James Madison University
Libraries and Educational Technologies

History

Vietnam

Compiled by:Gordon W. Miller Liaison Librarian for History, Philosophy and Religion, Political Science June 2003

---

Although Vietnam in general is included, the thrust of the handout is on the Vietnamese Conflict. A large number of sections are given to suggest the wide range of research topics one could pursue. In most sections several examples, not comprehensive coverage, from Library holdings are provided. The researchers can use this as a springboard to additional materials. Sources are listed for both the beginning and advanced researcher. Book formatted materials are listed first. They are followed by periodical, Government Document and electronic text sources.

---

Table of Contents

Subject Headings Bibliographies Encyclopedias General Sources Annuals/Loose-Leaf Sources Atlases Directories Statistical Sources Primary Sources Legal Aspects Psychological Aspects Mass Media Conscientious Objectors/Deserters/War Resistors

Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Pictorial Works Public Opinion Quotations Speeches Oral History Chemical Warfare Dissertations Databases and Article Indexes Periodicals Government Documents Electronic Text Sources

---

Subject Headings

The following list of Library of Congress subject headings are examples of accepted terms to use when searching the online catalog for Vietnam information sources. To find additional subject headings consult the Library of Congress Subject Headings volumes located adjacent to the online terminals.

Pentagon Papers
Vietnam
Vietnamese
Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975

---

Bibliographies

The Burns guide entitles The War in Vietnam, ... is the best single bibliographic source in Carrier Library. Bibliographies will be found in many other places including the monographic literature.

Bibliographic Index. New York: H.W. Wilson, 1937- .
(Index/Abstract Table 5)

Semi-annual, annual, and multi-year cumulations. Useful for its continual updating. Journal a rticles containing bibliographies, in addition to books, are included.

Bibliography of Asian Studies.
(Ref DS 5 B49)

From 1956-1966 this bibliography is located in the bound issues of Journal of Asian Studies. From 1941-1956 it is available on microfilm in the Far Eastern Quarterly. NOTE: The microfilm material is filed under Journal of Asian Studies. From 1941-1956 it was entitled "Far Eastern Bibliography." From 1941-1948 it was published on a quarterly basis.

Burns, Richard D. Guide to American Foreign Relations Since 1700. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-Clio, 1983.
(Ref JX 1407 G84 1983 )

Burns, Richard D. The Wars in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, 1945-1982: A Bibliographic Guide. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-Clio, 1984.
(Ref DS557.7 .B87 1984)

Comprehensive coverage of the multifaceted aspects of the War are furnished in the bibliography. Maps and statistical tables are included.

Butler, Deborah A. American Women Writers on Vietnam: Unheard Voices: A Selected Annotated Bibliography. New York: Garland Publishing Company, 1990.
(PS 228 V5 B88 1990).

This bibliography contains books, articles, essays, and dissertations by American women writers. Ca. 780 annotated entries are arranged by suject catetory. The entries were published between 1954-1987.

Chen, John H. Vietnam: A Comprehensive Bibliography. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow, 1973.
(Ref DS 556.3 C456 1973)

Covers all time periods. Subject index includes the Vietnam War.

Foreign Affairs Bibliography. New York: Published by the Council on Foreign Relations by Harper, 1919/1933- .
(Ref JX 1391 F73)

Published every ten years. This is updated quarterly in the journal Foreign Affairs. Books only.

Lovett, Christopher C."We Held the Day in the Palm of Our Hand: A Review of Recent Sources on the War in Vietnam." Military Affairs 51 (April 1987): 67-72.
(Periodical)

Bibliographical essay.

Marlatt, Greta E. "Researching the Vietnam Conflict Through U.S. Archival Sources." Journal of Government Information May/June 1995. vol. 22, no. 3. p. 195-226.
(Periodical)

A superb article with extensive bibliographical citations make this an excellent sources for researching the Vietnam Conflict.

Marr, David G. Vietnam. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Clio Press, 1992.
( Ref DS 556.3 M37 1992).

A comprehensive, topical bibliography. The history and politics sections include works on the Vietnam Conflict. Excellent annotations.

