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Vietnam Generation Volume 3 Number 2 Australia R&R: Representation and Article 12 Reinterpretations of Australia's War in

6-1991 Vietnam Generation Newsletter, Volume 3 Number 2

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Recommended Citation (1991) "Vietnam Generation Newsletter, Volume 3 Number 2," Vietnam Generation: Vol. 3 : No. 2 , Article 12. Available at: http://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/vietnamgeneration/vol3/iss2/12

This Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by La Salle University Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Vietnam Generation by an authorized editor of La Salle University Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ■

June, 1991 VoLume 5 NuMbER 2 Editorial

In This Issue...... 2 Long issue, short editorial. We all know the Vietnam Syndrome isn’t over. The steady readers of Vietnam A nnouncements, Notices, ANd Reports...... 2 Generation aren’t about to stop thinking about the U.S. in terms of what the nation did in Southeast Features...... 16 Asia twenty years ago. But we did j ust have another big war, and an awful lot of personnel from the last WaLt Carey Is DEAd, by AIan FarreU...... 16 big one played a part, and we did win. At least two lieutenants from the siege of Khe Sanh were USMC War ANd REMEMbRANCE, by Ben KIernan...... 17 Colonels in the Gulf, Vietnam combat enthusiast David Hackworth was a Newsweek correspondent DeatH of tHe Dreamer, by WILUam M. KiNq...... 18 there, Norman Schwarzkopf of Friendly Fire ran the show, and was filing the real story Poetry fROM Bill SHiElds...... 20 again, from Baghdad this time. One medic hero Vietnam vet killed himself in Connecticut, when Science FIctIon, by ALAsdAlR SpARk...... 22 they wouldn’t let him go fight, and hundreds of other veterans jammed the V.A. PTSD clinics REMF Books, by DAvid WIHson...... 25 nationwide. So what do you make of the ? What do you think about what the President and Drama: LIve War TonIqHt, by DAvid J. DeRose...... 24 the editorialists and kids in your classes have been saying about Vietnam lately? Send in your reports FILm: Repeaters by CyNThiA FucHs...... 26 by August 10 for the next issue of the Newsletter. Book Reviews...... 28

ViETNAM G eneration, Inc.

PRESidENT VICE-PRESidtNT SECRETARY, TREASURER T e c HnIc a I ASSISTANCE Kali Tal Herman Beavers Cynthia Fuchs Lawrence E. Hunter

INewsIetter EdiTOR Dan Duffy CoNTRiburiNq EdiTORS Book RevIew EdiroR: Dan Scripture Renny Christopher, David De Rose, Alan Farrell, Cynthia Fuchs, William M. King, Bill Shields, Tony Williams, David Willson

AdvisoRy BoarJ

NANCY AN1SFIELD PHILIP JASON JOHN CLARK PRATT ROBERT SLABEY S. Michael’s College US Naval Academy State University University of Notre Dame KEVIN BOWEN WILLIAM KING JOCK REYNOLDS BARBARA TISCHLER William Joiner Center University of Colorado Washington Project for the Arts Columbia University University of Massachusetts MICHAEL KLEIN TOM RIDDELL NANCY WEIGERSMA JEAN BETHKE ELSHTA1N University of Ulster Smith College Fitchburg State College Vanderbilt University GABRIEL KOLKO RUTH ROSEN CHRISTINE PELZER WHITE RICHARD FALK York University UC Davis University of Hawaii Cornell University JACQUELINE LAWSON WILLIAM J. SEARLE DAVID WILLSON DAVID HUNT DAVID MARR Eastern Illinois University Green River CC William Joiner Center Australian National University JAMES C. SCOTT MARILYN B. YOUNG University of Massachusetts Yale University New York University

Address correspondence and inquiries to Dan Duffy, 18 Center Rd., Woodbridge, CT 06525; (203) 387-6882; FAX: (203) 389-6104 J une. 1991 ViETNAM G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NUMbER 2

science fiction, and continue David Willson’s annotated list of REMF novels. David De Rose, drama editor, reviews a Gulf War theatre piece, and In T his Issue Cynthia Fuchs writes up several Hollywood actors who keep playing vets. The Announcements, Notices, and Reports section defies summary. I’m Two Important articles aren’t in this issue. There’s afraid. Dip in and enjoy. no report of the continuing progress towards normalization of relations between the U.S. and Dan Duffy, Vietnam Generation Newsletter (VGN) Editor Vietnam. Early in May, the State Department announced $1,000,000 in aid to go to Vietnam for prosthetic devices. That’s the first U.S. assistance to Vietnam since we left. It’s a big step. The other A nnouncements, article that isn’t here is a full report on the proceedings of the Vietnam Area/Popular Culture N otices, and R eports Association conference in San Antonio, March 27- 30, 1991. The presentations were excellent, the EdiTOR iN School Area Caucus made progress toward expanding organizational activities, and exciting collaborations Correspondence and phone calls to the office will were agreed upon in the halls. Look for a report in not be answered promptly this summer. The July the next issue. A third story that is touched on here, issue will appear in late August. Dan Duffy, VGN but not often enough, is the role played by personnel editor, is busy at the Southeast Asian Studies and imagery from the during Desert Summer Institute (SEASSI) at Cornell University, Shield and Desert Storm. Drop us a line about that Ithaca, New York, from June 3 to August 9. I’ll be for the next VGN. starting Vietnamese. SEASSI offers elementary, One exciting panel at Vietnam Area/PCA was a intermediate, and advanced study in several SE high council ofVietnamWar literature bibliography. Asian languages. Mornings are spent in language The reclusive John Newman, founder of the field, class, and three afternoons a week are given to area came down from his Colorado mountaintop to join studies seminars on the different countries. David Willson, John Baky, and Jean-Jacques Malo. Students are encouraged to attend them all, and A focus of attention in discussion after their panel required to read and write for one 6-session country presentation was Sandra M. Wittman’s unreliable seminar. This summer’s Vietnam course, taught by Writing About Vietnam: A Bibliography of the Cornell’s Keith Taylor, is a introductory survey, but Literature of the Vietnam Conflict. N.J. the rest are on special topics, such as Indonesian Kendall’s review of that work is in this issue of VGN. romance novels. There are fellowships available for It’s the first informed evaluation of Wittman to next summer’s SEASSI in Seattle. For information, appear in the public prints. Also in the Book write to: John Wolff, SEASSI, G02E Uris Hall, Review section, Andrew Gettler and Bill Shields, Ithaca, NY 14853. vet poets, review recent books by W.D. Ehrhart and Elliott Richman. Tony Williams examines Phillip A qent O ranqe Book BAck iN P r Int Melling’s Vietnam in American Literature, Susanne Carter reviews Mariam Novak’s new book Waiting for an Army to Die: The Tragedy of on being a veteran’s wife. Lonely Girls with , by Fred A. Wilcox, Seven Locks Burning Eyes, and Daniel Egger reports on a Press, Cabin John, MD, 1983 and 1991. Paper. consequence of the war upon the study of philosophy, 240 pages. $10.95. Call 800-537-9359 or write PO Martin Bernal’s Black Athena. At the heart of the 27, Cabin John, MD, 20818. Features section, reviewer Bill Shields gives a Reprint of the 1983 book that brought attention series of short poems of blood and sorrow. When to Agent Orange, the twelve million gallons of they came in the mail, I wrote back to Shields that herbicide dropped over 5 million acres of Vietnam I hoped he was making it all up, that he really spent and on top of many U.S. troops. This edition has the the war pumping gas in Ohio, but sadly that’s not author’s new introduction, reflecting on true. Alan Farrell has contributed a brief essay on developments since first publication. Wilcox is a tenure and violent death. Ben Kieman tells about graduate of Iowa, and editor of Grass Roots: An trying to report on Cambodia for the U.S. media. We Anti-Nuclear Source Book. He lives in introduce Alasdair Spark, a British critic of Vietnam Trumansburg, New York.

2 J une, 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. Vo Lume 5 NuMbER 2

opposed to U.S. domination of the 3rd World.” Staff includes Lewis Beilis, Fred Krauss, Carol McLean, TNe A merican FUm Institute Ann Rainsford, and Chris Robinson, all volunteers. A year’s subscription, four issues, is $15, to: P.O. Doug Lambeth, of the Louis B. Mayer Library at the Box 14602, Philadelphia, PA, 19134. American Film Institute, maintains clipping files on “The Vietnam War in motion pictures and television. ” G et Y our WoRk C ataIoquec] He also maintains individual files on the following movies: (MP #746), The Boys in Any person wishing to have his or her Vietnam Company C (MP #843), Coming Home (MP #959), Area/PCA paper professionally catalogued and (MP #2137), thereby added to one of the largest collections of (MP #10,269), Go Tell the Spartans (MP #1146), Vietnam War literature existing in the USA should Hamburger Hill (MP # 10,540), Platoon (MP #9873). submit one copy of the paper to John S. Baky, Contact: Doug Lambeth, Louis B. Mayer Library, Bibliographer, Special Collections, Connelly Library, American Film Institute, PO Box 27999, 2021 La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA 19141. North Western Avenue, , CA 90027, The paper will become a permanent item record 213-856-7600. in one of the largest international databases in the world—OCLC. That means that the submitted R econ paper will be made available to the world’s scholarly communities via individual citations and Inter- Recon showed up in the mail. It is the publication Library loan systems. All papers from any year of of the Recon Network, an alliance of peace groups the VietnamArea/PCA annual conference are eligible that monitor the military. The January issue that for submission. we were sent as a part of a mail solicitation has about nine well-informed articles. The lead, “Resist ChlRON Review U.S. War in the Persian GulF is a straightforward opinion piece. The rest of the articles draw on The Chiron Review, Volume X, #1 (Spring 1991), government information to give detailed analysis of issue is devoted to work by Vietnam vets, though specific military issues. One article, which must there is no title or announcement to that effect. have been obsolete a month after publication, Andrew Gettler did much of the work of assembling discusses the exact U.S. troop strengths worldwide. the issue, and is so credited by editor Michael The Winter Resources column reviews books on the Hathaway. There are poems, usually four or more, present U.S. military forces. One interesting item from Gettler, Jabiya Dragonsun, W.D. Ehrhart, reviewed is U.S. Military Strategy in the Gulf by Lamont B. Steptoe, David Connolly, Kevin Bowen, Amitav Acharya (New York: Routledge, 1989). James Soular, B.D. Trail, Jon Forrest Glade, Art Many of the books mentioned are from non-trade Gottlieb, Aubrey Montague, Mack Moore, and sources, such as the U.S. General Accounting Jonathan Block. There is fiction from David Willson Office and the Defense Manpower Data Center. and Jerome Gold. There are eleven frank book There is a detailed article on pollution at the Jefferson reviews by experts. There is a handsome photo of Proving Ground, and related items on “Sites With Steve Mason on the cover, and photos and bios for Unexploded Ordnance.” Other articles discuss many of the poets. The back cover is a patriotic developments in artillery fuses for the Army, U.S. poem from Aubrey Montague, age 9, for the troops arms sales by year, weapon, and region, and an in the Gulf. There is no table of contents. There is appeal to stop trains with nuclear warheads. I’m no a great deal of valuable information about earlier judge of arms reporting, but Recon's wealth of publications by the contributors. detailed information recommends it as a serious This issue amounts to a full report of the effort. The facts and figures are pleasantly laid out achievement of the poets active in in two columns on eight double-sided white 81/2 by the small presses, drawing on years of passionate 11" pages. involvement in that scene by Andrew Gettler. The The masthead says that Recon “is published poets represented form a community of individuals quarterly for the purpose of keeping an eye on the in touch with each other’s work, not just a gang of Pentagon, Recon supports those groups thatresist logrollers. There is fine sensibility consistent , especially anti-imperialist groups

3 J une, 1991 V ietnam G eneration, Inc. Vo Lume 5 NuMbER 2 throughout the book, that has to do with remaining of love, is in no way businesslike, and does not faithful to some rather vivid early experiences while require a vague promise of charity to show that it is trying not to just moan on about blood and guts. not exploiting people. Order the book if you like war This matter is discussed with taste and intelligence stories. If you want to help out, send a check and experience in the several book reviews. If directly to Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association, someone would write a close and extensive review 7 Mill Brook Road, Wilton NH 03086. of the Chiron issue, I’d be eager to publish it. This issue would be an excellent teaching text for any CoMics J ournaI course on the literature of the war, and richly deserves to be developed into a book. The present Comics Journal: The Magazine of News and tabloid, 24 pp. of newsprint, is available for $2 from Criticism. Theme Issue: “Viet Nam: The War in Michael Hathaway, 1514 Stone, Great Bend, KS Comics.” No. 136. July 1990. 120 pp. 67530-4027.

