American Reckoning : The Vietnam War and Our National Identity

**The critically acclaimed author of __Patriots__offers profound insight into Vietnam’s place in America’s self-image** How did the Vietnam War change the way we think of ourselves as a people and a nation? In__American Reckoning__, Christian G. Appy—author of__Patriots__, the widely praised oral history of the Vietnam War—examines the war’s realities and myths and its lasting impact on our national self-perception. Drawing on a vast variety of sources that range from movies, songs, and novels to official documents, media coverage, and contemporary commentary, Appy offers an original interpretation of the war and its far-reaching consequences for both our popular culture and our foreign policy. Authoritative, insightful, and controversial, urgently speaking to our role in the world today,__American Reckoning__invites us to grapple honestly with the conflicting lessons and legacies of the Vietnam War. “Few people understand the centrality of the Vietnam War to our situation as much as Christian Appy.'—Ken BurnsThe critically acclaimed author of Patriots offers profound insights into Vietnam's place in America's self-image. How did the Vietnam War change the way we think of ourselves as a people and a nation? Christian G. Appy, author of the widely praised oral history of the Vietnam War Patriots, now examines the relationship between the war's realities and myths and its impact on our national identity, conscience, pride, shame, popular culture, and postwar foreign policy.Drawing on a vast variety of sources from movies, songs, and novels to official documents, media coverage, and contemporary commentary, Appy offers an original interpretation of the war and its far-reaching consequences. Authoritative, insightful, sometimes surprising, and controversial, American Reckoning is a fascinating mix of political and cultural reporting that offers a completely fresh account of the meaning of the Vietnam War. The critically acclaimed author of Patriots offers profound insight into Vietnam’s place in America’s self-image How did the Vietnam War change the way we think of ourselves as a people and a nation? In American Reckoning , Christian G. Appy—author of Patriots , the widely praised oral history of the Vietnam War—examines the war’s realities and myths and its lasting impact on our national self-perception. Drawing on a vast variety of sources that range from movies, songs, and novels to official documents, media coverage, and contemporary commentary, Appy offers an original interpretation of the war and its far-reaching consequences for both our popular culture and our foreign policy. Authoritative, insightful, and controversial, urgently speaking to our role in the world today, American Reckoning invites us to grapple honestly with the conflicting lessons and legacies of the Vietnam War. Part I. Why are we in Vietnam? Saving Vietnam Aggression Paper tigers Vietnam, inc Part II. America at war Our boys The American way of war The war at home Part III. What have we become? Victim nation "The pride is back" No more Vietnams Who we are.