Newman, John. Vietnam War Literature: An Annotated Bibliography of Imaginative Works About Americans Fighting in Vietnam. 2nd ed. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow, 1988.
(Ref PS 228 V5 N4 1988).

The Vietnam Conflict in fiction.

Shaughnessy, Charles A. "Vietnam Records in the National Archives." Prologue Spring 1991. vol. 23, no. 1. p. 69-84.
(Periodical)

A guide to available records in the National Archives. One feature of the article is a discussion of electronic records.

Sources of Information in the Social Sciences: A Guide to the Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago: American Library Association, 1986.
(Ref H 61 W433 S64 1986)

The editors note the outstanding sources for a study of the War.

United States. Air Force Academy Library. Vietnam, 1964-1973: An American Dilemma . [Washington, D.C.]: Government Printing Office, 1990.
(Gov Doc D 305.12:80).

A bibliography of important holdings on the Vietnamese War at the Air Force Library. Books, journal articles, government documents, and technical reports are listed. Subject arrangement.

Wittman, Sandra M. Writing About Vietnam: A Bibliography of the Literature of the Vietnam Conflict. Boston: G.K. Hall, 1989.
(Ref DS 557.7 W58 1989).

This annotated bibliography is arranged by type of material. Chapters include poetry, literary c riticism, dissertations, and personal narratives/biographies.

Zald, Anne E. "The Underground Press of the Vietnam Era: An Annotated Bibliography." Reference Services Review Winter 1990 vol. 18, no. 4. p. 77-96.
(Periodical)

Arranged by subject.

---

Encyclopedias

In addition to the specialized encyclopedias in this section general encyclopedias may contain overviews of the nation and the war.

Bowman, John S., ed. The Vietnam War, An Almanac. New York: World Almanac, 1985.
(Ref DS557.7 V568 1985)

A chronology of the Was is followed by articles on land, sear, and air battles. A section of biographical sketches completes the book.

Clark, Gregory R. Words of the Vietnam War. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1990.
(Ref PE 3727 S7 C57 1990)

Over 4,000 definitions, with about 10,000 entries, define the slang, jargon, slogans, etc. of the Vietnam War era.

Hillstrom, Kevin. The Vietnam Experience: A Concise Encyclopedia of American Literature, Songs, and Films. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1998.
(Ref DS 557.73 H55 1998).

A critical analysis is given for each title. An appendix lists additional major works. Bibliographies with each entry.

Kutler, Stanley I., ed. Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1996.
(Ref DS 557.7 E53 1996).

This excellent encyclopedia contains a chronology, bibliographic guide, and major documentary sources. The encyclopedia entries contain brief bibliographies.

Lesinski, Jeanne M. MIA's: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-Clio, 1998.
(Ref UB 803 L47 1998).

This source ranges widely in its coverage. Areas include an overview of the issue in Vietnam, a chronology, biographical sketches, statistics and documents, a directory of MIA organizations, selected print and nonprint sources, etc.

Olson, James S., ed. Dictionary of the Vietnam War. New York: Greenwood, 1988.
(Ref DS 557.7D53 1988).

Following the excellent dictionary that contains brief bibliographies with the entries are several appendices. The appendices include sections on acronymns and slang expressions, maps of Vietnam, a bibliography, and a chronology of the War.

Summers, Harry G. Vietnam Was Almanac. New York: Facts on File, 1985.
(Ref DS 557.7 S94 1985)

An overview of the War is followed by a chronology and subject entries in an alphabetical arrangement. Bibliography included.

Tucker, Spencer C., ed. Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-Clio, 1998. 3 vol.
(Ref DS 557.7 E532 1998).

Considered the standard encyclopedia on the Vietnam War this work contains general articles, with bibliographies, in the first two volumes. The second volume includes a bibliography and chronology. Volume three has printed documents.

---

General Sources

Representative titles of the many general studies on the Vietnam War are listed here. Additional books may be located through the online catalog.

