Vietnam: The Origins of Revolution is a 1966 book by John T. McAlister, Jr. It argues for an original theory on political revolution in Vietnam, The book, a revised version of the author's doctoral dissertation, chronicles the history of Vietnam from the nascent French colonization in 1885 to the August Revolution in 1945. These events serve as background to the revolution. The author's thesis is that the political events in the middle of the 20th century in Vietnam were not limited to an anti-colonial revolt, but constituted a pervasive political revolution.