Apocalypse then : American intellectuals and the Vietnam War, 1954-1975 / Robert R. Tomes.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Tomes, Robert R.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Vietnam War, 1961-1975--United States.

Vietnam War, 1961-1975.

Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Influence.

Intellectuals--United States--Political activity--History--20th century.

Intellectuals.

United States.

Political participation.

History.

Physical Description:

xi, 293 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : New York University Press, [1998]

Summary:

Prior to the Vietnam War, American intellectual life rested comfortably on shared assumptions and often common ideals. Intellectuals largely supported the social and economic reforms of the 1930s, the war against Hitler's Germany, and U.S. conduct during the Cold War. By the early 1960s, a liberal intellectual consensus existed. The war in Southeast Asia shattered this liberal consensus by causing a relentless series of crises which effectively undermined its fundamental assumptions. Throughout these years, a sense of passion and urgency prevailed, as idealism, optimism, and American exceptionalism gave way to disillusionment, pessimism, and a diminished confidence in and trimmed expectations for American life. For all involved, the war in Vietnam assumed apocalyptic dimensions, as somehow the very best or very worst America had to offer seemed at stake. Apocalypse Then stands as the definitive account of the impact of the Vietnam War on American intellectual life.

Contents:

A long time in the comin' : American intellectuals and the Cold War, 1945-1963

Consensus and commitment : American intellectuals and Vietnam, 1954-1963

The search for order : from Diem to Pleiku, November 1963 to January 1965

Skepticism and dissent : from Rolling Thunder to Tet, February 1965 to January 1968

The collapse of the liberal consensus, 1968

The twilight of liberalism, 1969-1975.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 269-280) and index.

ISBN:

0814782345

OCLC:

39181784