Ellsberg, Daniel. Papers on the War. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1972.
(E183.8 V5 E4)

Fall, Bernard B. The Two Viet-Nams; A Political and Military Analysis. 2nd rev. ed. New York: Praeger, 1967.
(DS557 A5 F34 1967)

Herring, George C. America's Longest War: The United States and Vietman, 1950-1975 . 2nd ed. New York: Knopf, 1986.
(DS558 H45 1986)

Karnow, Stanley. Vietnam, A History. New York: Viking, 1983.
(DS558 K37 1983)

---

Annuals/Loose-Leaf Services

Annuals and loose-leaf services offer updated information and are useful in determining facts, names, dates, and other brief information. The researcher can take the available information and use other sources having more complete information. Examples of encyclopedia yearbooks and almanacs are listed along with the Facts on File weekly loose-leaf service and sources like Europa Year Book which provide an annual glimpse at Vietnam.

Britannica Book of the Year. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica. 1939- . Annual.
(Ref AE5 E364)

Example of an encyclopedia annual.

The Europa Year Book. London: Europa Publications, 1959- .
(Ref JN1 E85)

Facts on File Yearbook. New York: Facts on File. 1943- .
(Ref D410 F3)

Weekly loose-leaf service with annual cumulations.

The Statesman's Year Book.... New York: St. Martins. 1864- .
(Ref JA51 S7)

United Nations. Yearbook of the United Nations. New York: Columbia University Press in Co-operation with the United Nations. 1946/47- .
(Ref JX1977 A37 Y4)

The World Almanac & Book of Facts. New York: Newspaper Enterprise Association. 1923- .
(Ref AY67 N5 W7)

Example of an almanac providing current information on Vietnam.

---

Atlases

In addition to the two listed atlases, map coverage of the Vietnam Conflict is covered in some general encyclopedias and in many general studies on the War. An excellent source of maps are the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines official histories. These histories are listed in the Government Documents section of this handout.

The Times Atlas of the World. New York: Times Books, 1995.
(Ref G1021 T55 1995)

Leading English language general atlas.

The Times Atlas of World History. 4th ed. Maplewood, N.J.: Hammond, 1993.
(Ref G1030 T54 1993)

Covers all geographic and time periods.

---

Directories

Directories are useful in determining sources outside Carrier Library that offer information and research on the Vietnam War. This can be important for the researcher requiring advanced materials and expertise from experts at other research centers.

Associations Unlimited (VIVA)
(Electronic Text)

Lists associations/organizations that have information on Vietnam and the Vietnamese Conflict.

Research Centers Services and Directories
(Electronic Text)

Lists nonprofit (generally academic) organizations having a Vietnam and Vietnamese War emphasis.

---

Statistical Sources

The Government Document U.S. Casualties in Southeast Asia:... offers the most comprehensive coverage of war-related casualties. The other titles vary in their usefulness with the Statistical Abstract of the United States providing valuable statistics on the War. Books on the war, and the titles noted in the Encyclopedia section, can furnish varying amounts of statistical information.

Britannica Book of the Year. Chicago: Encyclopedia. 1939- . Annual.
( Ref AE5 E364)

The Europa Year Book. London: Europa Publications. 1959- . Annual.
(Ref JN1 E85)

United Nations. Statistical Office. Statistical Yearbook. New York: United Nations. 1948- .
(Ref HA12.5 U63)

United States. Bureau of the Census. Statistical Abstract of the United States. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. 1878- .
(Ref HA202 A35)

U.S. Casualties in Southeast Asia: Statistics as of April 30, 1985. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1985.
(Gov Doc D 1.2: C27/2)

---

Primary Sources

Carrier Library's holding include several key primary source materials including the Pentagon Papers. Although the Foreign Relations of the United States series is generally ca. thirty years behind in being published it is the premier source. Additional sources available in Carrier Library would include newspapers such as The New York Times and The Times.

Barrett, David M., ed. Lyndon B. Johnson's Vietnam Papers: A Documentary Collection . College Station, Tex.: Texas A&M University Press, 1997.
(DS 557.4 J64 1997).

