THE VIETNAM WAR
Vietnam. The word itself still stirs powerful emotions among adult Americans.
The war in Southeast Asia was the longest in our nation's history--July 1957 to May
1975--and, except for the Civil War, the most divisive. Of nearly 2.7 million
Americans serving in the war zone, over 58,000 men and women were killed; 300,000 were
wounded; and 75,000 were permanently disabled. There are still 2,266 persons listed as
missing in action.For many Americans, the mention of places such as Khe Sanh, Ia Drang, A Shau, Saigon, Danang, Quang Tri, Can Tho, or An Loc evokes battles fought and friends lost--brief victories and long-term agonies. For those who served there, the sights, sounds, smells, and heat of Vietnam are indelible. But Vietnam was another world, and episodes in that faraway place were difficult to explain to those at home. Many veterans did not discuss their experiences in Vietnam before the building of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Vietnam returnees found America torn by the conflict in Southeast Asia. Few who
survived their tour in "Nam" received home-front thanks or respect. And few who died
were publicly mourned until the creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. For
millions, the Memorial has become a healing place. Leaving gifts for the dead, the
missing, and all who served has become part of the ritual of grief and recovery.