"A Washington Institute book." Includes index.

Setting the stage -- The path to Tonkin -- Vietnam and the fall of Khrushchev -- The Chinese debate over Khrushchev's fall -- The American ground war -- Mao's struggle during the Soviet escalation, January-July 1965 -- Acceleration of US buildup -- The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution -- Soviet adjustments -- McNamara changes his mind -- Soviet response -- The final decision -- The Tet offensive -- Soviet reassessment.