and considered discussion of the failures of Diem's regime. . . . Jacobs's account is balanced, informative, and convincing. He outlines the negative effects of Diem's regime without an overly critical view of his motives or capabilities as a public administrator. Jacobs's work certainly sheds light on the international and U.S. political context of Cold War events, Diem's personal and political background, his actions and administrative policy, and the collapse of his government. -- Deborah Kidwell, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth * H-War * Cold War Mandarin provides a scholarly investigation of the reasons why the US support for Diem endured despite his poor leadership. Whereas other recent biographies...examine how we might interpret Diem and his actions, Seth Jacobs focuses on Diem's relationship with US leadership. He pulls Vietnamese and American perceptions to the forefront to give rich insights into the dynamics of US support to Diem and the subsequent foundation it provided to the Vietnam War. I found Jacobs's depth of analysis and rationale satisfying. His argument is well grounded in a mix of primary and reliable secondary sources.... In the end, I believe readers will find themselves agreeing with Jacobs's conclusions and will recommend it as a starting point for anyone wishing to undertake an in-depth study of Vietnam. * H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online *