Podcast
Empire: World History
The book was highlighted as an eye‑opening, academically rigorous account that deepened listeners' understanding of Vietnam's decolonisation, the fall of an empire, and America's growing involvement. Hosts such as Anita Arnon, Heather, and Richard praised it as a "barnstormer" and recommended it alongside the Ken Burns documentary series, while author Fredrik Logevall discussed its insights on Americanization and early French support. Overall, the episode participants presented it as an essential, highly recommended resource for anyone seeking a richer narrative of the conflict.
Episode: 178. The Vietnam War: Nixon, Vietnamisation, and t...
It was mentioned as eye-opening and helpful in providing context to the Vietnam war, providing depth and a proper academic perspective on the topic.
And this has been just so eye-opening. It has been so important because we have these sort of bulwark bricks of Vietnam, courtesy of people like Oliver Stone, but to have the bits that make it relevant, that make it make sense, to flesh out two-dimensional characters is just terrifically helpful.
Just to see it treated in a sort of proper academic history is something to be studied and to be looked at in terms of policy and narrative.
And to see it also, which is so interesting from the perspective of decolonisation and empire, rather than just as a place where Americans get to fire off palm trees and smell the tang of napalm before breakfast.
Heather But look, the book is Embers of War, The Fall of an Empire, The Making of America's Vietnam.
Richard An absolute barnstormer of a book.
Episode: 176. The Vietnam War: The Rise of Ho Chi Minh
It was discussed at length, as it details the lead up to the Vietnam War and how the United States became increasingly involved, initially supporting the French.
So we are joined by Frederik Lgevall, who is author of Embers of War.
I should say to our listeners that I have barely been able to get hold of Frederik's book lately because my son Sam has stolen my copy and is so deep into it and so enthusiastic about it that I have to sort of go up in the morning while he's sleeping.
Well, I think there are great archives. One of the problems is that the Vietnamese have been until recently closed, have not been very open, even though you'd think after you defeat the French and you defeat or at least stand up to the Americans, you'd think we'll open our archives.
And I think it's been about 15 years since I was working hard on this. Many of them have sadly passed.
When I wrote Embers of War, and my wife will tell you this is true, there were certain sections where I said to her, I could write a whole book about this.
Episode: 177. The Vietnam War: Lyndon Johnson, Americanisat...
It was discussed in relation to the Americanization of the Vietnam War, and how JFK might have taken a different approach.
You are a mesmerizing speaker and we're really grateful that you are spending the time with us because we're learning so much.
It also just knits together. You know Vietnam still is part of our lives so much. There's so much on the television. There's so many movies, there's so many fantastic books and classic works of reportage and so on.
And I've written about this most recently in the companion volume to Ken Burns' documentary film series on the war.
What incidentally a great film series. We should immediately recommend that to anyone listening in here.
Yes, and along with your book to look at the documentary of Ken Burns with that extraordinary archival footage.