Could the US have won the Vietnam war?

What this episode covers

When US forces entered Vietnam, the nation's leaders believed they could contain communism and secure victory. Instead, they found themselves trapped in a war that drained resources, divided the country, and ultimately ended in failure. Geoffrey Wawro explains to Elinor Evans how flawed strategies doomed the US campaign from the start, and why Nixon’s secret plan to end the war failed to achieve lasting 'peace with honour'. (Ad) Geoffrey Wawro is the author of The Vietnam War: A Military History (Basic Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vietnam-War-Military-History/dp/1541606086/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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How long is this episode of HistoryExtra podcast?

This episode is 55 minutes long.

When was this HistoryExtra podcast episode published?

This episode was published on April 13, 2025.

What is this episode about?

When US forces entered Vietnam, the nation's leaders believed they could contain communism and secure victory. Instead, they found themselves trapped in a war that drained resources, divided the country, and ultimately ended in failure. Geoffrey...

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