Neglected by scholars and journalists alike, the years of conflict in Vietnam from 1968 to 1975 offer surprises not only about how the war was fought, but about what was achieved. The author provides a close examination of the years during which General Creighton Abrams was in command, having succeeded William Westmoreland. Sorley contends that Abrams completely transformed the war effort and in the process won the war on the battlefield. Drawing from thousands of hours of previously unavailable tape-recorded meetings between the highest levels of the American military command in Vietnam, A Better War is an insightful, factual, and superbly documented history of these final years. Through his exclusive access to authoritative materials, award-winning historian Lewis Sorley highlights the dramatic differences in conception, conduct, and--at least for a time--results between the early and later years of the war. Among his most important findings is that while the war was being lost at the peace table and in the U.S. Congress, the soldiers were winning on the ground. Meticulously researched and movingly told, A Better War sheds new light on the Vietnam War.

Includes maps of: Southeast Asia; South Vietnam; 1970 Cambodia Incursion; Operation Lam Son 719; 1972 Easter Offensive.

ch. 1.Inheritance -- ch. 2. New tactics -- ch. 3. Third offensive -- ch. 4. Intelligence -- ch. 5. Pacification -- ch. 6. Interdiction -- ch. 7. Tet 1969 -- ch. 8. Drawdown -- ch. 9. Higher hurdles -- ch. 10. Resolution 9 -- ch. 11. Leaders -- ch. 12. Cambodia -- ch. 13. Victory -- ch. 14. Toward Laos -- ch. 15. Lam Son 719 -- ch. 16. Aftermath -- g ch. 17. -- Elections -- ch. 18. Soldiers -- ch. 19. Anticipation -- ch. 20. Easter offensive -- ch. 21. Transition -- ch. 22. Cease-fire -- ch. 23. Final days.