The Deadly Bet: LBJ, Vietnam, and the 1968 Election (Vietnam. America in the War Years)

Book Description

In The Deadly Bet, distinguished historian Walter LaFeber explores the turbulent election of 1968 and its significance in the larger context of American history. Looking through the eyes of the year's most important playersincluding Robert F. Kennedy, Eugene McCarthy, Martin Luther King, Hubert Humphrey, Richard Nixon, George Wallace, Nguyen Van Thieu, and Lyndon JohnsonLaFeber shows the importance of domestic upheaval on the election.

Customer Reviews:

NOTHING NEW.......2006-04-09

There is nothing here that one cannot read elsewhere and possibly with greater detail. This book focuses on the 1968 election as the pivotal election of the second half of the 20th Century and does not give a convincing argument as to why.

The chapters centers on the primary political figures of that year (Johnson, McCarthy, Kennedy, King, Humphrey, Wallace, Nixon, etc) and how each candidate contributed to the 1968 political landscape. But I felt the treatment of each individual was at best superficial and contributed little to an understanding of any of them or the electoral process in 1968.

A strong book that does its best to put things in context.......2006-02-11

Four-and-a-half stars, actually.

The Deadly Bet is essentially a review, with some analysis, of the political year of 1968, beginning with the Tet Offensive and ending with the election of Richard Nixon. Key figures, mostly from American politics, are used as Chapter titles to illustrate not only their roles in the events of that year, but the impact their lives and deaths had upon history.

The title of the book refers to the idea LaFeber presents that when a democracy undertakes a major war it is taking a gamble with the very security and stability of its institutions, betting that it can do what is necessary to win the conflict while still preserving the social fabric and being able to pursue domestic agendas. The events of 1968, as chronicled by LaFeber, show how Lyndon Johnson's bet in Vietnam failed, ruining his political career and creating a fundamental crisis in America (one which still divides the nation to this day).

I found the book to be both interesting and enlightening. As someone who didn't live through the sixties, I appreciated all the facts and recollections that LaFeber could reasonably fit in, as it allowed me to gain a better feel for the era. I thought the book was well written, it laid everything out quite clearly and precisely, and it more than kept my interest. As well, I enjoyed the analysis LaFeber offered, as he was often able to overcome bias from both the left and right to try to present a clearer picture of the many competing forces at work during that critical time.

Overall, the Deadly Bet was both scholarly and readable, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about the era.

American Politics In the Sixties........2005-07-15

Lyndon Johnson wasn't a very bright president. He tried to change too many things for no real reason except to take the credit for doing so, and he took advantage to play old-time politics. He almost ruined the country with his "domestic reforms" which caused devisiveness; as a consequence, we almost had another civil war all over again, only not on a battlefield.
He came close to instigating a race war.

George Wallace was campaigning in Maryland and crippled after an attack to keep him out of the office of President. He might have torn our country apart had he been elected, but he couldn't have caused more distress than LBJ and Nixon combined. Nixon showed that he was a crook after fooling the whole country for a long time; nevertheless, he was forced to leave office in disgrace. He was instrumental in a travesty of justice when Alger Hiss was put in jail for perjury. Nixon became nationally recognized as a result, as Howard Baker of East Tennessee did with Watergate.

Regarding the Viet Nam War, these presidents had made the life-and-death 'bet' that they could somehow commit the American people to a long war against a ferocious foe we never could understand nor cope with; the presidents lost, and both disappeared in disgrace. As with the American Civil War, only the "ghosts survived." The Viet Nam War was the nation's longest war and prompted student activism on college campuses.

The photos scattered throughout helped alleviate boredom. For those of us who lived through that time, it is just a reminder -- not a discovery. This is one of a series by Cornell University professors. It is the third volume published so far. LaFeber has written a book about the Cold War and the new global capitalism from a different perspective.

The Deadly Bet: LBJ, Vietnam, and the 1968 Election.(Book review): An article from: Canadian Journal of History

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The Deadly Bet: LBJ, Vietnam, and the 1968 Election.(Book review): An article from: Canadian Journal of History
Andrew L. Johns
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by Thomson Gale on March 22, 2006. The length of the article is 983 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Deadly Bet: LBJ, Vietnam, and the 1968 Election.(Book review)
Author: Andrew L. Johns
Publication: Canadian Journal of History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 41 Issue: 1 Page: 164(3)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Introduction to Modeling in Wildlife and Resource Conservation provides students with the skills to develop their own models for application in conservation biology and wildlife management. Assuming no special mathematical expertise, the computational models used are kept simple and show how to develop models in both spreadsheet and programming language format.The book develops thought-provoking applications which emphasize the value of modeling as a learning tool. Beginning with basic descriptive equations, matrix representations, and consumer-resources interactions, the book proceeds to explore applications in simulation, scenarios, harvesting, population viability, metapopulation dynamics, disease outbreaks, vegetation stage and state dynamics, habitat suitability assessment, and model selection statistics. Detailed instructions are given on how to construct spreadsheet models, and programmes are written in True BASIC which forms a readily understandable foundation language. Throughout the book a wide range of examples are used relating to birds, fish, plants and large African mammals.An accompanying CD provides models as well as a trial version of the True BASIC programming language.This book provides an essential introduction to modeling for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students who have a completed a basic course in ecology and plan careers in wildlife conservation.

Average customer rating:

Tries to do too much..