Following the documentation is a brief bibliography.

Cameron, Allan W., comp. Viet-Nam Crisis, A Documentary History. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University, 1971- .
(DS557 A5 C32)

Gettleman, Marvin E., ed. Vietnam: History, Documents and Opinions on a major World Crisis. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett, 1965.
(DS557 A5 G47 1965b)

Herring, George C., ed. The Secret Diplomacy of the Vietnam War: The Negotiating Volumes of the Pentagon Papers. Austin: University of Texas, 1983.
(DS557.7 P43 1983)

Kahin, George M. "The Pentagon Papers: A Critical Evaluation." American Political Science Review 69 (June 1975): 675-684.
(Periodical)

The Pentagon Papers as Published by the New York Times. New York: Quadrangle Books, 1971.
(E183.8 V5 P4)

Porter, Gareth, ed. Vietnam: The Definitive Documentation of Human Decisions. Stanfordville, N.Y.: Coleman Enterprises, 1979. 2 vol.
(DS556.8 V53)

United States. Department of State. Foreign Relations of the United State. Washington, D.C.: Department of State. 1861- .
(JX233 A3)

The years 1861-1942 are available on microfiche. From 1948 on this series is available at the noted call number. Indexes covering the years 1861-1899, 1900-1918, and 1939-1945 are available at Ref JX 233 A3. The years 1861-1918 are also indexed in a microfiche format. This is a key series which contains official records on foreign policy of the State Department.

United States. Department of State. Historical Office. American Foreign Policy: Basic Documents, 1950-1955. New York: Arno Press, 1971. 2 vol.
(JX1417 A3319 1971)

United States. Department of State. Office of the Historian. American Foreign Policy: Current Documents. Washington, D.C.: Department of State, 1956-1963, 1977- .
(S 1.71/2: (date) Government Documents)

Generally published annually. 1977-1980 located a S 1.69: In Government Documents. Prints the principal public documents of the Government. Since 1981 there has been a microfiche supplement of longer documents.

United States. National Archives and Records Service. Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents.
(AE 2.109: (vol., no.) August 26, 1985- .)

From 1974 to August 12, 1985 this was shelved @ GS 4.114:11. At J 80 A283 Carrier Library has the Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Containing the Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President.

United States--Vietnam Relations, 1945-1967; Study Prepared by Department of Defense . Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1971. 12 vol.
(E 183.8 V.5 P4 1971d)

This edition contains vol. 1-43 of the original 47 vol. set. This is commonly known as the "Pentagon Papers."

Vietnam: National Security Council Histories. Frederick, M.D.: University Publications of America, [1981?].
(Microfilm no. 673-680, Media Resources)

A printed guide is available in the microfilm area. The call number is DS557.4. Coverage is 1964-1968.

---

Legal Aspects

Richard Falk's scholarly study and the Department of State's Digest of United States Practice in International Law present a comprehensive look at legal issues involving this war. Additional sources would include indexes to newspaper and journal articles. Separate handouts, available at the reference desk, covering TREATIES and LAW furnish sources for those areas of research.

Digest of United States Practice in International Law. Washington, D.C.: Department of States. 1973- .
[Gov Doc S 7.12/3: (date)]

Annual. Codifies United States official positions regarding international law practice. This is updated in the quarterly American Journal of International Law through the column "Contemporary Practice of the United States Relating to International Law."

Falk, Richard A., comp. The Vietnam War and International Law. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1968-1976. 4 vols.
(JX1573 F3)

Essays, journal articles, and documents are included in this scholarly presentation.

Index to Legal Periodicals and Books (VIVA)
(Electronic Text)

This indexes the major law and international law journals.

Smolla, Rodney A. Suing the Press. New York: Oxford University, 1986.
(KF1266 A7 S46 1986)

One essay analyzed General Westmoreland's law suit with CBS.

