Vietnam's Lost Revolution employs archival material from Vietnam to examine the First Republic of Vietnam's Civic Action program, designed to recast the newly independent state as a modern, anticommunist nation. This book engages with topics like nationalism, post-colonialism, and development in its examination of events that led to the Vietnam War.

This book analyzes the origins of the Vietnam War, examining President Ngô Đình Diệm's efforts to build a modern, independent nation amongst internal struggles.