Primary Sources: Vietnam War
General Primary Resources in the History of the Vietnam War
More sources on this topic are linked from the list of Documents page in Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History. These additional sources include telegrams, cables, memorandums, conversations, meeting minutes and cablegrams from ambassadors, cabinet members, presidents military leaders and intelligence agencies.
Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military HistoryNow in its second edition, this comprehensive study of the Vietnam War sheds more light on the longest and one of the most controversial conflicts in U.S. history. Primary sources in this title
- Veterans History ProjectThe Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.
Vietnam Government Documents
- Abdication of Emperor Bao Dai of AnnamFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Vietnamese Declaration of IndependenceFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Preliminary Franco-Viet Minh ConventionFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Franco-Vietnamese Modus VivendiFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Ho Chi Minh: Proclamation to the People upon His Return from France after NegotiationsFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Ho Chi Minh: Talk to Officers Preparing for the Military Campaign in Northwestern VietnamFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Ho Chi Minh: Replies to a Foreign CorrespondentFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Ho Chi Minh: Report to the National AssemblyFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Vo Nguyen Giap: Report to Senior Field Commanders on the Dien Bien Phu CampaignFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Treaty of Independence of the State of VietnamFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Democratic Republic of Vietnam: Declaration on Normalizing Relations between the Northern and Southern ZonesFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Declaration of the Government of the Republic of Vietnam on ReunificationFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Le Duan: “Duong Loi Cach Mang Mien Nam” [The Path of Revolution in the South]From Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Vo Nguyen Giap: “People’s War, People’s Army”From Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Resolution of the Vietnamese Workers’ Party’s Third National Congress of Delegates on the Party’s Missions and Policies in This New EraFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Manifesto of the National Liberation FrontFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Nguyen Chi Thanh, Lao Dong Political Bureau Member: ArticleFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Pham Van Dong: Report to the Second Session of the Third National AssemblyFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Joint Statement of Soviet Premier Aleksai Kosygin and Pham Van Dong in HanoiFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- A Communist Party Evaluation of the 1968 Tet OffensiveFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Final Statement of Ho Chi MinhFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
U.S. Government Documents
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt: Memorandum to Secretary of State Cordell HullFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- State Department Division of Far East Affairs: Draft Memorandum for President Harry S. TrumanFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Joseph Grew, Acting Secretary of State: Telegram to Ambassador Jefferson Caffery in FranceFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- President Harry S. Truman: Telegram to Generalissimo Jiang Jieshi, Transmitted via Ambassador to China Patrick J. HurleyFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- George C. Marshall, Secretary of State: Telegram to Ambassador Jefferson CafferyFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- James L. O’Sullivan, Vice-Consul in Hanoi, and Charles S. Reed in Saigon: Telegrams to George C. MarshallFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Department of State Policy Statement on IndochinaFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- The United States Praises the Elysée AgreementsFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Raymond B. Fosdick, Consultant to the Secretary of State on Far Eastern Policy: Memorandum for Ambassador-at-Large Philip JessupFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Paper on Military Aid for Indochina by a Working Group in the Department of StateFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Dean Acheson, Secretary of State: Telegram to U.S. Ambassador to France David BruceFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Dean Acheson: Press Release Urging Aid for IndochinaFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- John Ohly, Deputy Director of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program: Memorandum to Secretary of State Dean AchesonFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Dean Acheson, Secretary of State: Telegram to the Legation in SaigonFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Dean Acheson, Secretary of State: Report to the National Security Council on Conversations between President Harry S. Truman and French Premier René PlevenFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Minister Donald R. Heath in Saigon: Telegram to Secretary of State Dean AchesonFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- John Foster Dulles, Secretary of State: Telegram to C. Douglas Dillon, Ambassador to FranceFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Secretary of State John Foster Dulles: Telegram to C. Douglas Dillon, Ambassador to FranceFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Joint Chiefs of Staff: Memorandum for Secretary of Defense Charles E. WilsonFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- U.S. Army Position on National Security Council Action No. 1074-AFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Draft Report by the President’s Special Committee: Southeast Asia, Part IIFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Minutes of Meeting among President Dwight Eisenhower, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, and Special Assistant to the President Robert CutlerFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Walter Bedell Smith, Head of the U.S. Delegation in Geneva and Undersecretary of State: Telegram to Secretary of State John Foster DullesFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Walter Bedell Smith: Declaration to the Geneva ConferenceFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- NSC 5492/2, “Review of U.S. Policy in the Far East”From Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Elbridge Durbrow, U.S. Ambassador in Saigon: Cablegram to Secretary of State Christian A. HerterFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Gilpatric Task Force ReportFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- National Security Action Memorandum No. 80From Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Robert McNamara, Defense Secretary: Memorandum to President John F. KennedyFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Assistant Secretary of State Roger Hilsman: “The Situation and Short-Term Prospects in South Vietnam”From Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- White House: Cablegram to U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. on the CIA ChannelFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- John McCone, CIA Director: Cablegram to Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.From Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Joint Chiefs of Staff: Memorandum 46-64From Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Admiral Thomas H. Moorer, Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet: Order to All Subordinate UnitsFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- President Lyndon Johnson’s Message to CongressFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Joint Resolution of Congress H.J. RES 1445: Tonkin Gulf ResolutionFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- “Aggression from the North”: State Department White Paper on VietnamFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- National Security Action Memorandum No. 328From Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Message from the U.S. Government to the North Vietnamese Government on the Bombing PauseFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense: Memorandum to President Lyndon JohnsonFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Henry Byroade, Ambassador in Rangoon: Aide-Mémoire to North Vietnamese Consul General Vu Huu BinhFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
Interviews
- President John F. Kennedy’s Remarks on the Situation in VietnamFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Ho Chi Minh: Replies to an Interview with Japanese NDN TVFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
Letters
- Ho Chi Minh: Open Letter to Léon ArchimbaudFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Ho Chi Minh: Letter from Abroad, June 6, 1941From Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Ho Chi Minh: Letter to President Harry S. TrumanFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Ho Chi Minh: Letter to Secretary of State James F. ByrnesFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Ho Chi Minh: Letter to Compatriots in Nam BoFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Le Duan: “Letters to the South”,From Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Le Duan: Letter to the Central Office for South VietnamFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- President Dwight Eisenhower: Letter to Ngo Dinh DiemFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- President John F. Kennedy: Letter to President Ngo Dinh DiemFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Ho Chi Minh: Letter to Lyndon JohnsonFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
Speeches
- Ho Chi Minh: Appeal Made on the Occasion of the Founding of the Communist PartyFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Ho Chi Minh: Speech on the Resistance War in Southern VietnamFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- President Harry S. Truman: Statement Announcing Direct U.S. Military Aid to IndochinaFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Ho Chi Minh: Answers to Questions Put by the Press Regarding U.S. Intervention in IndochinaFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- President Lyndon Johnson, “Peace without Conquest”: Address at Johns Hopkins UniversityFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Senator Robert F. Kennedy Calls Vietnam an Unwinnable WarFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Martin Luther King Jr. Declares His Opposition to the War during a Sermon at New York’s Riverside ChurchFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- President Lyndon Johnson: Announcement of U.S. Bombing HaltFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- President Richard Nixon’s Speech on VietnamizationFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- John Kerry: Statement of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War to the Senate Foreign Relations CommitteeFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Le Duan: Speech at the Meeting Held in Hanoi to Celebrate VictoryFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- Pham Van Dong: Speech Delivered on National Day, September 2, 1975From Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
- President Bill Clinton: Announcement of Normalization of Diplomatic Relations with VietnamFrom Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History