Taylor, Telford. Nuremberg and Vietnam: An American Tragedy. Chicago: Quadrangle Books, 1970.
(JX6731 W3 T38)

United States. Department of the Army. Law at War: Vietnam, 1964-1973. Washington, D.C.: Department of the Army, 1975.
(Gov Doc D 101.74: L41)

Wormuth, Francis D., et. al. To Chain the Dog of War: The War Power of Congress in History and Law.... Dallas: Southern Methodist University, 1986.
(KF4941 W67 1986)

Vietnam War examples are included in this analysis.

---

Psychological Aspects

A number of psychological studies are available in Carrier Library. The following list is a representative sample. Journal literature will also be useful. Psychological Aspects is the standard indexing tool. From 1974 to date it is available on a compact disk as PsycLIT. Check at the reference desk for information on a workshop on how to use.

Brende, Joel O. Vietnam Veterans: The Road to Recovery. New York: Plenum, 1985.
(UB357 B74 1985)

Lindy, Jacob D. Vietnam: A Casebook. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1988.
(RC552 P67 L56 1988)

MacPherson, Myra. Long Time Passing: Vietnam and the Haunted Generation. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1984.
(DS558 M32 1984)

Sonnenberg, Stephen M., et. al., eds. The Trauma of War: Stress and Recovery in Viet Nam Veterans. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Press, 1984.
(RC552 P67 P67 1984)

Van der Kolk, Bessel, ed. Post-Traumatic Stess Disorder: Psychological and Biological Sequelae. Washingtion, D.C. : American Psychiatric Press, 1984.
(RC552 P67 1984)

---

Mass Media

The following titles are examples of book literature and one video documentary demonstrating the journalistic element of the Vietnam War.

Hallin, Daniel C. The "Uncensored War": The Media and Vietnam. New York: Oxford University, 1986.
(DS559.46 H35 1986)

MacDonald, J. Fred. Television and the Red Menace: The Video Road to Vietnam. New York: Praeger, 1985.
(HE8689.8 M33 1985)

Turner, Kathleen J. Lyndon Johnson's Dual War: Vietnam and the Press. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1985.
(DS559.46 T87 1985)

Vietnam, 1945-1975 The Ten Thousand Day War. Los Angeles: Embassy Home Entertainment, 1985.
(Videotape no. 529-541, Media Resources)

13 video cassettes. Originally released in 1980 as a film documentary.

Walker, Mark.Vietnam Veteran Films. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1991.
(Ref PN 1995.9 V44 W35 1991).

Early chapters discusss, with examples, a variety of Vietnam War films. This is followed by a filmography and bibliography of sources on Vietnam War filsm.

---

Conscientious Objectors/Deserters/War Resistors

Representative examples of monographic literature are given in this section. Newspaper and journal indexes will chronicle the recurring events of this aspect of the War. Government documents may also have research value. The Government Documents section includes the CIS Annual which provides Congressional hearings and reports.

Baskir, Lawrence M. Chance and Circumstance: The Draft, The War, and The Vietnam Generation. New York: Knopf, 1978.
(DS559.8 D7 B37 1978)

Hatfield, Mark O. Amnesty? The Unsettled Question of Vietnam. [Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.]: Sun River, 1973.
(DS557 A693 A46)

Heath, G. Louis. Mutiny Does Not Happen Lightly: The Literature of the American Resistance to the Vietnam War. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow, 1976.
(DS559.62 U6 M87)

Kasinsky, Renee G. Refugees From Militarism: Draft-Age Americans in Canada. New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Books, 1976.
(DS559.8 D7 K37)

Lynd, Alice. We Won't Go: Personal Accounts of War Objectors. Boston: Beacon, 1968.
(DS557 A68 L9)

---

Prisoners of War/Missing in Action

An aspect of the War that remains in the news. A representative title from both our book and Government Document collections follow. Information is available in a wide range of sources including Government Document indexes.

Rowan, Stephan A.They Wouldn't Let Us Die: The Prisoners of War Tell Their Story. Middle Village, N.Y.: J. David, 1973.
(DS557 A675 R67)

United States. Congress. House. Committee on Foreign Affairs. [POW/MIA Reports] . 1971- .
(Y 4.F76/1:P93/(nos.) Government Documents)

Series of published hearings on prisoners of war form the Vietnamese conflict. Example of documentation on POW's.

