The Twentieth Century

“Professor Zinn writes with an enthusiasm rarely encountered in the leaden prose of academic history....[His] chapter on Vietnam—bringing to life once again the fire-free zones, secret bombings, massacres, and cover-ups—should be required reading.”—New York Times Book Review

Containing just the Twentieth Century chapters from Howard Zinn’s bestselling A People’s History of the United States, this reissue is brought up-to-date with coverage of events and developments since 2001, analyzing such incidents in modern political history such as the Gulf War, the post-Cold War “peace dividend,” and the continuing debate over welfare, the Clinton presidency, and the “war on terrorism.” Highlighting not just the usual terms of presidential administrations and congressional activities, this book provides readers with a “bottom-to-top” perspective, giving voice to our nation’s minorities and letting the stories of such groups as African Americans, women, Native Americans, and the laborers of all nationalities be told in their own words.

Challenging traditional interpretations of U.S. history, The Twentieth Century is the book for readers interested in gaining a more realistic and complete picture of our world.

This definitive account of America's modern age covers the pivotal struggles and forgotten histories that shaped our world:

• U.S. Imperialism: From the Spanish-American War to the “war on terrorism,” Zinn uncovers the economic and political motives behind America’s interventions abroad.
• Labor History: A bottom-to-top look at the socialist challenge, the rise of the IWW, and the militant strikes that defined the fight for workers' rights in the United States.
• Social Movements: The powerful stories of how African Americans, women, and Native Americans fought for justice against the grain of mainstream history.
• A People's Perspective: Go beyond presidents and generals to witness pivotal events like the Vietnam War and the Cold War through the eyes of ordinary people.