Snazzy cover with two KIAs, three live grunts, two ets CollECTiON by V helicopters, and a cloud from a napalm strike across the way. Interview with the creators of “The Adventures in Hell: Stories about the Vietnam Nam” and “Vietnam Journal”. An essay: “Naked War by Vietnam Vets. Volume I: A Collection of Aggression: The Politics of American .” , edited and published by stories by Vietnam Vets And a “Graphic Essay on How ’60s and ’70s Comics David Anderson, a Vietnam vet; foreword by Texas Distorted The War” from our own David Willson. A & M University Press Director John Setter (Vietnam Substantial issue on a rich topic. Comics Journal vet). Ritz Publishing, 202 W. Fifth Avenue, Ritzville, back issues are available at any comics shop. WA 99169, 509/659-4336. 256 pp. $11.95. Nicely done promo package received on this all- DAvid STifflER vet production of “short fiction, first-person testimonial, and poetry by men and women who David Stifller, the noted ethnographer, is a Vietnam experienced the agonies of war.” The collection vet. He served with the USARV 90th Replacement editor was a Marine combat medic 1968-69. It’s not Battalion at Ton Son Nhut airport and Long Binh clear that the fine wartime snapshots included in July ’67 - May '68, doing R&R flights. He spent a lot the mailing are from the book, though it seems of time in Cholon, making his first attempts at likely. Authors include a three-war Army/Marine participant observation. He ended up living in an lifer and “the most decorated Vietnam vet in New Indian temple, and was investigated by Army York State.” There was a positive review from Dan Intelligence for fraternizing with foreign nationals. Webster of the Spokane, WA Spokesman-Review, You may have noticed Stifller in the news a few 2/3/91. There is a lengthy blurb by the taciturn years ago when he and his Phillipine wife were Vietnam War bibliographer John Newman, who kidnapped in Mindinao. The communists who isn't known to flatter, and a strong endorsement apprehended him were concerned by David’s from REMF novelist David Willson, who promises to activities as a music researcher, but he eventually teach the book in his college classes. It sounds like established his bona fides and the couple were it would be a good deal at twice the price. The press released. Stifller is probably somewhere in Southeast promises to publish more “realistic reflections of Asia at present, but I spoke with him briefly by America’s most controversial war" in the future. phone in New York in mid-January, when he was They also promise that “a percentage of net profit just back from Vietnam. He has worked out some from the sale of each book will be donated to kind of program with Hanoi’s Institute of Ethnology, disabled American veterans.” Well, that’s nice. I’d Department of Social Sciences, to record the be more impressed by a dollar amount. A percentage handicrafts of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minorities. The of the net is what Diana Ross gave New York. It’s an work would follow up on an ethnographic survey unnecessary gesture, in any event. If the people initiated by . Stiffler hopes to create who worked on this book had put their time and some export trade of handicrafts, a development money in the labor and capital markets, just bagging strategy that has shown some limited success in groceries and putting their fun money into a bank other poor countries. He was unable to visit the account, instead of writing and editing copy and Highlands on this trip, due to restrictions that paying the printer, they would have saved more rumor attributed to airdrops from Thailand of dollars than their book will ever earn. I’m saying that they gave at the office. A good book is a labor

4 J une, 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. Vo I ume 5 NumI>er 2 weapons to the Montagnards. Stifiler was going to 23) Hearts and Minds cover shows one GI using send me some press releases before he returned to a scantily clad Vietnamese as a shield against Vietnam later in the week, but then the war started, another GI, all three backgrounded by a frantic and we lost touch. If you’d like to bug him, call his defensive infantry battle and a tactical air strike. Institute for the Preservation of Traditional Arts and Folklore, at 212/477-4710. GEORqE Bush R esource

Book on ThE FUq ANd U.S. Civil REliqioN On the free literature table at PCA/San Antonio, I picked up a copy of “George Herbert Walker Bush: The American Flag, 1777-1924: Cultural Shift The Tradition of the WASP President”, by Delia B. from Creation to Codification, by Scot M. Conti, Penn State McKeesport, University Drive, Guenter, Farleigh Dickinson University Press, New McKeesport, PA 15132. Ms. Conti was scheduled to Jersey, 256 pages, 13 illustrations, bibliography, give the paper in the Politics Area. A wonderfully index, notes and appendix, $34.50, 1990. detailed report, illustrated with about 200 quotations You can use an old British flag to clean your from the press, worth writing for. Conti identifies shoes in England, and nobody will raise an eyebrow. JFK as a WASP, an odd mistake for an Italian to Most countries are that way, because they have make. A good report on the public image of our orthodox religions, and if they have sacred idols President. they aren’t the national flag. In the U.S., it’s different. Here at last is a detailed history of how BAsic Book things got to be this way. Guenter is assistant professor of American Studies at San Jose State Language, History and Literature Guide to University. He got his degree in that subject from Southeast Asia, Patricia Herbert and Anthony the University of Maryland. He publishes in The Flag Milner, eds.. Published in North America by Bulletin, Flagscan, John and Mary’s Journal, University of Hawaii Press, 2840 Kolowalu St., and Crux Australis. His manuscript was Honolulu, HI 96822. (192 pp.) $18.95. consulted by the Supreme Court as an historical authority in the recent controversy over burning This concise guide to Southeast Asia was compiled and stepping on the Stars and Stripes. by the South-East Asia Library Group, based in the UK. The history, languages, writing systems, F rom Bud PI ant and literature are introduced in separate chapters for Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Bud Plant’s Comic Art Update March/April 1991, , , Philippines, and overseas No. 124, offers some goodies. “Enemy Ace: War Chinese. There is a select bibliography at the end Idyll, by George Pratt. The legendary Baron Hans of each chapter. Minority languages and literatures Von Hammer, “Hammer of Hell” returns in this all- are not included. Scholars and librarians from new . It is 1969 and a reporter has Europe, Southeast Asia, and Australia have come to small sanitarium in to interview contributed to this work. the once-celebrated German ace. Hammer and the [This short review lifted directly from the reporter (an ex-Vietnam war tunnel rat), search Southeast Asian Refugee Studies Newsletter. through their memories and find they have more in Volume 11, Number 1, Winter 1991, University of common than they thought. Painted artwork, , 330 Hubert H. Humphrey Center, 301 sketches. Color jacket, gold-embossed hardcover, 19th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55455, 612- DC comics, order: ENEMYHC, HCV, 7 x 10, 128 pp, 625-5535. Glenn Hendricks, editor in chief About FC $24.95.” (p. 20) Also, “Hearts and Minds: A ten pages of hard information: short reviews, Vietnam Love Story. Regular ‘Nam writer Doug announcement, a calendar of events. J Murray teams with the unparalleled for this hard-bitten unexpurgated story of the war in HuyNh S anH ThoNq ANd The JouknaI of Vietnam. Because this graphic novel is not subject UnconventIonaI HIstory to the comics code Authority, you can expect a grittier Vietnam experience in this edition than is Huynh Sanh Thong has published a series of three usually found in issues of The ‘Nam. A young articles in the Journal of Unconventional History draftee finds Vietnam reality is far from what he (Vol 2: 1, 2, 3. Fall 1990, Winter 1991, Spring imagined, and he falls in love with a beautiful 1991). Supported by a MacArthur fellowship, Huynh hooker. Order: Hearts, SC, 8 x 11, FC, $8.95.” (p.

5 J une. 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. VolUME > NUMbER 2

has moved on from his project of translating the widely separate realms of reading and experience, core of Vietnamese poetry Into English (The Tale of with no apology but hard information and good Kieu, 1974; The Heritage of Vietnamese Poetry, sense. Send $7.50 for single issues ($20 for an 1979) to seek out “the origin of thought, language, individual subscription, or $22.50 for institutions) and culture.” He is convinced that human language to Box 459, Cardiff by the Sea, CA 92007. developed from mothers attempting to communicate with their children in Africa about 150,000 years Ia D ranq ago. Like the poet Robert Graves and the archaeologist Marija Gimbutas, Huynh says that a You may have missed the October 29, 1990 U.S. masculinist revolution took place about 5,000years News and World Report cover story on the battle ago and obscured this fundamental structure of in la Drang valley, November 1965. Author Joseph culture, the relationship of mother and child. Huynh L. Galloway, now Senior Editor, was a 24-year-old points out that the idea of a creative deity being UPI correspondent on the scene. He stayed into male is silly when you think about it, and suggests 1966, and returned in 1971, 1973, 1975, and 1990. that the original gender distinction was not male/ It’s a lengthy special report, pages 36-51. There are female but mother/son. Athird aspect of his theory battle maps and contemporary photos, and present- is that snakes represent the original abstraction, day interviews with participants on both sides. On the first symbol for the generative mother and for page 48 there is a photo of the opposing commanders, death. Using a sense of ironic punning in wordplay Giap and Moore, having a chat in Hanoi. There’s on the syllable “ma”, instead of the rules of sound another box on pp. 50-51, with update photos on 6 change developed by historical linguistics, Huynh U.S. soldiers. The cover shows a close-up of the ranges among world languages, finding snakes and Wall, with two hands making a rubbing of the name mothers in all the important words of each culture. of Willie F. Godbolt, a la Drang KIA. William He sums up his theory as follows, “Thought, Westmoreland, David Hackworth, Vo Nguyen Giap, language, and culture have evolved from one symbol: and others place great stress on this battle in their the mother/snake.” In the view of the linguistics competing interpretations of the strategy of the taught in every university department, this is war. Galloway's storyjust won a National Magazine nonsense. Huynh makes his attack on academic Award for Feature Writing, reported in 4-24-91 scholarship very plain, claiming that sounds have New York Times, p. C22. inherent meaning, a bald contradiction of the linguistic tradition of the arbitrariness of the signifier. It 's OfficiAl Huynh is a remarkably sane and cheerful man, and his theory has obvious attractions for anyone who The last words of the Additional Bibliography, page feels the incantatoiy power of words and is distressed 372 of Marilyn Young’s The Vietnam Wars: 1945- by the gap present in all history between action and 1990 (HarperCollins, 1991), p. 372: meaning. Though Huynh is emphatically outside “There are two journals of exceptional interest: the tradition of linguistics, he is in step with a Vietnam Forum and Vietnam Generation. The general movement in that world towards more former, published by the Yale Center for comprehensive theories. See the cover story of the International and Area Studies, carries important April, 1991 Atlantic, “QuestfortheMotherTongue” translations of Vietnamese literature as well as by Robert Wright, a roundup of current essays on its history and culture. Vietnam investigations towards a theory of a single origin for Generation encourages an interdisciplinaiy study all human language. A senior Indo-Europeanist of the Vietnam War. Its special issues (on Kent tells me that Wright’s assessment of the theories State and Jackson State, the experiences of blacks and the personalities of the linguists involved is in the military, for example) are exemplary.” accurate. The Journal of Unconventional History is A New V ietnam PUy something you should all subscribe to. It is published three times a year. It publishes smart There was an actor working in my basement this essays that you aren’t going to see anywhere else. January who came up to get warm by the fire and Alongside Huynh’s article. Issue 2:2 has a study of it turns out he was the sole white player In a new urban environments in science fiction of the 20s, an Vietnam play that opened in March, 1989 at Barbara essay on sideshows, and something called “Stop AnnTeer’s National Black Theater at 125th and 5th Egg-Boxing Villard de Honnecourt”. The main drift in Manhattan. Beyond the Call of Duty, by Jamal seems to be insights taken from comparison of Joseph, tells the story of a tense reunion of the

6 June, 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NUMbER 2

“Ghost Squad”, an assassination team. The play Authors covered include just about everyone you takes place in the present, when “Askari” busts out might think, and more than few that you would not. of jail and arranges a meet with “Brotherman”. The An authoritative and expansive review of what’s police arrive, Brotherman is killed and Askari, been written and what we all think about it. Good wounded, escapes to the apartment of their old as an introduction, as a reference, and as a report squad leader, “LV (Las Vegas)”, who calls in “Poison” on the latest thought. See the last Newsletter for and “Zoom”. They convene to figure out how to help a full list of contents, and look for a lengthy review Askari. In their discussions they flash back to an in a subsequent issue. Good blurbs from William aborted mission when they killed their incompetent Searle and Philip Beidler. Terrific introductory West Point lieutenant and ran home. Steve Zubkoff, essay from the author, sensibly reviewing the my informant, played Poison, who is a lawyer in the literature, the criticism, and role they play in the present of the play. Steve says that Joseph, the broader scheme of things. Jason is professor of playwright, shared a cell in Leavenworth with a English at the U.S. Naval Academy, who generously Special Forces vet with experiences similar to those supported the project. of Joseph’s characters. Steve says that Joseph was imprisoned on a charge of conspiracy having to do J erome Gold INoveI with Huey Newton. Joseph has a screenplay. Liberated Territory, regarding the Black Panthers. The Inquisitor, by Jerome Gold, Black Heron Press, VGN would welcome a feature article on this play, 1991, 209 pp.. Cloth $19.95, paper $9.95. its playwright, and its production. The cast was A new novel by the author of The Negligence of trained in night patrol by Harlem veterans, setting Death, that spooky inward account of a Green ambush and taking hills in Momingside Park. Beret’s spiritual journey towards a nihilist embrace of death and killing during one of the two or three C aII For EssAys foR S econcJary BiblioqRAphy NVA tank attacks on a Special Forces camp. The protagonist shoots down his comrades as their Phil Jason has contracted with Salem Press to position falls. The present book is a hardboiled provide a book-length annotated bibliography of narration by a Sioux who falls from the position of selected secondary sources on Vietnam War government investigator to that of rent-a-cop, as he literature. His deadline is February 1992, and the and the country disintegrate. The setting is the not- book will come out in the fall of that same year. Any quite-post-apocalyptic U.S., as in John Varley’s researcher wishing to make sure that Jason doesn’t The Persistence of Vision or the movie miss his or her books or articles should send in off­ Bladerunner. The world hasn’t been destroyed, prints or photocopies (or at least full bibliographical but things are even worse than they are now. I references). Jason would particularly welcome haven’t read the book, but it looks good from a skim. notice of items due to be published in 1991. Send Gold is a Special Forces vet, a serious novelist, and materials or information to Prof. Philip K. Jason, a valuable small press publisher. Department of English, Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD 21402. CAlliNq A ll HisTORiANs

Book O ut by PCA/VIetnam C r It 'ics “Have you written or are now considering a historical essay that is so original in concept or treatment that Fourteen Landing Zones: Approaches to Vietnam it cannot find publication in mainstream journals? War Literature If so, the editors of The Journal of Uncon­ Edited by Philip K. Jason, appearing in March, ventional History would like to hear from you. 1990, $32.50 cloth, $13.95 paper, from University Please send one-page abstracts ONLY, with a of Iowa Press, Iowa City, Iowa 52242. It’s the third covering letter explaining why you feel your work is collection of essays about Vietnam war literature, too unusual to get a hearing elsewhere, to the after William Searle’s groundbreaking Search and Editors, The Journal of Unconventional History, Clear (1988) and Lorrie Smith and Owen Gilman’s P.O. Box 459, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA 92007. The fine America Rediscovered. Critics include Maria Journal is published three times a year (Fall, S. Bonn, Jacqueline E. Lawson, Katherine Kinney, Winter, and Spring). The editors are now evaluating Lorrie Smith, Don Ringnalda, John Clark Pratt, essays for the Fall, 1991 issue and beyond.” Send James R. Aubrey, Owen W. Gilman, Jr., Jacqueline $7.50 for single issues ($20 for an individual R. Smetak, Matthew C. Stewart, Stuart Ching, subscription, or $22.50 for institutions. SeeHuynh Mark A. Heberle, Cornelius A. Cronin, and KaliTal. Sanh Thong article in this Announcements section.