---

Pictorial Works

Bonds, Ray, ed. The Vietnam War: The Illustrated History of the Conflict in Southeast Asia. New York: Crown, 1979.
(DS557.7 V53 1979b)

Burrows, Larry. Larry Burrows, Compassionate Photographer. New York: Time-Life, 1972.
(TR654 B8)

Fernandez, Benedict J. In Opposition: Images of American Dissent in the Sixties. New York: Da Capo, 1968.
(E839 F4)

Frontline motion Picture. New York: Filmakers Library, 1979.
(Motion Picture no. 43 Media Resources)

Eleven years of photography by newsman Neil Davis.

---

Public Opinion

Public opinion played a crucial role in the Vietnam War due largely to the politicalization of the War effort. Gallup organization titles cover from 1935 to date. Newspaper Indexes, especially, will furnish additional source material.

Brown, Robert M. Vietnam: Crisis of Conscience. New York: Association Press, 1967.
(DS557 A68 B7)

Gallup, George H. The Gallup Poll, 1935-1971. New York: Random House, 1972. 3 vols.
(Ref HN90 P8 G3)

Gallup Poll Monthly. December 1989- .
(Periodical)

The current major public opinion periodical.

Gallup, George H. The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1972-1977. Wilmington, Del.: Scholarly Resources, 1978. 2 vols.
(Ref HN90 P8 G32)

Gallup Report. February 1981- .
(Periodical)

From 1974 to January 1981 this was published as Gallup Opinion Index.

Mueller, John E. War Presidents, and Public Opinion. New York: Wiley, 1973.
(E839.5 M8)

Powers, Thomas. The War at Home: Vietnam and the American People, 1964-1968. New York: Grossman, 1973.
(DS557 A68 P65 1973)

---

Quotations

Kahn, Albert E., comp. The Unholy Hymnal. Falsities and Delusions Rendered by President Richard M. Nixon [and others]. New York: Simon and Schuster. 1971.
(E885 K3)

Pettit, Clyde E. The Experts. Secaucus, N.J.: L. Stuart, 1975.
(DS558 P47)

---

Speeches

Sutton, Roberta B. Speech Index: An Index to 259 Collections of World Famous Orations and Speeches for Various Occasions. 4th ed., rev. and enl. New York: Scarecrow, 1966.
(Ref AI3 S85 1966)

Vital Speeches of the Day. 1936- .
(Periodical)

Semi-monthly. Prints major speeches with an emphasis on American topics. Indexed in the Readers' Guide Abstracts.

---

Oral History

Since the Second World War oral history has become an established form of historical research. In addition to the two directories on oral history the Santoli and Terry books are examples of Vietnam War oral histories.

Mason, Elizabeth B., and Starr, Louis M., ed. The Oral History Collection of Columbia University. New York: Oral History Research Office. 1979.
(Ref E 169.1 C648 1979)

Meckler, Alan M., and McMullin, Ruth, eds. Oral History Collections. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1975.
(Ref AI3 M4)

Santoli, Al, ed. Everything We Had: An Oral History of the Vietnam War. New York: Random House, 1981.
(DS559.5 E88)

Terry, Wallace, ed. Bloods, An Oral History of the Vietnam War. New York: Random House, 1984.
(DS559.5 B56 1984)

---

Chemical Warfare

Sample titles of both books and Government Documents follow in this section. This will remain a prime area of research. The researcher may want to be aware of Veteran's Administration documents (@ Su Doc VA) in addition to other Government studies.

Neilands, J.B. Harvest of Death: Chemical Warfare in Vietnam and Cambodia. New York: Free Press, 1972.
(DS557 A68 H35 1972)

Documents are included in an appendix.

United States. Congress. House. Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Agent Orange in Vietnam. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1984.
(Y 4.V64/3: V67/7 Government Document)

Congressional hearing.

United States. Congress. House. Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Agent Orange Studies . Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1986.
(Y 4.V64/3:99-58 Government Documents)

Congressional hearing.