Biodiversity: An Introduction
Kevin J. Gaston , and John I. Spicer
Manufacturer: Blackwell Publishing Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1405118571

Book Description

This concise introductory text provides a complete overview of biodiversity - what it is, how it arose, its distribution, why it is important, human impact upon it, and what should be done to maintain it.The field of biodiversity is rapidly developing as new research challenges and furthers our understanding of this stimulating subject. This new edition has been substantially revised to take account of these recent developments. Much of the text has been rewritten, updated and extended to provide an up-to-date examination of key issues, and includes the newest models, experiments and research. Throughout the text reference is made to the relevant primary literature and each chapter ends with suggestions for further reading, including the most important new articles and books. All the figures included in the book are downloadable from the Blackwell Publishing website.Biodiversity: An Introduction has been designed primarily for undergraduates studying biodiversity on a range of courses in botany, zoology and ecology. It is also essential reading for anyone requiring an overview of the vast literature on this topic.

Customer Reviews:

Tries to do too much.........2000-07-04

This is a very terse book. The stated purpose, according to the authors (Kevin Gaston and John Spicer at the University of Sheffield, UK) is to "cover as much ground in as few pages as possible." It succeeds, to a limited extent, by providing an outline to key issues associated with biodiversity research. It supplements this skeletal approach with numerous references for additional reading, and a few URLs. While there is a clear need for a succinct reader on biodiversity, I cannot recommend this book as a good introductory text. It tries to be too broad (including, e.g., biodiversity below the earth's surface) rather than being more informative on a focused range of topics. As a result the coverage on many of the topics is maddeningly shallow - for example, 1 page on species-area relationships, 1/3rd of a page on local versus regional diversity (without reference to alpha, beta, gamma diversity), a short paragraph on patterns of diversity with productivity, and a discussion of endemism without reference to historical or spatial isolation. One way the 113-page book might have been better executed in comparable length is by omitting the marginally informative 5th chapter on "maintaining biodiversity," which uses 1/6th of the book's length to outline the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Despite these crippling problems the book does convey many of the critical issues facing scientists, environmentalists and policy makers in this poorly understood (and frequently misrepresented) subject. The first 3 chapters provide a useful overview of the elements and surrogates for biodiversity, historical diversification, and some of the challenges to mapping biodiversity at a range of spatial scales.

Exotics on the Range: The Texas Example (The Louise Lindsey Merrick Natural Environment Series, No 16)

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THE single best reference for Exotics
A very useful reference.
Great for research!

Exotics on the Range: The Texas Example (The Louise Lindsey Merrick Natural Environment Series, No 16)
Elizabeth Cary Mungall , and William J. Sheffield
Manufacturer: Texas A&M University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0890963991

Customer Reviews:

THE single best reference for Exotics.......2002-05-07

This is it. The best resource for exotic livestock, period. Although it focuses on Texas, the information contained herein is applicable to most regions. It goes into great detail regarding land carrying capacity, fencing requirements, nutritional needs and health concerns/diseases/parasites. The history of exotics in Texas is examined, as well as distribution of various species throughout the state. But the real appeal of this book is the depth in which individual species are detailed. The most popular hoofstock are here, of course: axis, fallow, red and sika deer; blackbuck, addax, scimitar, nilgai and eland antelope; ibex, mouflon; markhor and aoudad sheep/goats; and many other species that are either failed experiments or novelties.

Whether you're a student doing research or a farmer/rancher looking for a way to escape the heartache/headache of cattle, this is the best book you could hope to find.

A very useful reference........2002-04-26

We have read and reread parts of this book. It is an excellent reference. We raise Red Deer, Axis Deer, Blackbuck Antelope, Fallow Deer, Whitetail Deer and Barbado Sheep and all are covered very well by the book. In addition, the book helped me to calculate the carrying capacity of our ranch.

Great for research!.......2000-11-29

As a student, this book was very helpful for my research paper on Texas mammals. I recommend it to anyone interested in Texas wildlife.

North Carolina Wildlife: An Introduction to Familiar Species (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)

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North Carolina Wildlife: An Introduction to Familiar Species (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)
James Kavanagh
Manufacturer: Waterford Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1583552537

Texas Wildlife: An Introduction to Familiar Species (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)

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Texas Wildlife: An Introduction to Familiar Species (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)
James Kavanagh
Manufacturer: Waterford Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1583552545

Utah Trees & Wildflowers: An Introduction to Familiar Species of Trees, Shrubs and Wildflowers (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)

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Utah Trees & Wildflowers: An Introduction to Familiar Species of Trees, Shrubs and Wildflowers (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)
James Kavanagh
Manufacturer: Waterford Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1583552510

Introduction to Wildlife Management (McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources)

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Introduction to Wildlife Management (McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources)
James H. Shaw
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Companies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0070564817

Book Description

As the field of wildlife managment has grown enormously, giving birth to new areas including endangered species preservation, nongame managment, socioeconomic aspects of wildlife management, and an increasing emphasis upon management of natural communities to preserve species diversity. This book attempts a different approach to Wildlife Ecology, by providing an introduction to virtually the entire field of terrestrial wildlife management.

Transplantation of the muskox in Europe and North-America ; Transplantation of hares to Svalbard (Meddelelser)

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Transplantation of the muskox in Europe and North-America ; Transplantation of hares to Svalbard (Meddelelser)
Odd Lønø
Manufacturer: Universitetsforlaget
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0007JV6U2

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