The Legacy of Vietnam

            Each conflict in our nation’s history has left a legacy in its wake.  The American Revolution was a fight for freedom from imperialist England; the Civil War was a fight about slavery, pitting brother against brother; World War I was fought to make the world safe for democracy; World War II was a fight to protect the world from Hitler and fascism.  But why did we fight the Vietnam War?  This conflict was different from those wars past, as the underlying cause of our involvement is not as clear and concise, especially in light of the fact that our leadership mistakenly believed at the time that we were fighting to protect the world from Communism when in fact the Vietnamese fight was for independence and unity.  From the beginning of the U.S. involvement, the policies were unclear and our goals and achievements were misconstrued and misrepresented.  The legacy left by the Vietnam conflict, then, is the tragedy of misunderstandings and misrepresentations.

            The next few entries will explore how we, as Americans, try to reconciled the legacy of Vietnam with the reality, a reality that could not be distinguished from fantasy.  Many different types of pop culture offerings tried to justify American involvement in Vietnam while others merely sought to heal the wounds and bring closure.  What worked?  What didn't? And what changed Americans' perception of the Vietnam War? Further, what was real?  And what furthered the fantasies?  Pop culture has fed a popular memory of the Vietnam War which influences how Americans view that war, even today.