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MiNORiTy P aneL it. He is confused about it. Dubose pointed out that 17 and 18 year olds can’t think, in any normal sense Ron E. Armstead, Jaime Rodriguez, and Peter Kiang of the word. The military makes them think they from the William Joiner Center for the Study of War can walk through walls. He served in Vietnam and Social Consequences, UMASS/Boston gave a 1966-1967. He was a married high school drop out, panel presentation at the Yale Law School on with a baby, when he was drafted. He started as a Tuesday, February 5th. David DuBose, with the clerical worker in the South, but lost that position New Haven Vets Center, also spoke. The event was for associating with a black high school friend with organized by Jennifer Alleyne-Johnson, 203/432- a Boston accent. Neither of them understood how 4131 or 397-8811, some variety of doctoral to behave in the South. Their secondary MOS, as candidate. Armstead, an activist, is writing an MA with many black soldiers, was infantry. DuBose on organizing Vietnam veterans. He is also observed that war makes young men Into old men. developing courses on black Americans in the The main fact of life in a war zone is that you can’t military. Jaime Rodriguez spoke on the fifty walk from here to there with safety and assurance. thousand Puerto Ricans sent to Basic in South However, your military training makes you think Carolina during the war who couldn't speak English. you can. So you “get skills or scars.” Moreover, “If There was no Spanish-language training. They you had nothing when you left, you come back to mostly ended up in the infantry. He noted that less.” He was in Vietnam 11 months and 22 days. Puerto Rico has been 500 years a colony, and is still He was a practicing Muslim then, and still is. He proud. They hate as well as the U.S. They attributes his success in life to learning. When he send their sons to the military for the income. Mr. was a veterans’ counselor, he would tell his patients Rodriquez noted that Hispanic infantry veterans “You have to find the same kind of energy you used from Vietnam did not do well back home. They were to survive over there, and use it here today.” He has hard to handle after learning to disregard the 10 contempt for those in the . He is Commandments they were brought up on. He certain that every aspect of the Gulf War has been attacked the notion of the veteran as a baby-killer. planned thoroughly, and there is no chance of He himself was hassled by four or five hippies in civilians affecting the war's path. JFK on his return. He pointed out that an infantryman is someone who does what he is told to WilllAivi JoiNER C enter Writers' WoRkshop do. He suggested that every veteran should work for peace, and pleaded for good treatment for those The William Joiner Center for the Study of War and returning from the Gulf. Peter Kiang spoke on the Social Consequences and the Creative Writing 35 to 85 thousand Asian-Americans who served in Program of the University of Massachusetts at Vietnam. This ethnic group was not recorded in Boston are sponsoring a Writers’ Workshop from service records of the time, so it is hard to know the June 17 to June 28. There will be readings, number more closely than that. There are no seminars, panel discussions and special events. government studies on the topic. He noted that KLA Faculty are , Larry Heinemann, from those who served in Vietnam from Wayne Karlin, YusefKomunyakaa and Bruce Weigl. and Hawaii seem unusually high. Kiang is interested Please address inquiries about the workshop and in learning more about stories from Asian-American related public events to: Michael Sullivan or Leslie veterans. He noted that Asians and Hispanics Bowen, William Joiner Center, UMASS/Boston, would put on black pajamas and do infiltration MA 02125-3393, 617-287-5850. work. Kiang also mentioned a “Team Hawaii” that was fired upon by U.S. helicopters, presumably LITERATURE ANd PollTiCS because of their Asian features. Kiang pointed to the issue of Arab-Americans in the Gulf today. From the PCA/San Antonio lit table: “Proposals are David Dubose, the New Haven veteran, actually invited for 1992 Popular Culture/American Culture spoke second. He is a very deep guy, a Association meeting in Louisville, KY in March, psychotherapist, a distinguished citizen. He noted 1992. Submit one-page proposals on any aspect of that the Persian Gulf is SOS, the same old stuff. He North American literature and politics, considered thinks the recent war was wired from the start. The in the broadest sense to Adam J. Sorkin, ACA Area military had eight years to plan it. It is an older Chair, Literature and Politics, Penn State—Delaware crowd fighting this one. People are confused about County Campus, Media, PA 19063-5596. Hewillbe unable to respond between mid-May and early

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September. Possible topics include the the few published filmographies then available and representation of political figures and topics in the I was drawn into building a filmography for possible writing of the U. S. and Canada, the political attitudes future acquisition here. of an author and their effect on his or her writing, Although I had originally intended to limit this the hidden political and economic assumptions filmography to dramatic feature films, I soon came within a work or an oeuvre or a literary movement, to believe that this was too narrow a focus for any political satire, the dramatics or rhetoric of realistic understanding of the relation the war and revolution, the revolutionary as heroine or hero, the film record. I therefore began to expand the political change, political ideology and writing, the scope of the research to include productions for political climate of a period as reflected in its television, documentaries and propaganda films. literature, the politics of war and peace in literature, Geographically the research expanded beyond character choice as political choice, apolitical Vietnam to include coverage of war related events evasions, political commitment and character, the throughout Indochina. Ultimately, any film or political presuppositions of readers, leadership, television production describing the war, the discipleship, rebellion, disobedience, etc. etc. etc.” conditions in Indochina leading to it, and its Sounds great. Another good reason to attend aftermath have been included. Four years of part- Vietnam Area/PCA. time research have lead to a filmography of more than 800 dramatic titles and more than 1800 JJ IMa I o : V ietn a m FilMoqRAphy ANd documentary or propaganda works. Films on Indochina begin with documentaries CollECTiON ON EhRhART by Louis Lumiere made at the turn of the century {Coolies 'a Saigon, 1897, is the earliest I have One productive piece of business in the halls at the found), but most of the film has, obviously, been Vietnam Area/PCA conference in San Antonio this turned out since 1960. Many European countries April was Jean-Jacques Malo’s meeting of have produced one or two dramatic films which contributors to his Filmography of the Vietnam were touched by the war but most production has War. He gathered a solid group: Katherine Kinney, come from the United States, Vietnam, the Alan Farrell, Renny Christopher, Cindy Fuchs, Philippines and . The material runs the David Willson, John Baky, Tony Williams and other gamut: from the major Hollywood productions like sharp writers. If you’d like to join in, write to Malo, to episodes of the television series ask for his masterful manifesto, “Vietnam Apocalypse Now, Wonder Woman, the Bimbo and Rambone Filmography: A Critical Overview and a Continuing pornographic video series, documentaries like the Search for the Genre”, and see if there are any films Syrian and foreign dramatic productions left for you to cover. Napalm, like the Australian Zombie Brigade. Jean-Jacques has also started a project to The two chief obstacles I have encountered in publish a collection of essays about the work of this work are the difficulties of identifying U.S. W.D. Ehrhart. McFarland, publisher of the poet’s government films/repositories and Vietnamese films memoirs, has expressed interest. If you’re interested generally. The former is in part a result of the in contributing to the Ehrhart collection or the diffuse nature of U.S. government film production Vietnam War Filmography contact: Jean-Jacques and the fact that some material is still held in one Malo, 441 Corliss Avenue, Apt. #7, Seattle, WA sort of restricted access or other. The latter is a 98103, 206-548-1419. result of the fact that most Vietnamese films are produced for internal consumption and are only r o ject n iNdochiNA FilMoqRAphy P I PRoqRESs briefly mentioned or never recorded at all in film literature. I am beginning to suspect that a journey by John McAskill, Systems Librarian, La Salle to Hanoi may be the only way around this obstacle. University For each title identified in this search, I have gathered as much information as possible including In 1986, the La Salle University library began to production information, credits, brief plot synopsis, develop a special collection of literature around the all critical references in the literature, and records theme of “Fictive Representations of the Vietnam of library holdings of films, videos, and related War.” This material, which included film scripts, sound recordings as recorded in such national piqued my interest in the part films had played in library data bases as OCLC and RLIN. As I approach mythologizing the war. The mid-1980s surge of this material from the perspective of an historian/ Vietnam War dramas and “documentary” videos librarian, it is particularly important to me to aimed at the Vietnam veteran market had outdated

9 J une. 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NUMbER 2 compile a complete record of critical materials on fatigues, with a single black rubber galosh on his the films and to record where the films themselves head, working a rotary eggbeater with both hands, may be found. Most of the records in my files are who marched alongside the main flow, chanting, one page or less, but the entries for the most “Kill all the people we don’t like.” VGN publisher Kali significant productions are quite extensive Tal’s original placards (“Beat Bush Into APlowshare," (Apocalypse Now, for example, has 15 pages of etc.], generously distributed, were a big hit with critical references.) The total run of the material photographers. As we passed the State Department, fills ten large three ring binders. Troup led us in a search of the windows for the I currently maintain title and author alphabetical hostage April Glaspie. There were about 200 computerized indexes for all this. I have also done counterdemonstrators in Lafayette Park, harassing further indexing on names in the credits and casts those passing by. There was a droll encounter of dramatic films. These two indexes are complete between two guys in fatigues in the peace march (within the limitations of sometimes sketchy and a counterdemonstrator in country club casuals. sources). I am now at work on a subject index for The counterdemonstrator, holding a large portrait the dramatic films and plan to index all criticism as of our Vice President, chanting in favor of war, well (e.g. an author index to critical material). prompted the guys in fatigues to suggest, several Although I intend to computerize and publish all times, “Why don’t you sign up, fat boy?” Alert and the basic material I have accumulated, the sheer determined peace marshalls restrained the veterans bulk of material and the research yet to be done on for about fifteen minutes until they moved along. documentaries means that full publication is some years off. MLA Vietnam War U t As this filmography has developed, the Connelly Library at La Salle has built a significant collection The First Annual Central New York Modem of more than 400 videorecordings which includes Language Association Conference will focus on most of the available commercial releases ofVietnam “Literature of the Vietnam War”. The conference War dramas and the most significant documentaries. will take place October 20-22, 1991. Submit The Vietnam special collection also includes film complete papers, approximately 12 pp. (15-minute scripts, sound track albums, press kits, and related presentations) to Frank Burdick, History, Box 2000, critical material. Any researchers interest in using Courtland, NY 13045. Deadline June 15. Sorry this collection should contact John Baky, Special about limited information - got this all second hand Collections Librarian, Connelly Library, La Salle from John Bakey, La Salle University Special University, Philadelphia, PA 19141. Collections Librarian, who plans to attend.

or eace MARch F P New BiblioqRAphy

In case you’ve forgotten, between 100,000 and David A. Willson has brought out a third edition of 300,000 Americans (depending upon who's his list of literature related to the U.S. war in counting) travelled to Washington and marched all Southeast Asia, dated March 1991, called Willson's day holding signs on Saturday, January 25, to Bibliography. The previous edition is known as express disapproval of the Gulf War. I had a REMF Bibliography II. pleasant walk with two combat veterans, John “The materials listed in the bibliography have, Creech and Troup Matthews. One of several at one time or another, been read, looked at, held, interesting things about Troup is that he lost half a owned, or otherwise physically examined. There leg in the invasion of Africa. Troup feels bad that he are, therefore, commonly known works that may didn’t protest the war in Vietnam, so he was glad of not appear in this bibliography. The creator and the opportunity to march. John, a combat Marine editorial staff continue to update and add new Vietnam vet, dislikes organized killing, so he rode material to this list. It is an ongoing process. up from in a neighbor’s van to In addition, we are in the process of fully listing express his views. The march was overwhelmingly all stories, poems, and miscellaneous works, good-spirited, with heavy participation by large including general nonfiction and personal puppets. About every 30th person was carrying the narratives. Analytical entries for poetry and stories Stars and Stripes. About 30 Spartacist Youth in are not yet complete. We hope to have full analytics black burnooses were expressing support for in subsequent versions of W illso n ’s Hussein. The woman dancing samba on stilts was Bibliography. incredible. My favorite costume was the man in

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Willson’s Bibliography is not intended to be could just as easily serve in an outright cigarette an annotated bibliography. Any annotations advertisement. Judging from the quality of Gruner’s included consist mostly of very brief descriptions or presentation, and from Franklin’s past work, these quotes, and are meant only to give context when a two books should be so packed with well-ordered work is not obviously dealing with war in Southeast specific information as to be essential references to Asia or it warrants some other explanatory remarks anyone interested in POW/MIA. for clarity.” Subject headings are: Novels, Proofs, P ro test Issues an<] A ctions Pornography, Children’s Books, Graphic Novels, Cartoons, Short Stories, Poetry, Drama, “The Protest Issues and Actions permanent section Screenplays, Reviews, and Miscellaneous. About of the Popular Culture Association seeks proposals 2500 items total. 208 pp. Available from David for its paper session scheduled for the 1992 Annual Willson, Holman Library, Green River Community conference March 18-21 in Louisville, KY. Any form College, 12401 SE 320th St., Auburn, Washington, of protest, past or present, may be examined from 98002.” any appropriate disciplinary perspective. Past papers have included research on protest within INoveLs I rom t Ne P eace C o rps the labor, environmental, women’s, antiwar, antinuclear, and student movements and have From the freebie table at PCA: “Seeking a topic for studied such aspects as the history of a specific a thesis? A dozen or more Peace Corps Volunteers action, the role of mass media, art and music in (PCVs) have become successful novelists and have protest, the rhetoric of protest, and the politics and written books based on their experiences overseas. sociology of protest. Send 250 word proposals by Their work has been awarded the PEN/Faulkner September 1, 1991 to Lotte Larsen, Section Chair, Award, Nebula Award, National Book Award and Protest Issues and Actions, College Library, Western other national and international prizes. They Oregon State College, Monmouth, OR 97361,503/ include: PaulTheroux, Richard Wiley, Bob Shacocis, 838-8888." Maria Thomas, Mary Ann Tirone Smith, Norm Rush, P.F. Kluge, Suzy McKee Chamas and Kent S esto VEcchi Haruf, among others. Do you have a graduate student interested in Peace Corps Novels as a topic One of the more interesting Americans writing of study? Please direct all inquiries to John Coyne, about the U.S. and Vietnam today is an attorney, 99 Reed Avenue, Pelham Manor, NY 1003.” John is Sesto Vecchi. After serving in the U.S. Navy from a novelist, PCV, and editor of the quarterly newsletter 1962-1966, including service in the Philippines, he RPCVWRITERS. When I get a copy I’ll tell you what founded the firm of Kaplan Russin Vecchi & it’s like. Kirkwood. He set up the Saigon office in 1966 and practiced there until 1974. He moved to the Thailand POW/MIA STudiES office until 1981, when he came to New York. Vecchi visited Hanoi in 1989, and has been active Two thoughtful, well-documented books are nearly in U.S.-Vietnam affairs since then, publishing 20 done on these difficult topics. H. Bruce Franklin, at solid, useful journal and newspaper articles. Some Rutgers, hopes to finish this summer an historical push for normalization, like, “U.S. Businesses and critical account of the U.S. concern with MIAs. Losing Economic War in Vietnam” ( Franklin’s study focuses in part on the issue as a Chronicle, 7/15/90). Others are primers for creature of ’s public-relations and Western businesses hoping to work in Vietnam, like peace-negotiation strategies. Elliott Gruner, in “Foreign Investment Application Procedures” {Asian English at the U.S.M.A. at West Point, is almost Law and Practice, 4/16/90). Vecchi also writes finished with a study of POW narratives in the commentary on Vietnam’s efforts to attract Western context of U.S. literature, going back to colonial investors, such as “Now Vietnam Means Business” narratives of capture by the Indians. Gruner gave (Far Eastern Economic Review, 5/18/91). an impressive presentation at the Vietnam Area/ Vecchi’s firm offers, for a nominal fee, translations PCA conference in San Antonio in March, drawing of such essential documents as as Vietnam’s “Law on his exhaustive reading to comment on a Phillip on Foreign Investment in Vietnam” and “The Decree Morris advertisement that shows a former POW in of the Council of Ministers: Regulating in detail the a business suit. The ad copy tells of the ex-prisoner implementation of the Law on Foreign Investment enjoying the taste of freedom, in language that in Vietnam." Contact Vecchi at: Russin, Vecchi &

