Vietnam: Anatomy of a Peace

by Gabriel Kolko

Vietnam has experienced huge political and economic development since the war. In Anatomy of a Peace , Gabriel Kolko looks at the main economic phases the Communist Party has embarked upon since 1986 and outlines the transition to nascent capitalism. He also explores Vietnam's relations to its neighbours and the US in the light of social and psychological national features.
Based on extensive research and over 30 years first hand experience, Anatomy of a Peace is a timely examination of recent history and developing economies in Asia. Gabriel Kolko argues that neither an intentional socialist or market strategy have determined recent Vietnamese history and, in fact, the Communist Party has little control over development during peace time.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War

200 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1997

About the author

A historian specializing in 20th century Ameican politics and foreign policy, Gabriel Morris Kolko earned his BA in history from Kent State University in 1954, his MS from the University of Wisconsin in 1955, and his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1962. He taught at the University of Pennsylvania and at SUNY-Buffalo before joining the history department of York University in Toronto in 1970.

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pros: Great data that isn’t readily available elsewhere, and the author clearly is an authority on the topic. It’s hard to find post-1975 material on Vietnam.

Cons: Unapproachable style, repetitive narrative with very few real-life examples of the transition to capitalism. It read like a term paper after someone combed through a bunch of primary source material; however, actually incorporating the primary source materials into this book to provide more details of individuals and circumstances would have provided a far more engaging narrative.

I did learn a lot that I didn’t know about Vietnam’s postwar economy and politics, but reading the book was not an enjoyable experience.

[Byunghwan "Ben" Son · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting account of the post-war reforms of Vietnam, particularly Doi Moi, and how the communist party has changed/evolved. The socioeconomic liberalizations in the post-war era, the author evaluates, were essentially a historical digression that worked against the people.

[Lysergius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a savage indictment of the Vietnamese Communist Party. The US does not get off lightly either, as their spiteful refusal to assist in any way has not helped the people of Vietnam.

[Phong Vu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book that enhanced my understanding of Vietnam's politics.