About the book
“No one can understand the complete tragedy of the American experience in Vietnam without reading this book. Nothing so underscores the ambivalence and confusion of the American commitment as does the composition of our fighting forces. The rich and the powerful may have supported the war initially, but they contributed little of themselves. That responsibility fell to the poor and the working class of America.” — Senator George McGovern
“Reminds us of the disturbing truth that some 80 percent of the 2.5 million enlisted men who served in Vietnam — out of 27 million men who reached draft age during the war — came from working-class and impoverished backgrounds. . . . Deals especially well with the apparent paradox that the working-class soldiers' families back home mainly opposed the antiwar movement, and for that matter so with few exceptions did the soldiers themselves.” — New York Times Book Review
“[Appy’s] treatment of the subject makes it clear to his readers — almost as clear as it became for the soldiers in Vietnam — that class remains the tragic dividing wall between Americans.” — Boston Globe
Editions of Working-Class War
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807820575
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780807843918
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807860113
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890886460
Read an Excerpt
“No one can understand the complete tragedy of the American experience in Vietnam without reading this book. Nothing so underscores the ambivalence and confusion of the American commitment as does the composition of our fighting forces. The rich and the powerful may have supported the war initially, but they contributed little of themselves. That responsibility fell to the poor and the working class of America.” — Senator George McGovern
“Reminds us of the disturbing truth that some 80 percent of the 2.5 million enlisted men who served in Vietnam — out of 27 million men who reached draft age during the war — came from working-class and impoverished backgrounds. . . . Deals especially well with the apparent paradox that the working-class soldiers' families back home mainly opposed the antiwar movement, and for that matter so with few exceptions did the soldiers themselves.” — New York Times Book Review
“[Appy’s] treatment of the subject makes it clear to his readers — almost as clear as it became for the soldiers in Vietnam — that class remains the tragic dividing wall between Americans.” — Boston Globe
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Working-Class War about?
“No one can understand the complete tragedy of the American experience in Vietnam without reading this book. Nothing so underscores the ambivalence and confusion of the American commitment as does the composition of our fighting forces. The rich and the powerful may have supported the war initially, but they contributed little of themselves. That responsibility fell to the poor and the working class of America.” — Senator George McGovern
“Reminds us of the disturbing truth that some 80 percent of the 2.5 million enlisted men who served in Vietnam — out of 27 million men who reached draft age during the war — came from working-class and impoverished backgrounds. . . . Deals especially well with the apparent paradox that the working-class soldiers' families back home mainly opposed the antiwar movement, and for that matter so with few exceptions did the soldiers themselves.” — New York Times Book Review
“[Appy’s] treatment of the subject makes it clear to his readers — almost as clear as it became for the soldiers in Vietnam — that class remains the tragic dividing wall between Americans.” — Boston Globe
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Working-Class War?
History and Archaeology > History > Military history > Specific wars and military campaigns > Military history: post-WW2 conflicts
Where can I read a sample of Working-Class War?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807820575
How long is Working-Class War and how many pages does it have?
Working-Class War has 378 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Working-Class War?
Christian G. Appy
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Working-Class War is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807820575) and paperback(ISBN 9780807843918) and ebook(ISBN 9780807860113) and ebook(ISBN 9798890886460)
Where can I buy Working-Class War online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Working-Class War from below
Where can I buy Working-Class War?