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Kirkwood, 90 Park Avenue, NY NY 10016-1387, Texas TecN U niversity 212-210-9543, FAX 9493. Branches in Bangkok, Bogota, Madrid, Miami, San Francisco, Santo Found on a chair at PCA/San Antonio: “Established Domingo, Taipei, and Washington. by the Board of Regents in December, 1989 , the Center for the Study of the Vietnam Conflict is ViETNAivi Topics at SHAFR C onference a unit of the College of Arts and Sciences. Texas Tech University. Its purpose is to encourage research At the 17th Annual Conference of the Society for in Vietnam-related topics through support and use Historians of American F oreign Relations, at George of the Vietnam Archive at Texas Tech University. Washington University in Washington D.C. June The Center functions as a focal point for both public 19-22, there will be several panels of Vietnam war and academic research and serves to attract funding interest. Panels #24-26 are “Domestic Issues and for scholarships and grants for advanced research the Vietnam War” (11 am - 1pm, 6/20), “The in these areas. In addition, the Center also provides Vietnamese and the War in Vietnam” (8:30-10:30 funding for the Vietnam Archive at Texas Tech am, 6/21), “Military History and the Vietnam War” University for acqu isitions of collections and program (1-3 pm, 6/22), and #28 “America and the Ending support. of the Third Indochina War” (9-11 am, 6/22). The Center also provides numerous avenues of Registration is $30, $10 for students. Contact: public awareness for Vietnam conflict studies: the Prof. Sandra C. Taylor, SHAFR, Department of establishment of an oral history program designed History, University of Utah, 211 Carlson Hall, Salt to record the South Plains Vietnam experience; the Lake City, Utah 84112. For motel and dorm development of a resource center/training facility information, contact: Prof. William H. Becker, for secondary school teachers desiring to teach the History, George Washington University, Vietnam War in regional high schools; and the Washington, D.C. 20052. organizing and hosting of major conferences on the Vietnam conflict. STEiNbEck D eacI The Vietnam Archive of Texas Tech University is a unit of the Special Collections Area of the University IV died in Encinitas, CA, February Library. Its purpose is to collect, house and preserve 7, 1991, according to Bruce Leap, obituary writer information related to the in for the Boulder, Colorado Daily Camera. David Vietnam, with special emphasis on the experiences Willson’s column in the next issue of the newsletter of the people ofTexas and the Southwest. Published will be devoted to the life and work of this eloquent material collected for the Archive may comprise REMF. items in all formats pertaining to aspects of the Vietnam War, including military, civilian, economic, TEAchiNq t Ne War social and domestic opposition, and should include literature, music, and poetry. Non-print material may include diaries, letters, photographs, maps, An issue of the Vietnam Generation journal sound recordings, film and video, oral history, devoted to methods of teaching the war will (really) scrapbooks, and albums. appear in the 1992 volume year. Both general The Vietnam Center Advisory Board (Admiral essays and specific materials such as syllabi, lesson Elmo R. Zumwalt, USN (Ret.), Chairman) is an plans, and reading lists will be included. The advisory body of the College of Arts & Sciences, editors are especially Interested in covering Texas Tech University, whose purpose is the approaches from Southeast Asian studies as well enrichment of the total resources and facilities of as from U.S. History and Literature. Send queries the Center for the Study of the Vietnam Conflict and to: Steve Potts, History, Steve Potts, 1501 Superior the Vietnam Archive. Comprised principally of St. #6, Lincoln, NE 68521, 402-438-1320. Vietnam veterans from the community, the Advisory [Note from the General Editor: I apologize for the Board provides guidance and assistance in the long delay in publishing this issue. Brad Christie development of the Vietnam Archive and in all worked hardto bring in submissions in 1989, when activities sponsored by the Center for the Study of a call for papers was first announced. Unfortunately, the Vietnam Conflict.” he was unable to gather enough good material for This all is from the back of a “Preliminary call for thevolume. Since then, the project has languished, Papers for Vietnam: Paris + 20: A conference but I am confident that new special editors Dan Marking the 20th Anniversary of the Paris Peace Duffy and Steve Potts will be able to prepare and Accords, Texas Tech University, 15-17 April, 1993. assemble the issue by 1992.—Kali Tal]

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Keynote speaker Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt USVN Rheinbeck, New York. He advocates world peace, (Ret.). Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Vietnam, and personal peacefulness. He works with U.S. 1968-1970. Chief of Naval Operations, 1970-1974. veterans of the war in Vietnam, and with refugees. Proposals are sought for papers by participants in There is an inset article, starting page 59, “Healing the war or by academics in any discipline relating to the Wounds of War”, by Katy Butler of Mill Valley, Vietnam. The conference will encompass several CA. Thich Nhat Hanh’s work with veterans sounds simultaneous programs to cater to specific worthwhile, and his past is fascinating. He taught disciplines. Graduate student papers are Asian Studies at Columbia in early 60s, then went encouraged. Contact: James R. Reckner, Director, home to Vietnam to join the Buddhist “third force”, Center for the Study of the Vietnam Conflict, Texas founded an antiwar newspaper, and led a relief Tech University, Box 4529, Lubbock, TX 79409- organization that rebuilt Ty Lo three times. The 1013, 806-742-3742/3744, 806-792-3441 relief organization had fourteen social workers (residence). FAX 806-742-1920.” assassinated by the Allies and the NLF. He toured the U.S. for peace in 1966 and settled in France The ANTI-WARrIor after Saigon denounced him. Martin Luther King Jr. nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize in Subtitled: A newsletter of military dissension 1967. In the early 70s he was chairman of the and resistance. “Published independently by the Vietnamese Buddhist Peace Delegation to the Paris military resisters to the Persian Gulf massacre. Peace Accords. After the fall of Saigon, he went to Featuring stories on prisoners of conscience, Malaysia and to direct a clandestine information on how you can help resisters facing rescue effort for boat people, saving 800 before the upcoming trials, and statements by unapologetic authorities sent him back to the Northern dissidents from within the war machine.” May hemisphere. He has published 72 books, 14 of 1991, First Edition, donation requested $ 1. Tabloid, them translated into English. (See items #2613 newsprint. 8 pages. Attractively layed-out, with through 2631 in Willson’s Bibliography.) Among photos and graphics. Editor Jeffrey A. Patterson, them are Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire (1967), “discharged OTH, USMC resister”, 48 Shattuck The Cry of Vietnam (1968), and Vietnam Poems Square, Box 129, Berkeley, CA 94704, 415-273- (1968). The two East West articles have lots of good 2427. More than 13 informative articles, giving war stories from vets. Thich Nhat Hanh’s address, names and specific circumstances of military for information on meditation programs and books resisters to the last war. Addresses given for several in Vietnamese, is Plum Village, Meyrac, Loubes- support committees. Statements from several Bemac, 47120 Duras, France. For English language resisters facing imprisonment. It seems like the books and tapes and the Mindfulness Bell authorities just discharged resisters, during the Newsletter, write Parallax Press, PO Box 7355, buildup, but now that Desert Storm succeeded, Berkeley, CA94707,415-525-0101. For a quarterly they are prosecuting aggressively. One very funny newsletter on engaged Buddhism, try the Buddhist article, reprinted from , no Peace Fellowship, PO Box 4650, Berkeley, CA94704. date given, about U.S. Army Sergeant Perry Mitchell, In the Summer, 1991 catalogue for Omega: who refused to be deployed to the Gulf unless the Institute for Holistic Studies, page 9, there are U.S. promised to use nuclear weapons. I’m tempted offered two seminars by Thich Nhat Hanh. June 5- to quote extensively from The Anti-WARrior, but 9 “Healing the Wounds of War: A Meditation Retreat you should just subscribe. Patterson clearly has for Veterans”, $180, and a 20% discount is available special information from the anti-war activists who for Vietnam veterans and their families. Children support resisters. The newspapers have provided age 6 and up are welcome. On June 10-14, he will only scattered coverage on this whole topic, but he conduct “Peace is Every Step: A Mindfulness Retreat” puts it all together in one publication. at the same price. Contact Omega Institute, Lake Drive, RD 2, Box 377, Rhinebeck, NY 12572. Thich INHat HanH T ran Quoc Vuonq East West Journal, January 1990, Volume 20, Number 1, “Being Peace with Thich Nhat Hanh”, Dr. Tran Quoc Vuong of Hanoi University has page 56, by Richard Levinson, Senior Writer, deals established a Center of Intercultural Studies in with this Vietnamese monk. He has been at his Hanoi. While in this country as a SEAP Rockefeller Plum Village retreat in France since 1968, but Resident Fellow at Cornell, he presented a paper on makes biannual trips to Omega Institute in “Some Characteristics of Vietnamese Traditional

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Culture” at Yale University’s Southeast Asian anyone criticize any U.S. infantry vet. Ward Just Council Brown Bag Seminar on March 7, 1991. The drops his usual assurance and intelligence to bow paper emphasized the syncretic powers of before this conflict, as most people of tact and grace Vietnamese culture, drawing from India, China, do, saying, “It's not easy, and I feel awkward talking and France. The obvious conclusion is that there is about this, because anybody who was actually a dynamic within Vietnamese society that makes there and fought has got the right to say anything intercultural studies a significant topic for research. he wants to say, and have it believed. That really Contact Dr. Tran via: Southeast Asia Program, comes with the territory." Well, I could take you to Cornell University, 120 Uris Hall, Ithaca, New York, any bar in New Haven to hear some opinions about 14853, 607-255-2378. the war, based on personal experience, that contradict documented fact, humanity, and good War Writers SyMposiuM sense. There are also Holocaust survivors who want to nuke Syria. Should we believe them? The Writer in Our World: A Symposium Maybe this matter will clear up in 2060. You don’t sponsored by TriQuarterly magazine. A special see too many Civil War historians bowing in silence issue of TriQuarterly Magazine, edited by before the opinions of Senator Ruffin. Ward Just, Reginald Gibbons, with additional work by Angela by the way, was wounded while on an operation and Jackson and Bruce Weigl. Symposium Assistant refused evacuation until every wounded G.I. went Director: Fred Shafer. Northwestern University, first, according to David Hackworth. 1986. More than 300 pp. $8.95. Amine of wonderful stuff, right down to the ads. VIETNAM AREA/PCA Many candid photos of a remarkably good-looking bunch. The record of a symposium, with statements The Vietnam Area/Popular Culture Association met by Stanislaw Baranczak, Terrence des Pres, Gloria in annual conference in San Antonio, Texas, March Emerson, Leslie Epstein, Carolyn Forche, Michael 27-30 1991. As in the last two years, there was a S. Harper, Ward Just, Grace Paley, Mary Lee Settle, panel meeting scheduled for every time slot. Funding Robert Stone, Derek Walcott, and C.K. Williams. cuts at many institutions kept several participants The question and answer sessions are also from attending. While we missed those who couldn't transcribed, and other literary celebrities speak be there, we appreciated the many welcome holes from the audience. The standard stuff is there: in the day for rest and quiet discussion. The quality Forche makes bugle music about the glorious role of presentations was high, including new faces of the artist in society. Just gives the dither about attracted by the growing reputation of the event. whether there is any such role, and Des Pres waves Look for a full report in the August issue of VGN, the flag about how great it is that we can all criticize just in time to encourage you to submit your paper the government without going to jail. Would someone proposal for PCA '92 by the September deadline. please just translate these three propositions into Latin, so we can mumble them after the Pledge of THe Vietnam D ata R esource ANd EIectronIc Allegiance before PEN meetings or whatever, so I L ibRARy never have to hear them again? But those three and especially the sensible Grace Paley and the saintly The VDR has been run by Phil Coleman from a Gloria Emerson do make good points about what an shack behind his clothing store in Redondo Beach, energetic person can and can’t do with a typewriter. California since July 1988. It contains a range of The U.S. war in Vietnam comes up frequently. An literary contributions and historical documents especially valuable passage for students of war regarding the war. There is no subscription, no literature is Robert Stone’s account of watching a access charge or user fee. It is accessible via French air strike on ships in Port Said as a U.S. computer modem, 213-373-6597. Voice message sailor in 1956. The discussions are as good as the number 213-373-1223, and office number 213- presentations. Stone is emphatically surly, actually 540-0428. Dr. Edward A. Cole of d Tanglewood treating audience members as opponents who can Road, Paxton, MA offers Coleman’s files on the argue, while Grace Paley rides hard on him to be same basis, to save East Coast users mon^v, but we kind. A combat veteran in the audience makes a don’t have that number yet. One interesting item short, eloquent statement of his ambivalence about on VDR is Coleman’s own book, Cannon Fodder, a knowing for sure that the war was wrong, while also narrative whose insistence on endlessly complicating knowing for sure that he doesn’t want to hear details scared off publishers interested in the book’s power and integrity.