United States. Congress. House. Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Status of Federally Conducted Agent Orange Studies. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1983.
(Y 4.V64/3:98-19 Government Documents)

Congressional hearing.

Whiteside, Thomas. The Withering Rain: America's Herbicidal Folly. New York: Dutton, 1971.
(QH545 P4 W48 1971)

---

Dissertations

Dissertation Abstracts (VIVA)

Dissertation Abstracts International lists all dissertations produced in the United States since 1861. Because of original research and extensive bibliographies dissertations can value for Vietnam and Vietnamese Conflict studies. Since Carrier Library has few dissertations check at the Reference Desk for assistance on how to obtain this type of information.

---

Databases and Article Indexes

Below are links to a selection of electronic resources that are most useful for research about Vietnam.  Remember, however, that history encompasses many areas of endeavor (e.g., Education, Art, Economics), so you will wish to check all databases that cover your area and time period of interest.  Click here for Research Resources Home, where you may browse for other useful resources.

 

America: History and Life. 1964- . (1982- . on CD)
ATLA Religion Index. 1949- . CD
Essay and General Literature Index. 1900- .
Historical Abstracts. 1955-1966.
Humanities Abstracts. 1974- . (1984- . on CD)
Index to Legal Materials. 1952-1973, 1974- . (Law Room) (1981- . on CD)
International Political Science Abstracts. 1979- .
Newpaper Abstracts. 1985- . CD
New York Times Index. 1851-2004.
PsychLit. 1974- . CD
Public Affairs Information Service Bulletin. 1917-1921, 1923-1924, 1929- . (1972- . on CD)
Reader's Guide Abstracts. 1900- . (1984- . on CD)
Recently Published Articles. 1976- 1990.
Social Sciences and Humanities Index. 1965-1974.
Social Sciences Citation Index. 1976-1986.
Social Sciences Abstracts. 1974- . (1983- . on CD)
Times (London) Index. 1972- .
Washington Post Index. 1971-1993.
Wilson Business Abstracts. 1958- . (1986- . on CD)

---

Periodicals

The periodical literature on the Vietnam War is voluminous. The Following titles are representative of Carrier Library holdings on Vietnam. To access these and other periodicals, use the various indexing and abstracting services noted above.

American Journal of International Law. 1969- .
Asian Profile. 1973- .
Atlas. 1966-1971.
Atlas World Press Review. 1972-1980.
Capitol Studies. 1972-1978.
Congress and the Presidency. 1981/82- .
Congressional Studies. 1979-1981.
Department of State Bulletin. 1955-1989.
Diplomatic History. 1977- .
Far Eastern Quarterly. 1941-1956.
Foreign Affairs. 1922- .
Foreign Policy. 1971- .
Journal of Asian Studies. 1956- .
Journal of Military History. 1989- .
Military Affairs. 1971-1988.
Orbis. 1957- .
Pacific Affairs. 1928- .
U.N. Chronicle. 1975- .
U.N. Monthly Chronicle. 1964-1975.
U.S. Department of State Dispatch. September 1990- .
World Press Review. 1980- .

The following journal titles are examples of periodicals available in Government Documents. The "Su Doc" classification is printed with each title.

Air University Review. 1981- . D 301.26: .
Infantry. 1981- . D 102.83: .
Military Intelligence. 1981- . D 101.84: .
Military Review. 1983- . D 110.7: .
Naval War College Review. 1981- . D 208.209: .
Soldiers. 1981- . D 101.12: .

---

Government Documents

Carrier Library has been a selective depository of United States Government Documents since 1973. The indexes noted are the major sources for identifying material on Vietnam. Included in this section are the Department of Defense "Area Handbooks" which furnish an overview of a country. Also the four "official history" series covering the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps are listed. These series are in process of being published. Separate handouts explaining how to use the Su Doc (classification) system and the CIS Annual are available at the reference desk. Reference librarians are ready to assist the researcher that is unfamiliar with using this material.

