Nothing Ever Dies : Vietnam and the Memory of War

Finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist, National Book Award in Nonfiction A __New York Times Book Review__ “The Year in Reading” Selection All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory. From the author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel __The Sympathizer__ comes a searching exploration of the conflict Americans call the Vietnam War and Vietnamese call the American War―a conflict that lives on in the collective memory of both nations. “[A] gorgeous, multifaceted examination of the war Americans call the Vietnam War―and which Vietnamese call the American War...As a writer, [Nguyen] brings every conceivable gift―wisdom, wit, compassion, curiosity―to the impossible yet crucial work of arriving at what he calls ‘a just memory’ of this war.” ―Kate Tuttle, __Los Angeles Times__ “In __Nothing Ever Dies__, his unusually thoughtful consideration of war, self-deception and forgiveness, Viet Thanh Nguyen penetrates deeply into memories of the Vietnamese war...[An] important book, which hits hard at self-serving myths.” ―Jonathan Mirsky, __Literary Review__ “Ultimately, Nguyen’s lucid, arresting, and richly sourced inquiry, in the mode of Susan Sontag and W. G. Sebald, is a call for true and just stories of war and its perpetual legacy.” ―Donna Seaman, __Booklist__ (starred review) All Wars Are Fought Twice, The First Time On The Battlefield, The Second Time In Memory. Exploring How This Troubled Memory Works In Vietnam, The United States, Laos, Cambodia, And South Korea, The Book Deals Specifically With The Vietnam War And Also War In General. He Reveals How War Is A Part Of Our Identity, As Individuals And As Citizens Of Nations Armed To The Teeth. Venturing Through Literature, Film, Monuments, Memorials, Museums, And Landscapes Of The Vietnam War, He Argues That An Alternative To Nationalism And War Exists In Art, Created By Artists Who Adhere To No Nation But The Imagination.--provided By Publisher. All Wars Are Fought Twice, The First Time On The Battlefield, The Second Time In Memory. From The Author Of The Bestselling Novel The Sympathizer Comes A Searching Exploration Of The Conflict Americans Call The Vietnam War And Vietnamese Call The American War--a Conflict That Lives On In The Collective Memory Of Both Nations. From A Kaleidoscope Of Cultural Forms--novels, Memoirs, Cemeteries, Monuments, Films, Photography, Museum Exhibits, Video Games, Souvenirs, And More--nothing Ever Dies Brings A Comprehensive Vision Of The War Into Sharp Focus. At Stake Are Ethical Questions About How The War Should Be Remembered By Participants That Include Not Only Americans And Vietnamese But Also Laotians, Cambodians, South Koreans, And Southeast Asian Americans. Too Often, Memorials Valorize The Experience Of One's Own People Above All Else, Honoring Their Sacrifices While Demonizing The Enemy--or, Most Often, Ignoring Combatants And Civilians On The Other Side Altogether. Visiting Sites Across The United States, Southeast Asia, And Korea, Viet Thanh Nguyen Provides Penetrating Interpretations Of The Way Memories Of The War Help To Enable Future Wars Or Struggle To Prevent Them. Drawing From This War, Nguyen Offers A Lesson For All Wars By Calling On Us To Recognize Not Only Our Shared Humanity But Our Ever-present Inhumanity. This Is The Only Path To Reconciliation With Our Foes, And With Ourselves. Without Reconciliation, War's Truth Will Be Impossible To Remember, And War's Trauma Impossible To Forget. -- Publisher's Description Just Memory -- Ethics: -- On Remembering One's Own -- On Remembering Others -- On The Inhumanities -- Industries: -- On War Machines -- On Becoming Human -- On Asymmetry -- Aesthetics -- On Victims And Voices -- On True War Stories -- On Powerful Memory -- Just Forgetting. Viet Thanh Nguyen. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 330-352) And Index. All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory. From the author of the Pulitzer Prizewinning novel The Sympathizer comes a searching exploration of the conflict Americans call the Vietnam War and Vietnamese call the American Wara conflict that lives on in the collective memory of both nations. From a kaleidoscope of cultural formsnovels, memoirs, cemeteries, monuments, films, photography, museum exhibits, video games, souvenirs, and more Nothing Ever Dies brings a comprehensive vision of the war into sharp focus. At stake are ethical questions about how the war should be remembered by participants that include not only Americans and Vietnamese but also Laotians, Cambodians, South Koreans, and Southeast Asian Americans. Too often, memorials valorize the experience of ones own people above all else, honoring their sacrifices while demonizing the enemyor, most often, ignoring combatants and civilians on the other side altogether. Visiting sites across the United States, Southeast Asia, and Korea, Viet Thanh Nguyen provides penetrating interpretations of the way memories of the war help to enable future wars or struggle to prevent them. Drawing from this war, Nguyen offers a lesson for all wars by calling on us to recognize not only our shared humanity but our ever-present inhumanity. This is the only path to reconciliation with our foes, and with ourselves. Without reconciliation, wars truth will be impossible to remember, and wars trauma impossible to forget. "All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory. Exploring how this troubled memory works in Vietnam, the United States, Laos, Cambodia, and South Korea, the book deals specifically with the Vietnam War and also war in general. He reveals how war is a part of our identity, as individuals and as citizens of nations armed to the teeth. Venturing through literature, film, monuments, memorials, museums, and landscapes of the Vietnam War, he argues that an alternative to nationalism and war exists in art, created by artists who adhere to no nation but the imagination."--De l'éditeur Prologue 9 Just Memory 13 ETHICS 30 1. On Remembering One’s Own 32 2. On Remembering Others 58 3. On the Inhumanities 86 INDUSTRIES 119 4. On War Machines 121 5. On Becoming Human 150 6. On Asymmetry 180 AESTHETICS 217 7. On Victims and Voices 219 8. On True War Stories 253 9. On Powerful Memory 284 Just Forgetting 315 Epilogue 338 Notes 344 Works Cited 368 Acknowledgments 386 Credits 391 Index 395 Nothing Ever Dies, Viet Thanh Nguyen writes. All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory. From the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Sympathizer comes a searching exploration of a conflict that lives on in the collective memory of both the Americans and the Vietnamese.