14 J une, 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NUMbER 2

If you have any questions, please contact: Vietnam G eneration iN tfcx E d Lydia Fish, Director Vietnam Veterans Oral History and Folklore Proj ect Vietnam Generation and the Vietnam Department of Anthropology Generation Newsletter are indexed by The Buffalo State College Humanities Index, ABC Clio’s American History 1300 Elmwood Avenue and Life, ABC Clio’s Historical Abstracts, the Buffalo NY 14222 Alternative Press Index, H. W. W ilson ’s Home: 716-883-1843 Cumulative Book Index, Sage Publications’ FAX: 716-878-4009 Public Administration Abstracts, the SmallPress Review, and Sociological Abstracts. Wa r , L iterature, an

VIETNET The editors of War, Literature, and the Arts are accepting manuscripts of 15-30 pages which From Lydia Fish: “VIETNET is the newly created contribute to understanding either war or art, or networking component of the Vietnam Veterans both, by means of critical or scholarly inquiry into Oral History and Folklore Project and was designed artistic depictions of war from any culture or period. to facilitate communication between scholars, Although critical articles are our main focus, we will teachers, veterans, and anyone else who is interested consider war poetry, personal memoir, and short in the U.S. war in Vietnam. Information on VIETNET fiction. Send ms. or inquiry to Lt. Col Donald C. will include: Anderson, Editor, Department of English, U.S. Air •Announcements of meetings, conferences, and Force Academy, CO 80840, 719-472-4207. War veterans’ activities Literature and the Arts is published semi­ •Works in progress annually. Documentation conforms to The MLA •Papers Style Manual. •Book reviews and announcements of publications •Newsletters of special interest groups Vets C onference For CWrIstian Coupl.Es •Resources for teachers and scholars •Bibliographies, discographies, and filmographies Find Peace from Your Past: A New Beginningfor •Directory of veterans and recent immigrants from Vietnam Veterans and Their Spouses, June 28- Southeast Asia willing to talk to classes 30, 1991. The third annual meeting of this unique •News items of interest to Vietnam veterans and conference. Speakers Roger Helle, Chuck Dean, scholars Mac Gober, Rodney Hamilton, and Bob Taylor give Or anything else you want to include. sessions titled: Vietnam: The Era; It Don't Mean VIETNET is a permanent conference on the Nothin'; Survivor’s Guilt; Intrusive Thoughts: BITNET LISTSERV facility. In order to join, simply Flashbacks; Adrenalin: PTSD and the Vietnam contact the computer support people at your college Vet; Anger Workshop; and Did God go AWOL or and tell them you want to subscribe to VWAR-L on Did You Get Ambushed? (“Find out where God fits LISTSERV@UBVM. There is absolutely no charge in with all the carnage and death you saw in involved. Vietnam”). Athena Dean will share how her marriage Any information which you send to VIETNET was affected by PTSD, covering topics such as: How will be distributed immediately to all the subscribers To Identify PTSD in the House; The Power of on the list. It will then be placed in the “archives” Forgiveness; Overcoming Fears, Feelings, and so it may be accessed by new subscribers at a later Habits; and Marriage. Registration is $59/ date. person, or $90 for a married couple, to CBN We all know how difficult it is to find a place to Conferences, CBN Center, Virginia Beach, VA23463. publish Vietnam material—there simply aren’t Call CBN Travel for room and travel information, enough journals out there. VIETNET provides you 800-234-7375. with a means to distribute your paper to interested scholars and to ask for their comments. It would be wonderful if all the papers from the conference were available on VIET NET — I hope all will decide to try “electronic publication”.

15 June. 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. Vo Lume 5 NuMbER 2

and, well, just been kind of a tightass. And so his FEATURES oh-so-grave colleagues swelled themselves up and affirmed the Standard and found Walt Carey short Walt Carey Is Dead of it. And so Walt, at 49, was out on the street. Now, Walt Carey waaaaaaaaaaaas a twit. No By Alan Farrell, Modem Languages, Hampden- disputing that. He was a starchy, stiff-necked New Sydney College England puritan. He talked through that Yankee nose of his and could read a newspaper without I have had it up to here with Vietnam. You, too, wrinkling it. I even caught him one day mowing the maybe. lawn with his white shirt buttoned all the way to to Every crybaby SP/4 who set foot in that place the collar and his little fedora on and his wingtips. has persuaded himself (and worse yet: dozens of His work-around-the-yard wingtips, for Christ’s family members, employers, friends, and on and sake. Back stiff, taking measured little steps (108 on) that the shambles of his life dates from that per) while the mower sputtered away arrhythmically. moment. And we have the ennnnnnnnnnnndless Still I liked Walt. I liked his starchiness, his and only occasionally entertaining tales to stiffness, his... what? His dignity, I guess. He found corroborate it. But I begin to suspect that in looking me a messy enough colleague, but I think he knew in Vietnam, we are looking in the wrong place. I that I valued him. We sat on quiet evenings and remain convinced that the secret to Vietnam lurks talked about the brooding New England sky we had in the Fifties. Or the Seventies. Who we were when grown up under and the knife-edged wind and the we went. What we were supposed to be when we got endless snow and the sturdy, taciturn people of back. I have the vague notion that what happened that funny place. Turns out Walt had a wild streak, to us Over There somehow stems from the pre­ too. When he got out of the Army (yeah, he’d been existent, ill-directed energy of a restless people drafted) on the West Coast, he bought himself a fumbling for ... what? Beats me. When I pin it Harley-Davidson motorcycle and rode the thing down. I’ll let you know. On the other hand, Paul across the country. One day on a whim he stopped Fussell (or one of them) has suggested that what at a gun store in Richmond and bought himself a gives War its particular meaning is its persistence Colt .45 automatic. Always wanted one, he said, ex post facto. Takes folks some time, I guess, to though I don’t remember he ever fired it. figure out how bad they’re hurt. Or what they Now when Walt lost tenure, the Faculty was learned. Or if they learned. You don’t know how to aaaaaaaaaaall upset. How could it happen, they think about what happened till later events lend asked? As if the procedure was not clear enough: significance to earlier ones. Six sanctimonious bozoes, voting secretly, had I s’pose. judged evidence submitted anonymously. But some So I am flaked out in my office a few years back, ofWalt’s colleagues, duly outraged, called ameeting safely home from my shabby little war, feet on the to discuss this untoward and to all appearances desk, dreaming dreams of days gone by, of long- unjust turn of events. And I went and sat quietly in legged girls and limber lads and greensward the back and watched the swelling spectacle. An stretching to the horizon. And in shuffles old Tom outrage, they howled. The Gulag! What’ll we do? Drubbins (teaches Modem History) to announce Then one of them, a professor of Econ (of course) without ceremony: Walt Carey is dead. And walks and a friend of Walt’s who had eaten in his home back out. and whose kids played with Walt’s, stood up, Old Tom and Walt Carey had been, actually, summarized the adjudicative machinery that had classmates at Harvard in ’51. Afterward they had ground out this decision and the appellate apparatus drifted apart only to find themselves washed up on that surrounded it, and declared, with no emotion the campus of a small college nobody ever heard of as I still recall: “Walt Carey is dead.” in the South, the one teaching History and the other So Walt packed his stuff (oh-so-neatly) into a U- Math. Haul, put his mousey wife and bratty kid into the Walt Carey is dead. station wagon (naturally he had one; grey, too), and Walt Carey, you see, was denied tenure at even lit out for New Jersey, where he had found, he said, this tiny, harmless place ten years ago in the first a job working for IBM in the research department. major policy decision of a newly formed Faculty More money, even. White shirt, wingtips. Seemed Committee on Promotions. Walt, as I guess it turns like a match. out, had pissed off his buddies in the Math Before he went, he shook my hand. And I looked Department, been a little tough on the students. into his face. And saw— ex post facto, remember—

16 June, 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NUMbER 2 something I could not place. Something in his eyes War and Remembrance I had seen before. Not fear. Not pain. Not even regret. But somethingsomethingsomethingsome By Ben Kieman, History, Yale University thingsomethingsomething.... Here’s what that something was. It came to me In the Saudi Arabian video version of the television when Tom Drubbins told me: Walt Carey is dead. series War and Remembrance, which covers the Laos. 1968. An ambush. In the initial seconds, Holocaust in some detail, all references to Jews the Viets let loose a B-40, a rocket-propelled grenade were ‘blanked out’ before broadcasting. “You could that neatly severs the leg of one of our montagnard see the characters mouthing the word ‘Jew’, one suppletifs. Leg completely amputated. We drag the viewer commented, ‘but no sound was coming out.’” guy up against a tree, jab him with a morphine The Wall Street Journal reported on November 9, syrette, the medic stuffs a compress into the femoral 1989 that “references to Jews are often censored” in artery, and we stand in a macabre but familiar Saudi Arabia. tableau: browngrey men in baggy pants and web My own experience illustrates this. In 1989 I harnesses under the fragrant, shadowy vegetation, wrote an article for a Saudi-based journal about Pol heads lowered, watch a comrade couched flat pour Pot’s massacres of Muslims in Cambodia in the the his life into the thirsty soil. Blood surges, life ebbs, late 1970s. 100,000 members of the Muslim the dark stain on the ground widens. Then it’s over. minority there had been killed or starved to death The guy beckons, I kneel. What does he want? in four years. A point I also made was that the Pol A drink? A cigarette? “Moi vouloir jambe-la,” he Pot regime had marked one group of victims by tells me. Wants his leg. And so we plug the tom leg making them wear distinctive blue-colored back against the stump, and he smiles (or maybe he Cambodian neck scarves. These scarves, I wrote, doesn’t) a weaksoweak smile and then he looks at were “the grim equivalents of the Yellow Star, used me. At me. And then he dies. It is that look I by Hitler to mark Jews for slaughter during World remember. A look of.. .what? Not fear. Not pain. War Two.” Pol Pot had called his revolution the only Not even regret. Patience, maybe. Resignation. ‘clean’ one in history, just as the Nazis boasted that Dignity. The same look I saw in Walt Carey’s weary areas they occupied had been ‘cleaned’ of Jews. The face. And then I remembered that I had held that journal printed my critique of Saudi diplomatic man’s hand, too. And that the hand was already support for the Pol Pot regime, but none of my dead. Like Walt Carey’s. But that the eyes of the statement mentioning the Jews or their plight dying soldier, who had no comprehension of what appeared in the published version1. was happening to him, shone with exactly the stoic Could something like this happen in The New affirmation of life’s exacting toll and humanity’s York Times? I’m afraid the answer is yes. In reluctant but dutiful participation in the somber November 1988 I was commissioned by the Times charade that I read in Walt’s eyes. Magazine to write a story about the ‘blue scarves’. No, I don’t know how Walt Carey died. Did IBM I submitted the piece, detailing how hundreds of wear down that solid heart? Did the worm Cancer thousands of innocent Cambodian peasants were eat his guts? Did he slam that stationwagon into a targeted and identified for slaughter, noting the bridge abutment? Did the wreck of his life just sit Yellow Star precedent. In passing I also mentioned too heavily on him one day? Did he conclude that some additional parallels: “Like Hitler’s regime, Pol he had done his duty long enough? Did he unwrap, Pot’s ‘Democratic Kampuchea’ staged military oh-so-carefully, that .45 and put it to his temple? I attacks against all of its neighbors. It forcibly know now—I know it I know it I know it I know it— deported its citizens en masse, and it brutally that I watched that man die in Laos twenty years persecuted and exterminated the country’s ethnic ago so that I could comprehend the full measure of minorities.” another man’s grandeur in this smaller, this After reading this, the editor spoke to me and shabbier, this drearier arena of today. And I insisted, “We just won’t go into the issue of Nazi suspect now that such tiny, unseen, unheard Germany.” I could only mention the 1948 Genocide dignities and miniscule acts of rebellion and refusal Convention. Nor could I incorporate other material, may well be the real glory—and only glory—of our even a few paragraphs of my own unpublished work feeble Kind. Walt Carey is dead. Ex post facto. on the subject. This was just too ironic. In 1981, had published a report on Cambodia by Christopher Jones, which was later discovered to have been fabricated. In it, Jones had plagiarized some of my published work, copies of

