Vietnam The 17th Parallel

Examines the conflict in Vietnam as a nationalistic fight to eliminate the artificial divisions created by French colonialism and American Cold War policies.

Reviewed with John C. Davenport's The Mason-Dixon Line.

Gr. 6-8. Inspired by the cogent observation that "borders are among the most important factors that have influenced the development of world affairs," these volumes in the Arbitrary Borders series focus on the creation and turbulent history of boundaries based on political compromise or short-sighted expediency. Davenport discusses at length the symbolic importance of the Mason-Dixon line in our country's creation, expansion, and the Civil War, as well as in the growth of the persistent "Lost Cause" myth: "a cultural point of reference for a mythical place called Dixie." He closes by noting how the line has largely lost its emotional significance. Cottrell opens with a dense account of the 1954 Geneva Conference, then goes back to retrace the whole, war-torn history of Vietnam, up to its 1975 reunification. Both volumes are illustrated with murky, black-and-white maps and photos and conclude with time lines, endnotes, and adult-level, multimedia source lists. Though the basic historical information in each is readily available elsewhere, serious students will benefit from the analytical approach and particular focus in these volumes. John Peters
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