Area Handbook for North Vietnam, . . .. Washington, D.C.: Department of Defense, 1967.
(D 101.22:550-57)

Area Handbook for South Vietnam,. . .. Washington, D.C.: Department of Defense, 1967.
(D 101.22: 550-55)

Area Handbooks are available on the Internet @ Handbooks.

CIS Annual. 1970- .
(Index/Abstracts Area)

Indexes Congressional hearings and reports.

CIS U.S. Serial Set Index. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Information Service. 1975-1978. 36 vols.
(Ref Z1223 Z9 C65 1975)

Comprehensive coverage of Congressional reports and documents./DD>

Congressional Record. 1873- .
(Government Documents)

FBIS (Foreign Broadcast Information Service)
(Electronic Text)

FBIS is a translation service from the CIA of reports, speeches, etc. from throughout the world. This index covers 1991-1996. The reports are available in Government Documents @ PREX 7.10. Beginning in 1997 FBIS has made their reports available full-text in CD-ROM format. Check at the reference desk for assistance.

Index to U.S. Government Periodicals. 1976-1987. [CD-ROM]
(Index/Abstract Table 1)

Indexes articles in journals published by the Government./DD>

Joint Publications Research Service. (JPRS)
(Gov Doc Microfiche).

This service, sponsored by the CIA, consists of a wide range of foreign language materials that have been translated into English. Carrier Library holdings are located on microfiche in the Government Documents Microform area on the second level. A commercial service, Transdex Index, indexes JPRS information. This is available from 1977 to date in annual microfiche cumulations. Monthly paper issues are available for the current year. A separate TRANSDEX handout is available to explain this valuable resource.

MarciveWeb DOCS
(Electronic Text)

The standard, and best, single indexing source to government documents.

The United States Air Force in Southeast Asia. (Title series) Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force. 1983- . Irregular.
(D 301.86/2:(nos.)

United States Army in Vietnam. (Series title) Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History. 1983- . Irregular.
(D 114.7/3:)

The United States Navy and the Vietnam Conflict. (Title series). Washington D.C.: Naval History Division, Department of the Navy, 1976- . Irregular.
(D 207.10/3:)

U.S. Government Periodical Index
(electronic Text)

With coverage 1992 to date this indexes government periodicals.

U.S. Marines in Vietnam. (Title series). Washington D.C.: History and Museums Division, U.S. Marine Corps, 1974- . Irregular.
(D 214.13: V67/(date)

Vietnam Studies. (Series title). Washington, D.C.: Department of the Army. Irregular.
(D 101.74: )

Monographic series on various topics of the Vietnamese Conflict. Scholarly.

---

Electronic Text Sources

History - Military

This site has a number of links to general military history. Some may have Vietnam interest.

Moise's Bibliography of the Vietnam War.

A major bibliography. Emphasis is upon books. Documents, government publications, and general sources are included.

Vietnam-Era Prisoner-of-War/Missing-in-Action Database

Sponsored by the Library of Congress this database lists over 130,000 individuals. The records begin with December 1991 listing of unaccounted for personnel. The site states that records can be obtained from the Library of Congress.

Vietnam: Stories Since the War

Established by the Public Broadcasting Service this site is intended for individuals stories about the War.

Vietnam Veterans Home Page

The official home page. Coverage is wide with stories, poems, etc.

Vietnam: Yesterday and Today

A major site useful as a gateway to a number of links on Vietnam. Documents, articles, diaries, etc. are available.

The Virtual Vietnam Archive

This archive is at Texas Tech University. A search engine is available to locate sources and documents of interest. Some documentation is not available for viewing.

The Wars for Viet Nam, 1945-1975

Highlighted by documentary source material on the War this site offers an overview of the conflict and a section of links to additional Viet Nam sites.

WorldCat (VIVA)
( Electronic Text)

WorldCat is a catalog of the holdings of most American libraries. Over 36 million titles are cataloged. An excellent source to locate published sources on Vietnam and the Vietnamese Conflict.

 

Have a suggestion? Need Help? Ask Patricia Hardesty -- hardespn@jmu.edu
This page last reviewed by P. Hardesty on 1/9/2009.