17 J une, 1991 ViETNAM G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NUMbER 2 which I had given him personally in Phnom Penh 2Beverly Smith, “White Nomad”, in Ben Kieman, the previous year. The editor seemed unaware of ed., Burchett: Reporting on the Other Side of the this. Given the political nature of the cuts that were World, 1939-1983, , Quartet, 1986. Smith now required. I declined to submit another version, was referring to Australian luminaries who chided and the magazine refused to pay me a kill fee. The critics of the Indonesian invasion of East Timor, on piece appeared in abbreviated form in The Boston the grounds that Jakarta “could have a lot to say Globe. about our treatment of the aborigines.” The American-Saudi alliance against ’s takeover of Kuwait also includes Egypt, another Muslim country that has long supported the Pol Pot Death of the Dreamer regime. In 1988 I sent a lengthy piece on the genocide of the Cambodian Muslims to an American By William M. King, Afroamerican Studies, publisher. The publisher referred it to a reader, one University of Colorado, Boulder of Egypt’s ambassadors. The ambassador’s response was thoughtful, but evinced little concern for his At approximately 1800 Central Standard Time, the fellow Muslims in Cambodia. He did not question shot rang out. The metal jacketed, 30.06 rifle bullet the facts of the case. Although he doubted it struck him in the lower right jaw transsecting “the qualified as genocide, he said he “would be rather lower cervical and upper thoracic spinal cord. . . hesitant to advise publishing it in the prevailing The direction of the wounding was from front to circumstances”, because “reading the book in these back, above downward and from right to left. The days may increase the feelings of frustration among severing of the spinal cord at this level and to this [Islamic] fundamentalists which may not be extent was a wound that was fatal very shortly after appropriate from the social and political point of its occurrence.” At 1905 Central Standard Time, view.” Revealing the horrors that Egyptian diplomacy the Dreamer was pronounced dead — the cause of has supported would be, no doubt, to “reward” its death listed as irreversible brain damage due to domestic enemies. oxygen starvation. It happened on a Thursday, 4 Finally, the ambassador added with a punch, April 1968, while he was preparing to go to a friend’s “the book being published through an American house for dinner in a place called Memphis, publisher may recall the American involvement in Tennessee. Vietnam.” The US kettle should not call Pol Pot The assassination of the Reverend Dr. Martin black. The late Beverly Jean Smith once demolished Luther King, Jr. 23 years ago this month, raised a this argument: “But fear of moral blackmail is number of questions for U.S. Armed Forces at home scarcely a basis for a foreign policy. Nor is a and abroad. conspiracy of silence between two established At home, the reactions to his death ranged from orders.”2 shock to disbelief to anger to outrage. Within hours Such a conspiracy recently encouraged the some 108 U.S. cities were in flames, an expression United Nations Sub-Commission on Human Rights of black pain, grief and frustration with the to drop from its agenda a draft resolution on unfairness of it all. Well do I remember arriving in Cambodia referring to “the atrocities reaching the Washington, D.C. shortly after his murder to find level of genocide committed in particular during the massive troop deployments throughout the city in period of Khmer Rouge rule”, and urging all states an effort to restore order and to protect both citizens “to detect, arrest, extradite or bring to trial” and “to and property against further death and destruction. prevent the return to government positions of those As I drove north on Fourteenth Street I noted who were responsible for genocidal actions during regular army troops down near the seat of the period 1975 to 1978.” The sub-commission government in abundance. Moving deeper into the dropped this text “after several speakers said it community, I observed that they were gradually would render a disservice to the United Nations”, replaced by white national guardsmen who stood whose five permanent members have drawn up a out like islands in an otherwise black sea. peace plan that gives the Khmer Rouge genocidists Approaching the Maryland border, I noted the “the same rights” as any other Cambodians, and reappearance of regular army. Clearly they were may well leave the Khmer Rouge forces with military there to prevent a breakout of black resentment and superiority. 1 hostility into the precious white suburbs which ringed the northern reaches of the city reminding 1 Ben Kieman, “Kampuchean Muslims: An Uncertain the dispossessed that opportunity in America is Future’, Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 10, differentially distributed along class, race and gender 1, January 1989, pp. 28-40. lines. The placement of which troops where also

18 J une. 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NuMbER 2 gave mute testimony to who considered what would lash out venting their rage and hatred at important. anything white. And while there would be some In Vietnam, where there was often intense distinction in the responses of officers and enlisted discussion among the Bloods about the men, both would experience a kind of grief that pervasiveness of racism in the military, of the could not be expressed in words. Whites, and there contradiction around the issue of fighting for the were some who did, who displayed insensitivity to freedom of a foreign people when you did not have the significance of King’s death, waved their that same freedom at home, and about the treatment Confederate flags or acted in a manner that of black people and black vets back home, after the demeaned the man and the goals he sought, further shock and disbelief wore off, reaction was a fu nction exacerbated the already evident fragmentation in of whether you were in the rear, in the bush, or on the ranks. Although Harry Truman had the way back to the world after having completed desegregated the military in 1948, it was still not your tour. Forwithout doubt, after survival. King’s integrated nor was it racially balanced. Enlightened assassination may have been the most important social policies like Project 100,000 saw to that. thing to happen to the black man during the war in Some troop commanders, hoping to cool out the Southeast Asia. Even Hanoi Hannah had some restless natives, responded by ordering their men words for the brothers citing the Dreamer’s death out into the bush. But this action had the potential as an example of why they should continue not to to bring even more trouble than the tension it might fight the “white man’s war” only to be used and relieve by having their personnel sitting back at the discarded when they were no longer needed. base doing nothing. Wherever Americans have gone en masse, they You see, survival in the bush required you to do have taken their society and culture with them. as King suggested in his “I Have a Dream” oration Thus, the large military installations in Vietnam, and numerous subsequent and sermons speeches. like Long Binh whose stockade at times had a 60 percent black population when Blacks were only 12 That is, evaluate the person next to you in terms of to 14 percent of total U.S. Forces in country, the content of his character not in terms of the color of his skin. But with the death of King at the hands exhibited the full panoply of American values attitudes. In fact, they were not unlike model of a white man, irrespective of the fallacious myth that James Earl Ray operated alone, or for that American communities lifted in toto and set down matter was even involved in the assassination on the soil of Southeast Asia without ever missing itself, could Blacks and Whites count on each other a beat. As black pride and calls for black power out there; could they trust each other enough to get increased back in the world, that also increased in the job done and get back to the place from whence the ‘Nam, especially with the arrival new recruits they had come without an inordinate number of from the war zones of Harlem, Watts, Detroit and casualties black and white? Newark. Too, as this heightened black And finally, there was the lament of the brother consciousness manifested itself in everything from who was headed back to the world. Who wanted to the “dap” to fists, flags, “fros," and the steady beat know, as he sat in the passenger lounge at Tan Son of the Motown sound, there was little doubt that it Nhut, just what kind of place he was going back to. would soon clash with the antipathy to the difference Martin Luther King Jr., a prince of peace, a man (all too frequently stigmatized as deviance) that is who had given his life in pursuit of the Beloved the engine of social change. And all too often, as the Community, had been gunned down as had Malcolm historical record shows, when change takes place, someone loses position, power privilege. X before him because he had asked America to be In short, the rear areas, in addition to the true to what it had put on paper. Should he use his combat skills by joining an organization like the formalism that is characteristic of an emphasis on Black Panthers to help his people, or should he just spit and polish appearances that “look good” by creating an illusion of a well functioning, well-oiled be concerned with himself pursuing the ironic piece of machinery, were also characterized by a American dream of an individualism that is subsurface racial tension that few recognized and conditioned by the character of the group to which fewer still knew how to address because the military one belongs? runs on orders and not on human sensitivity. The Indeed, once it was all said and done, who really was the black man’s enemy—I wonder if we will ever news of King’s death in this kind of environment find out? would be like throwing av gas onto a smoldering fire. Blacks, already isolated and feeling put upon because of an arbitrary and capricious assignment policies, promotion practices and awards criteria,

19 J une, 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NUMbER 2

P oetry from B ill Shields sTRAiqhT From t He Heart

I’ve never bullshitted myself these last twenty years have been a waste of my flesh The last time I truly lived was five minutes AbATTOiR into a firefight so utterly gruesome that even the muddy MeKong ran red with blood I hadn’t been home from the Nam for 23 minutes I’ve lived to die before a kid my own age stuck his middle finger My marriages & my children should be names in my face & called me asshole on the Vietnam Veterans Wall my own sister didn’t speak to me for five years the Wall I cannot face & my mother kept a full tank of gas in her Plymouth alive for a one way ride to the VA hospital in Pittsburgh I let the war lick my guts quietly & without an audience REAdy, williNq & Able but when my daughter died from my exposure to Agent Orange my hands shake too much facing I bought a typewriter & pounded pure fire another night’s mare out of its keys till it broke too many years of bloated ghosts & I bought another one ruin me I thought if I shared blood with a reader My children live in another state my goddam hells would be easier to walk thru & my wife sleeps in another room barefoot but at 2 a.m. most nights but they aren’t I’m back in the Delta my hands steady as dirt kissing Death flat bRiNqiNq Ho m e t Me bAcoN on the lips

I usually bite the insides of my mouth to keep from screaming K atHIeen

Most of my nightmares of Vietnam are No words can drought the pools of misery too horrific to mouth the sickening image I’ve laid behind your eyes the ghosts of the Vietnam dead cling I swallow the dead to the ragged edges of your nightgown & they have given me bleeding ulcers screaming silently in the early mornings to be held at your breast & soothed I fear sleep as I fear by soft hands running lightly my own death over the skulls of terrified ghosts who share my name There are days when all I see are grey body parts with the dead strewn knee-high in my car, my livingroom

& on my lap. I fear no living man Vietnam, & REvisiTEd but the ghosts of the Vietnam dead I’ve spent years forever alive watching men being hacked to pieces & now you wonder why I vomit up my heart every morning?

20 J une, 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NUMbER 2

ANOTHER VIETNAM! VET POEM

VIETNAM V eteran I’ve given my life to the dead I take in a deep breath & exhale ghosts thousands of us potbellies lapping the bowl of Dead teenage troopers sleep with my wife middle-age & my own dead daughter struggles to find beating our wives a place in our bed to warm her chilled legs our children I carry a mirror to check my breath & ourselves my reflection stolen by the pale yellow eyes of an obituary column Americans obscure as lice q u t s men so rootless & fragile walk the streets of Da Nang Vietnam broke my spine long before I had children twenty years alone my eyes look very far beyond you, twenty years beyond my daughters we understood dying at 19 I’ve had too many reasons for suicide but not the living & too few excuses to wake up in the morning ever after The inside of my mouth is chewed into hamburger & sometimes I can taste my blood when I spit our suicides change but mostly I swallow nothing fOR My dAUqklTERS WE CiRClE ONE ANOThER I hope you’ll remember that not all men have scars on their necks & shrapnel I spent years hanging my head on the dead buried in their faces Vietnam stayed hidden in my blood & my shame The black of night is not the screams of a man No one & by that I mean no one had an ear caught forever in a war for ten minutes of brilliant memories but a time for soft words & even softer hands My veteran friends put the bottle in the mouth Bury my sadness & anger out in the back yard or the shotgun & finished out the war with the dead poets & don’t mark it with a cross I kept my silence from funeral parlor-to-funeral & may your children never fear Agent Orange parlor passed down genetically to their little bodies waiting on my turn in the pit by a grandfather who’s already forgotten himself & I’m still waiting

4:?0 a.m . Mil.Es of Fear

I run the water hot into my eyes I lie in this bed one more night watching walls drops of my blood swirl into the drain cigarette after cigarette bone tired as I steady myself in the dark bathroom fearing the blood smell of my dreams My lip is bitten thru in two places Those little Vietnamese kids walk up to me from stifling nightmare screams & hand me chunks of their own skin & my hands shake too much to hold my eyes hysterical a bar of soap I always accept I’ve walked too far alone onto Vietnam wearing nothing but memories of hell’s half-country

21 June, 1991 VIETNAM G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NuMbER 2 t He International found a brutal demonstration of ‘problem solving’ technology, and a malign American future. As I wonder about the grandchildren I’ll never know Vietnam inverted loyalties, the New Wave inverted my own daughters never talk about Vietnam SF formulae: now technology was a threat, aliens or their father were heroes, and traditional SF heroes were villains. Harlan Ellison, Judith Merrill and others led the my checks have rolled like thunder to an exwife American charge, but perhaps the greatest who saw the war thru my eyes & closed her own expression of distress with the future lay with European writers such as J.G. Ballard and Michael I blame no one & myself Moorcock, who found that events in Vietnam mirrored their disillusionment with SF. In contrast, Agent Orange should’ve finished me off by now the older generation of authors continued to consider technology the touchstone of the future, and saw There really is nothing left to say it frustrated by imperfections or restraints in or feel Vietnam. Much of their fiction attempted to invent solutions to the War, either literally in fanciful Bill Shields, P.O. Box 47, Youngwood, PA 16597 has military gimmicks, or ironically by ‘business as joined the Newsletter as Contributing Editor. See usual’ stories which ignored the refutation of SFs his commentary on Elliott Richman in the Book ‘future’ being provided by events of the present. Review section. Paradoxically, the 1970s saw the decline of the New Wave and its pessimistic focus on the real Science Fiction world, and instead saw the rise of fantasy, sword and sorcery, and SF cinema such as the Star Wars By Alasdair Spark, History, King Alfred’s College films, as if to avoid overtly addressing the issues raised by defeat in Vietnam. The most interesting For much of the 1980s Americans appeared product of the Seventies’ SF to reflect on Vietnam engrossed in a collective experiment to render the was undoubtedly Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War, difficult experience of the Vietnam War more itself interesting as a precise refutation of a future tractable, and American SF was no exception. imagined 15 years previously by Robert Heinlein’s Ironically, SF proved successful in this endeavor Starship Troopers. An interesting theme in SF precisely because of Its ability to avoid the messy cinema was trust in the alien as in E.T., although details of the War, and set Vietnam within the looser Alien and its sequel represented the darker trend of boundaries of the imagined. Writers as different as the 1980s, paralleled by Rambo. Certainly the Lucius Shepard and David Drake have offered military hero has returned to SF, and mercenary- formulations of Vietnam set elsewhere, when, or veteran novels such as David Drake’s Hammer’s why. In 1987 an entire anthology, In the Field of Slammers constitute an important sub-genre. But Fire (edited by Jack and Jeanne Dann, New York, perhaps the most impressive focus of the 1980s has 1987) was based around the idea that Vietnam been on the future Vietnam set in Latin America angst was best purged by metaphor. However, SF’s which Lucius Shepard has provided, a war where relationship with the war is not merely therapy: like the technology is better, and is even winning, but in its brother genre the comic book, the genre is which America is nevertheless losing its grip over remarkable for a history of representing the issues the future. of the U.S. war in popular culture, and provides an untapped resource for Vietnam Studies, well worthy The foregoing is an abstract of Alasdair Spark’s of the attention of readers and researchers alike. “Vietnam: the War in Science Fiction" in Science Like the larger society, the SF community split Fiction, Social Conflict, and War, edited by over the issue of Vietnam. Conflict broke out Philip Davies, Manchester University Press, UK/St. between writers not simply for the future of a Martin’s Press USA, 1990. H. Bruce Franklin, literary genre, but about that genre’s sense of ‘the represented in this space last issue, has another future.’ SF had been founded upon a faith in the article, "Eternally Safe for Democracy: the final application (often military) of technology to all solution of American science fiction", in the same human problems, but by the 1960s many younger collection as Spark’s essay. Spark welcomes writers, the so-called NewWave, found this direction correspondence. Contact him at the History unsatisfactory. SF was significantly held up to Department, King Alfred’s College, Winchester, question by the Vietnam War, where the NewWave Hampshire, 5022 4NR, UK, Tel: 0962-841515, FAX:

