---
product_id: 61306402
title: "The Pentagon Papers: The Secret History of the Vietnam War"
price: "KSh8216"
currency: KES
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.co.ke/products/61306402-the-pentagon-papers-the-secret-history-of-the-vietnam-war
store_origin: KE
region: Kenya
---

# The Pentagon Papers: The Secret History of the Vietnam War

**Price:** KSh8216
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## Description

The Pentagon Papers: The Secret History of the Vietnam War [Sheehan, Neil, Smith, Hedrick, Kenworthy, E. W., Butterfield, Fox, Greenfield, James L.] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Pentagon Papers: The Secret History of the Vietnam War

Review: Here's a Digest of the Pentagon Papers -- in 100 words..... - I will not add to the plethora of positive reviews here at desertcart. Yes, the book is thick (Over 700 pages), and it certainly does not make casual or "light" reading. However, the "Pentagon Papers" are, without doubt, one of the greatest journalistic triumphs of the 20th century. The reader is given a detailed, incredibly intimate summary of how policy makers in Washington decided to get the US involved in Vietnam, tracing the story from the mid-1950s through the Tet Offensive of 1968. In short, the US found itself involved in Vietnam for the following combination of reasons: A severe case of post-WWII "We-are-the-Victors" hubris, a terminal view of the world in "Either-Or / Us-versus-Them" terms, a firm belief in placing military solutions above diplomatic & economic alternatives, a blind faith in "experts" (In this case, Ivy League academics and Generals in the Pentagon), and last (But certainly not least), the mere fact that we, the USA, had the wealth, material means, and financial wherewithal to do so..................
Review: Great Read! - This is an amazing book to read for insight to a time that I have only heard stories about from my parents. Loved learning the history and insight for sure!

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #70,022 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #25 in Southeast Asia History #51 in Vietnam War History (Books) #263 in History & Theory of Politics |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (693) |
| Dimensions  | 6 x 1.9 x 9 inches |
| Edition  | Second Printing |
| ISBN-10  | 1631582925 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1631582929 |
| Item Weight  | 2.14 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 848 pages |
| Publication date  | December 12, 2017 |
| Publisher  | Racehorse |

## Images

![The Pentagon Papers: The Secret History of the Vietnam War - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81IvvZFyIvL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Here's a Digest of the Pentagon Papers -- in 100 words.....
*by O***S on August 2, 2021*

I will not add to the plethora of positive reviews here at Amazon. Yes, the book is thick (Over 700 pages), and it certainly does not make casual or "light" reading. However, the "Pentagon Papers" are, without doubt, one of the greatest journalistic triumphs of the 20th century. The reader is given a detailed, incredibly intimate summary of how policy makers in Washington decided to get the US involved in Vietnam, tracing the story from the mid-1950s through the Tet Offensive of 1968. In short, the US found itself involved in Vietnam for the following combination of reasons: A severe case of post-WWII "We-are-the-Victors" hubris, a terminal view of the world in "Either-Or / Us-versus-Them" terms, a firm belief in placing military solutions above diplomatic & economic alternatives, a blind faith in "experts" (In this case, Ivy League academics and Generals in the Pentagon), and last (But certainly not least), the mere fact that we, the USA, had the wealth, material means, and financial wherewithal to do so..................

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Read!
*by K***Q on May 24, 2024*

This is an amazing book to read for insight to a time that I have only heard stories about from my parents. Loved learning the history and insight for sure!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reflections on the Pentagon Papers
*by M***D on November 21, 2021*

The Pentagon Papers were first published in an era when the American public largely trusted their elected officials to tell them the truth. That is the first thing one must understand as they read through the Pentagon Papers. The papers caused such a stir upon their publication in 1971 because they provided the public with a view of the war in Vietnam that was dramatically different than what policymakers had been saying publicly. It’s easy to say that “they lied to us” and move on, but I think reading the Pentagon Papers provides a broader lesson in presidential decision-making. The Pentagon Papers tell the ultimate insiders’ story of how four different Presidential administrations (Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson) became involved in Vietnam-each one more than the one before it. As they became more involved, the range of policy options becomes narrower and narrower until Lyndon Johnson is left pouring more and more troops into a war that is being questioned both by the American public, and as the Pentagon Papers show us, members of Johnson’s cabinet. I think one also becomes aware of the dangers of overconfidence and misperception that can occur when one sees the world as one great ideological battle between freedom and communism where one is either for democracy and freedom or a communist without any thought or regard for the dynamics within nations and how they interact with the broader world. But it’s easy to lob this criticism forty years later, I think we also must consider the world these four presidents confronted. Communism seemed to be making gains throughout Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Standing up for the free world became a matter of national security and personal imperatives. Concerning the papers themselves, the way the Pentagon Papers are presented is very reader friendly. The editors have grouped things based on major milestones in the American involvement in Vietnam and each section starts with a clearly written lengthy introduction explaining to reader what they will find in the documents section. While some people may say that this “spoils” the actual documents, I think that it makes it easier for readers to comprehend the documents. It is very easy for people to get lost in governmental documents and they become a slog, even if one reads governmental documents regularly, but the introductory sections kept this to a minimum. For constitutional law and Supreme Court buffs, they have also included the Supreme Court cases New York Times vs. United States and the United States vs. The Washington Post, which dealt with the seemingly unresolved debate between freedom of the press/the public's right to know vs. national security concerns. Even though, I read them, I would not blame anyone for stopping at the end of the Pentagon Papers. In summary, it’s an important work that raises a lot of questions that still matter in 2021. But patience is a virtue when reading it.

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*Product available on Desertcart Kenya*
*Store origin: KE*
*Last updated: 2026-03-16*