If you are just looking for photographs, you will find plenty of those (over 2000), but there is a lot of text in almost two dozen chapters covering the chronology of the war. This book is reproduced on quality paper in a hardcover book (it is large and heavy so be warned). There are images from roughly 1945-1975, including some of the most famous, but not all of the most famous ones you'd expect (i.e some pulitzer prize pics, the evacuation of the American in 1975 etc possibly due to copyright). There are captions, dates and all sorts of details, such as this one on page 243, to give a sample "May 28, 1965 - His face scratched from the jungle, a US paratrooper of the 1st Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade searches for simpers in the ruins of a hilltop pagoda near Hat Lang in northeast South Vietnam" (there is an image below illustrating the scene). All of the images are monochrome, most are just average but tell the story, and a few are great ones, but just a few. That does not, however, detract from the purpose of the book.
Chapter one starts off with "The First Several," or the very short history given on the Japanese involvement and surrender (mostly surrender), the French and US involvement. There is not as much on why the French were in Vietnam (chapter two), why they fought so bitterly for it (that could have been gone over in more details) but the defeat is well covered. There is a bit of emphasis on US involvement, references to US planners on all levels. Essentially this book have everyone from oss officers, Ho, Bao Dai and countless actors who make a pretty complete story. It is presented as an unwinnable conflict the French, Japanese and US. Nixon gained nothing from an additional four years of war (there was the loss of so many innocent lives at that time, though) and had to agree to the same terms on offer in 1969. This book answers fundamental questions about hwo the south was created, why the north wanted reunification so badly and how the US prolonged the war needlessly for Nixon's peace with honour, or ability to claim a peace deal. This books excels in explaining the motivations behind why so many ARVN did not fight the NVA in the end.
This book is worth your investment for the pictures but also the text.
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