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0962-842280. He lectures In American Studies, incompetent lifers. Lifers are hit with smoke and his Ph. D. research is In the Vietnam area, grenades, threatened with fragging by Fragman, focused on the morale of enlisted soldiers, 1965-72. and beaten with wrenches, but no one dies. Two other Spark essays on Vietnam War SF are Eddie’s tour of duty coincides with the "From Starship Troopers to the Forever War" in assassination of Martin Luther King and Bobby Essays and Studies: The Annual of the English Kennedy (1968) but the racial reactions stop short Association 1990, edited by Tom Shippey (Basil of actual riot. Blacks and whites are shown as Blackwell, Oxford, 1991) and "Flight Controls: the almost being friends, though not quite making the social history of the helicopter as a symbol of full distance. But getting along, at least on the job. Vietnam in Vietnam Images", in Vietnam Images, The reader learns a lot about the job of Marine eds. JelTWalsh and Jim Aulich (Macmillan, London, Corps radar operator, and eventually even gets a 1989). dandy John Wayne reference, on page 338. The author lets us see Eddy back in California, R EM F B o o ks doing a little bit of stateside duty before separation. He's ordered to fill sandbags to counteract flooding by David Willson, Librarian, Green River Community of tract houses in Orange County. “You’ll have to College. shoot me first. I’ve already filled my last sandbag." I know how he feels. Craig Hiler shows us that Hiler, Craig. Monkey Mountain. New York: a REMF/pogue tour of duty has its down side, too. Belmont Tower Books, 1979. Nelson, Charles. The Boy Who Picked the Bullets This REMF is a radar scope operator on Monkey Up. New York: Avon Books, 1982, c l 981. Mountain, 20,000 feet above Danang and the South China Sea. Corporal Eddy Morgan is in the Marine This epistolary novel of naval corpsman Kurt Strom Corps, but his tour of duty in Vietnam bears little and his homosexual exploits during the Vietnam resemblance to that of Gustav Hasford’s Short War fills a yawning gap in our information about Timers. that sensitive side of the war. The narrator tells us that “Monkey Mountain Unlike most Vietnam War novels. The Boy Who was the best seat in the house for watching the Picked the Bullets Up gives up 54 pages in which war.” (p. 16) Our hero narrator had two years of we get to know the main character, Kurt Strom. So college in California is capable of drinking fifteen when he finally gets to Vietnam and writes a letter beers in two and a half hours, “on a good hot night.” to his mom telling her, “Be of good cheer; I am safe. (p. 20) There are plenty of that sort on Monkey They have assigned me to the First Medical Battalion, Mountain. a hospital that caters to wounded marines, the The war Eddy is fighting is the eternal one Royal Korean Army, and the Vietnamese: wounded between enlisted men (snulfies) and career marines or healthy, “ (p. 58), we are relieved because we care (lifers). He hates Monkey Mountain, but he’s not about him. stupid. He counsels himself. “All right, so you’re Kurt writes letters to several different people, stuck here for another eleven month, I thought. At often relating the same events. The reverse- least you’re not out on the DMZ or sloshing through Rashomon effect makes the novel fun to read. We some nameless rice paddy. Don’t let them get to get the chance to decide who. if anyone, he’s telling you.” (pp. 38-39) the truth to — or blend versions to come up with a The several tedious flashback chapters to Eddy’s version of our own. life in California (pre-war) detract from the book, Kurt is first stationed in Chu Lai. “The site has but are easily skipped over or skimmed through. a pleasant prospect overlooking the South China The Vietnam part of the book is worth reading, and Sea.” (p. 59) He does thirty days of KP (pots and rings true in the ears of this REMF. Those same pans), starts his duty as a hospital corpsman, and portions of the book have some similarities to then his number comes up and he gets combat another REMF novel. Firehose by John Crowther duty. This turn of events interests me for a couple (1975), but without the extreme racial tension and of reasons. First, we get to see what kind of a murder. warrior this 6’3", 200 pound, 24-year-old ex-baseball The snuffles drink beer, smoke dope, and do player REMF becomes. He joined the Navy with the their jobs, counting the days until their tours of idea of being on a large ship with thousands of duty end and they can return to the real world, and sailors. He hadn’t been told that Navy corpsmen no longer be marines subject to the whims of fat , were commonly assigned combat duty in the field

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fiction — art — really encompass all that?" (p. 141) with the Marines. The other big reason was my Good question. curiosity about how Nelson would handle the A nice reference is made to Murphy. “... not like warrior-faggot mix of stereotypes. The Kurt Strom the old days when there were heroes and the causes character is meant to be a sympathetic character, werejust, and there was the immortal Audie Murphy and he is most of the time. His racism isn’t nice but playing himself....” (p. 156). is typical of white Southern boys of that time (1966- 67). His sexual trickiness is pre-AIDS, so he can’t Drama: Live War Tonight be blamed for trying to fuck whomever he wants. A major part of the last half of this novel deals By David J. De Rose, Theatre Studies, Yale University with the Marine Combined Action Program, which Kurt volunteers for. He does well as a warrior, but In spite of the brevity of Operation Desert Storm, I returns home addicted to his private supply of am pleased to vindicate my existence as VGN “Drama morphine and deserving the nickname “Spaceman". Editor" by reporting that at least one small contingent Nelson throws in two references to John Wayne (p. of the American theatrical community was able to 66 and p. 243), but neither is laudatory. I enjoyed mount an evening of “theatrical responses" to the reading Nelson’s book, especially the considerable Gulf War. Live War Tonight was produced at the REMF/pogue sections. And next I’ll be reading the Yale Cabaret by students of the Yale School of recently published sequel, Panthers in the Skin of Drama and members of the New Haven community Men. at large. The piece marked the second time this season that the Yale Cabaret has chosen to take on Stone, Tom. Armstrong. New York: Warner current political events in a theatrical presentation. Paperback Library, 1973. Back in October, the Cabaret staged Straight to Helms, an evening of theatrical responses to The REMF anti-hero in this novel is Sgt. Walt congressional meddling in and bureaucratic Armstrong, kind of a Holden Caulfield in Southeast censoring of the national Endowment for the Arts. Asia, who gets his chance to do “something for a When I watched Straight to Helms back in change that counted.” October (actually, I participated as well, in a send- He’d been an agricultural advisor, teaching the up of the American Family Association and the “Phoutianese” how to drive tractors and being in Reverend Donald Wildmon), I was disturbed by the movies “showing how the army is putting its technical vague definition of the evening’s professed goals. know-how to peaceful uses.” Armstrong perceives The format seemed to be a series of theatrical a danger in his REMF duty, “I mean, teach a gook responses to a public crisis. I felt it totally how to drive a tractor and maybe someday he’ll be inappropriate for Straight to Helms not to make trying to run you down with it.” a unified political statement in support of the NEA Between episodes of his doing something for a and in condemnation of bigots and homophobes change, he continues to do the usual REMF leisure like Senator Jesse Helms and the Reverend Donald stuff, like going to the NCO club to play pool and Wildmon. I was especially frustrated that performers watch TV. did not make more of an effort to incite the audience Amusing use of personas of Ramblin’ Jack to political action via immediate correspondence Elliott, Norman Mailer. with elected officials. Sgt. Armstrong is suffering from PTSD ( a result Watching Live War Tonight (from the of an earlier combat tour in Vietnam) herein referred audience), I had an even stronger sense of the to as “physical nervous breakdown”, “delayed battle political ambiguity of the evening as a whole. Still, fatigue”, and “wisdom of the body.” Armstrong in contrast to my strong negative response to the contains one of the earliest characterizations of a lack of political impetus generated by Straight to Vietnam Vet committing violent acts in the throes of Helms, the ambiguity of Live War Tonight struck PTSD. me as a strangely appropriate reflection of the A plot with murder, drugs, and well-endowed American artistic and intellectual community’s bar girls will pull a certain type of reader along. It ambiguity toward the Gulf War. Certainly no one contains at least two well-developed Asian working on Straight to Helms had felt ambiguous characters, and reference to My Lai and William about Jesse Helms’ attack on the NEA. Butwatching Calley. “What can you say about the burning of Live War Tonight, it was evident that actors and Detroit and Watts, about Richard Speck, and audience alike had significantly ambiguous feelings Vietnam and Laos and Cambodia and Charlie about the Gulf War. One actor even questioned, Manson and Calley and George Jackson? Can offstage, his participation in the performance itself.

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The creators of Live War Tonight had difficulty contradicting journalism (read alarmism) we all addressing specific issues of American policy in the watched nightly on the news. A Tel Aviv Gulf either before or during the war. The majority correspondent, for instance, states that she has of the evening’s skits, as the piece’s title suggests, heard of “anywhere between one and fifteen” SCUD were aimed at television coverage of the war. It was missiles landing on Tel Aviv: “I’ve heard reports of an easy target of satire. The evening’s best work five, six, three, nine, ten, seven, fifteen, twenty. were comic characterizations of Middle East experts, Some say as many as one hundred and twenty. commercial sponsors, and foreign correspondents. Some say none." And, of course, as missiles begin In the face of these hugely successful comic skits, bursting over her head, her colleagues in Bagdad the few attempts the evening made to condemn confirm irrefutably that there has been no SCUD President Bush’s policies or the atrocities of war, missile activity in Bagdad that night. struggled for equal footing. The rhetoric of the war, of American technology, During the Gulf War anti-war and anti­ of the Bush administration, and of the media imperialist activists nationwide found themselves coverage is also satirized. Military experts speak of floundering in pro-war public sentiments and their “big long hard” ballistic missiles, “smart" accusations of un-Americanism. Many even missiles with “degrees from some of the finest questioned their own previously firm anti-war stance universities in the United States.” One of the more (witness Philip Caputo’s ambivalent essay in the serious pieces criticizes the manner in which the New York Times Magazine, February 24, 1991). sophisticated terminology of the American military Live War Tonight reflected that confusion, that tends to disguise the brutality of its actions: the inability of many to come out strongly against the invasion of Panama becomes “Operation Just war, to express just what it was about this war Cause,” saturation bombings are "Surgical Air which, in spite of the media’s packaging and the Strikes” (“no,” one actor quipped, “that’s NOT a new American public’s blessing, made one’s stomach MASH episode"). The destruction of private homes turn. and the deaths of civilians in Bagdad are translated And yet, the various skits of Live War Tonight, into “Collateral Damage.” The Bush administration’s while failing to expose the issues of the Gulf War war of propaganda is emphasized by Middle East itself, nevertheless demonstrated in the theatre the experts who refer to Saddam Hussein as “the many sources of the American public’s confusion. incarnation of Hitler” and the Iraqi people “towel­ Namely: the media hype, the mini-series formatting headed camel jockeys.” Newscasters are not to be of the news coverage, the seductive, high-tech left out of this language-fest: a reporter witnessing rhetoric of the military, and the empty, postmodern the bombing of Bagdad through his hotel window is patriotism of American businesses and asked “to paint a word picture” for the viewers at entrepreneurs who cashed in on the public’s demand home, and the news anchorman signs-off after each for commercial iconographic images which segment with the flashy phrase “We’ll be back after reinforced our nation’s former sense of manifest this message with more of Chaos in the Sand, destiny. Mirage in the Sky, America goes to War.” George The evening’s skits were constructed around a Bush himself even appears briefly to sing (to the sequence of “Special News Reports” in which a tune of “Springtime for Hitler” from the movie. The deadpan Peter Jennings-ish anchorman Producers): “We’ll show how strong Yankee bucks corresponds in turn with reporters in Tel Aviv and can be/ Saddam Hussein can’t fuck with me.” Bagdad, interviews military and Middle East experts, Peppered between the segments of this newscast and attempts to educate the public as to the “Hows, are a string of television commercials illustrating Whys, Whos, Whats and Wheres” of the Middle East the market value of new-found patriotism. One with profound insights like, “As you can see the commercial, for instance, suggests that buying word ‘Middle’ is in the middle of The Middle East’” Japanese-built cars is an act of patriotism since or “Iraq: it’s got four letters and the last one is Q.” they get better gas mileage than American cars, At the end of the “broadcast,” he comments that he thus saving valuable petroleum products. Other “sincerely hopesyou’ve learned a lot.” Of course, we commercials create some new twists to old scenarios have learned absolutely nothing; as with the by incorporating the new pop culture iconography television coverage of the war, his attempts at of the war (especially the much-photographed education have been a source of total non­ presence of women in the military forces) into information. commercials we have all seen a million times. For The “Reporters in the Field” skits also convey instance, when a soldier loses her wallet “somewhere the total lack of information and the absurd, self- over Iraq” during an air strike, a friendly operator

