Over Thirty Years

The Vietnam War ended over thirty years ago. Yet, it continues as a cultural reference point, shaping contemporary American society and culture, its impact felt in many different contexts. Vietnam precipitated a crisis in national self-confidence and a breakdown in political consensus out of which new ideological perspectives, including neo-conservatism, emerged. This book offers fresh perspectives on a defining event in “the American Century”, examining its historical and political significance as well as its continuing cultural relevance.

The Long Shadow of Vietnam–J.Schell * After the Wars are Over: Lost Cause, Noble Cause and the Shaping of Contemporary American Politics–J.Roper * ‘Vietnam’ in the New American Century–H.B.Franklin * Not a Moment of Peace: Strategy, Diplomacy and the Vietnam War–L.Berman * Apocalypse Now Redux and the Return of Vietnam–J.Hellmann * The Vietnam War: (Post) Colonial Discourse and (Hi) Stories–W.Hoebling * Vietnam and Iraq: Strategy, Exit and Syndrome–J.Mueller * King Philip’s Shadow–Vietnam and Iraq–P.Melling * Vietnam Poems–W.D.Ehrhart