25 J une, 1991 ViETNAM G eneration, Inc. Vo Lume 5 NuMbER 2 from “Citiplan” (read Citibank) is on twenty-four who have staked out lucrative careers as Rambo hour duty to rush a new charge card and emergency and Braddock in roman- numeraled series, people cash out to the bunkers the very next morning. Citi- like Matthew Modine, Keith David, and Willem Plan’s slogan: “We’re here to protect you, while you Dafoe have appeared in widely divergent and are over there protecting us.” When a female reconstructed versions of the War. Whether these bombardier botches a bombing run because PMS “repeaters” are a function of the availability of cramps ruin her concentration and turn her into a parts, personal politics, or something else, they raving bitch, her infinitely understanding male have created bodies of work that both reflect and pilot is quick to offer her Midol (which takes effect shape their time. just in time for them to hit their back-up target.) For instance, the general ideological trajectory For me, the single most effective statement of Vietnam War movies might be charted through against the war—and not just the Gulf War, but war the choices of Robert De Niro, whose part as a in general - was made without a single word. In the confused draftee in De Palma’s Greetings (1968) center of the room, unavoidable as I was shown to looks forward to his angst-ridden vets in Martin my seat, was a large sand box, perhaps four feet by Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976), Michael Cimino’s twelve. Set in the sand were green plastic soldiers, The Deer Hunter (1978), and David Jones’ about six inches tall: the kind of “action figures” Jacknife (1990). most boys own somewhere around the age of eight These films reveal a trend to recover US vets or ten. These particular figures were either running and demonize the War as an inexplicable force that with rifles in their hands or combing the sand with chewed up young Americans and vomited them metal detectors. Both postures suggested to me forth as Damaged Vets. Inarticulate cabbie Travis toys of pre-Vietnam vintage, toys created in the Bickle seems to embody the War’s overwhelming images of The Sands of Iwo Jima.. While the horror, in that his Marine record is barely mentioned evening’s performance went on around it, and as background for his murderous explosiveness. sometimes in it, this sand box silently confirmed In a more recuperative and considerably less ironic the attempted return of America to a state of pre- mode, The Deer Hunter’s Michael and Jacknife's Vietnam military innocence and self-righteousness, Megs each find an unquiet peace (in part realized and, at the same time, the tragic irony of American as Woman) upon returning home. boys and girls naively “playing” at war in the sands Other well-known elders in the pantheon of of Iraq. Vietnam movie repeaters are Ed Harris Live War Tonight ended with a dramatic (unredeemable racist battling Vietnamese immi­ reading of Mark Twain’s The War Prayer. In this grants in Louis Malle’s Alamo Bay (1985) and short prose piece, a congregation’s prayer for victory redeemable alcoholic in Jacknife); Gene Hackman in war war is interrupted by a messenger from God (valiant father who goes to Vietnam to rescue his who comes to ask the assembled if they truly POW son a la Rambo in Ted KotchefFs Uncommon understand the nature of their prayer, if they truly Valor [1983] and middle-aged officer discovering wish to pray to the god of love, with humble and “the horror of combat” in Peter Markle’s Bat 21 contrite hearts, for the brutal destruction of their [1988]); andDanny Glover (Hackman’s well-muscled enemy. This short and somber reading served, at buddy/rescuer in Bat 21 and Italian-sumamed the evening’s conclusion, to draw out the tragic Navy commander in ’ proto-Gulf War repercussions of the high-flown rhetoric which had adventure Flight of the Intruder [1991]). been so satirized throughout the evening, to show The second generation of Vietnam movie vets the death and bloody butchery behind such seems split concerning the question of Vietnam as anaesthetized, bloodless phrases as “Incontinent American male growth experience. Matthew Ordinance” and “Energetic Disassembly”. Modine’s appearances in Robert Altman’s Streamers (1983), Alan Parker’s Birdy (1984), and Film: Repeaters Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket (1987) suggest a lively disregard for redemptive A-List Cynthia Fuchs, George Mason University projects. These roles—the painfully ignorant recruit Billy in the screen version of David Rabe’s play, the With the slowly-building boom of the Vietnam War damaged vet Birdy, and even the frighteningly Movie genre have come lots of opportunities for unself-conscious Mickey Mouse-clubbed Private able-bodied male actors. Many of these performers Joker—consistently manifest a willingness to have repeatedly returned to the Nam under various challenge US masculine ideals. guises. Unlike Sylvester Stallone and Chuck Norris, If Modine’s list seems fairly self-aware for a

26 J une, 1991 ViETNAM G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NuMbER 2 white boy, reconsider it in the context of black vet an apparent martyr complex, always a plus for roles available in white Hollywood. Dorian Harewood American filmmakers intent on revising the War shows up as the doomed Eightball in Full Metal according to the Victimized Hero Maxim. (It’s also a Jacket and a cynical officer involved in an interracial useful reference that he played Christ in Scorsese’s romance in television’s “China Beach.” Gregoiy Last Temptation [1990]). In Platoon, Dafoe is the Hines’ Vietnam movies underline further the Water Walker Sgt. Elias, the Good One of Chris’ difficulties of being black in country. In Taylor “two fathers.” His memorable crucifixion/death Hackford’s White Nights ( 1985) he plays a US vet, scene impels the film’s reconstruction of the War as defected to the , who drunkenly and morally-delimited man-building spectacle. stunningly tapdances his unhappy history for the As Sgt. McGriff in Off Limits, Dafoe takes up naive Mikhail Baryshnikov (before both dance their the crusader’s mantle again; he is relentless in his way to the States to escape the awful Reds). In pursuit of the murderous US officer and loyal to Christopher Crowe’s Off Limits (1988), Hines is a black buddy Hines. Dafoe’s always-incipient more or less moral CID officer investigating a series redemption (he looks devilish and saintly at once) of prostitutes’ murders in 1968 Saigon. His allows him the leeway to (chastely) lust after a obsessions— basketball, “big tits,” and buddy Willem French nun who helps in the investigation, but Dafoe—are a little too familiar in the sphere of black remain virtuously focused on his above- reproach stereotypes. goal of justice. Running through his list of deviants Keith David probably has the longest list of who populate Saigon’s mean streets, McGriff sounds Vietnam War credits going. Invariably he’s uncomfortably like Travis Bickle in New York. Not disaffected or at least outspoken with regard to his to worry. Because he’s Dafoe, he’s less scary, and racial identity and situation. His most well-known his subsequent rampaging in the name of heroism incarnation as a grunt is King in ’s elicits audience cheers instead of repulsion. Platoon (1986); he’s the noble dope-smoker who In 1990, Dafoe returned to Stone’s Vietnam (or befriends and instructs neophyte Chris/Stone/ rather, its aftermath) in Bom on the Fourth of Charlie Sheen, and has the decency to rotate out July. As a paraplegic vet encountered by Ron before the final firefight. In Aaron Norris’ Braddock: Kovic/ at a Mexican brothel, Dafoe is at Missing In Action III (1988), David has two first incorrigibly angry and violent. The fight scene minutes as one of the Americans who stand guard that pits Cruise against Dafoe, spinning in at the gate during the fall of Saigon. He also shows wheelchairs in the desert, is easily the film’s most up as Maurice, one of the early murder suspects in effective. Their argument over who “really” killed Off Limits, but after suffering “drippy dick” and babies in Vietnam (that is, who is the most being threatened with incarceration in LBJ, he’s unrepentant sinner as victim) hits cultural guilt killed off by some anonymous Vietnamese. nerves that the rest of the movie doesn’t even Apparently come home, David is a vet in Men at acknowledge. If only the scene had ended when Work and Marked for Death (both 1990): in the Dafoe tells Cruise, “Fuck you.” Instead, we get a first he’s a self-described “nigger with a gun” who, slow zoom to a single tear in Dafoe’s eye, reverting after a remarkable flashback in which he sees a to the Dafoe-as-fallen-but-repentant-angel image pizza deliveryperson held hostage by a VC, aids that is probably written into his contract. garbageman Charlie Sheen (also apparently The incredibly horrendous exception to this returned from his tour in Platoon) in thwarting the rule is David Lynch’s Wild at Heart (1990), where bad guys. And in the second he helps army buddy Dafoe (a veteran of Cao Ben; read: My Lai) has come Steven Seagal thwart some more bad guys (Rasta back from the War with a USMC tattoo across his drug dealers). If buddydom has emerged as the best knuckles and a singular loathsomeness. After his potential for the black actor in America (and it grisly seductions of pretty young stars Laura Dem seems like progress after years of pimps and and Nicolas Cage, Dafoe blows his own head off hustlers), it also has it limits. The underappreciated with a shotgun, so that it lands plunk in the dirt, and remarkable David’s signature aggressiveness trailed by its flaccid nylon stocking mask. may be best contained under such circumstances. Dafoe’s latest Vietnam vehicle is easily one of He would be a pretty scary character in any (white) the most ill- conceived and terrifying movies in sensitive guy parts. recent memory. In Flight of the Intruder he plays Which brings us to , the most an ace Navy bombardier. An opening sequence that prominent of Vietnam War movie repeaters. His features the voices of Lyndon Johnson and Richard renown maybe due in part to his readily observable Nixon narrating the failure of US policy suggests sensitivity and invariable chastity, compounded by that the film is going to be more historically based

27 J une. 1991 ViETNAM G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NUMbER 2 than it is. For the most part, Flight rehearses a quality of work, though found all too often, cannot proto-Gulf War euphoria in its use of video target be accepted lightly, particularly when considering a screens and the derring-do of its flyboys. reference publication. As a librarian and information In particular, Dafoe joins up with GQ cover boy specialist, I rely on the accuracy and veracity of Brad Johnson to run an illegal mission over Hanoi, such works if I am to do my own job well. And I despite (or rather, because of) the US admin­ expect such resources, without exception, to be of istration’s edict that the North is off limits. In the the highest quality. If not, they need to be exposed midst of court martial proceedings that follow their for their lack of accurate and reliable information. adventure, the word comes down that Nixon has Wittman’s book has been reviewed in no fewer than proclaimed that what they did was not only okay, four major review sources (including Choice, but part of the Secret Plan (the film neglects to Booklist, Wilson Library Bulletin, and the mention that Nixon’s order was itself illegal). Bulletin of Bibliography). Reviewers have praised Suddenly heralded as kickass heroes, Dafoe and this work as “the most comprehensive reference Johnson undertake one last mission, to save their work on this topic to date.” But comprehensive downed commander (Danny Glover); at the last does not translate to “good”. And their praise for minute, they are shot down as well. As a mass of this work as a major tool for researchers (plus the Dirty Commies close in on the stranded Dafoe, he same claims in advertisements from the publisher) calls in an air attack on his own position, thus contradict Wittman’s own claims, that this work repeating his own martyred history as Elias, this was created mainly for the teacher, student, and time with a last cigarette between his teeth. It’s general reader. One thing that continues to concern Vietnam, the Movie, again and again. me about this is the assumption that the general reader or non-specialist student does not need the same level of quality or accuracy that should be expected for the researcher or serious scholar. BOOK REVIEWS The basic problem with this work is two-fold: (1) Wittman uses questionable methodology in creating Starting with the next issue, Dan Scripture of the her bibliography, and (2) the accuracy of the University of California, Santa Cruz, will be Book information contained in the bibliography is Review Editor. Please send him queries about seriously in doubt. And so, I present below a reviews, especially regarding works of scholarship. critique of what I have found to be a troublesome Contact him at: College Eight, University of and at best dubious reference work. California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, or by E-mail on Bitnet at [email protected]. Questionable Methodology Wittman’s stated methodology is acceptable as far as it goes. But it does not go far enough, and S ancIra M. Wittivian. Writinq A b ou r Vietnam: does not take into account the reliability of the tools A BiblioqRAphy of tUe L iterature of tHe employed in carrying out her work. There are Vietnam CoNflicT. Boston: G.K. HaIL, 1989. problems inherent in those tools, particularly in the use of the OCLC database as her major source of verification. While I do concede that OCLC is a by N. J. Kendall, Bibliographic Specialist & Reference vitally important source of bibliographic information, Librarian, Seattle Pacific University it is by no means the final word on bibliographic accuracy. My own experience and understanding Caution: Use This Book at Your Own Risk of this utility is that it lacks the kind of authority control that would prevent partial entries, erroneous Always the optimist, I tend to give the benefit of the doubt unless shown otherwise. When I first heard entries, and duplicates of entries for the same the rumblings about this book, I dismissed them as works which may contain inaccuracies. When dealing with a body of literature such as this, nothing more than “a few of the boys” getting ticked off about someone outside their circle of experts considering the elusive nature of the works involved and the small number of collections housing much publishing a large and extensive work in their field of this material, the reliability of the database as the without their knowledge. It didn’t take long to prove me wrong—terribly wrong. main tool for verification becomes even more questionable. Based on what I have seen in Wittman’s book, though I believe it to be honestly Wittman’s bibliography, it appears she seldom went conceived, is a minefield of inaccuracies, factual beyond verification in OCLC, and contrary to her claims errors, misrepresentations, and omissions. This

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she seems rarely. If ever, have actually looked at many of them Returning Fire by D.F. Brown (San Francisco the works she dtes (judging by the references for the University Press, 1984), The Outer Banks and novels, with which I am most familiar). Other PoemsbyW.D. Ehrhart (Adastra Press, 1984), As for the other tools used by Wittman in WinterBellsbyW.D. Ehrhart (Adastra Press, 1988), identifying the works included in this bibliography, I Dien Cai Dau by Yusef Komunyakaa (Wesleyan am In some doubt about her success in using these University Press, 1988), and Song of Napalm by resources. There is so much that is not included in Bruce Weigl (Atlantic Monthly Press, 1988), to the basic indexes she used (including the MLA name just a few. And considering that Wittman Bibliography, Reader's Guide, Short Story Index, made no attempt to include individually published and numerous others). So many of the publications poems, there remain great gaping holes in the list of which contain materials appropriate to her poetry. With no real explanation from the author, bibliography are obscure and esoteric (small press it is hard to understand the rationale behind this publications, minor literary magazines, self-published exclusion, and once more the supposed works, etc.) and are seldom included in any of the comprehensiveness of her bibliography is brought standard indexing sources . And in addition to the into question. numbers of items that cannot be identified using Wittman states that, as much as possible, these tools, I also question Wittman’s own approach materials were examined before including them in in using them. For example: Wittman lists only a the bibliography. I find it hard to believe that those single essay by film and literary theorist Susan examinations involved much more than quick looks Jeffords, “Born of Two Fathers: Gender and at cover blurbs and perhaps even a few lines or Misunderstanding in Platoon" (item 153 lg, p.285). pages scanned at the beginning of the work. It Not included were four other essays published in seems likely that much of what was included was widely-readjoumals within the past five years. Three never physically seen or examined, though it may of the four are cited In the author indexes of the MLA well have been verified on OCLC. In a letter to a Bibliography. Why were they not identified? Did colleague of mine, Wittman stated her belief that Wittman go no further than subject access? When construction of bibliographies from reviews alone is she identified an author did she not search to find if common practice. She implies that she has relied other works by that same author were available? heavily on reviews in constructing her bibliography, These omissions cast serious doubt on her research and based on comments in her “annotations” I technique. In addition to these oversights, her believe this to be her approach more often than not. summary of Jeffords’ essay was wholly inaccurate Case in point: in her annotation for Tim O'Brien’s and misleading. It does not, as claimed by Wittman, (item 340, p.61), she states show “the ways in which the movie Platoon is very that it is “probably the book of Vietnam War much like the Vietnam movies that came before i t . . literature.” This is the sort of statement made by a .” In fact, except for an introductory remark by reviewer, and while I will not argue its validity, Jeffords in the first lines of the essay, she does not Wittman offers nothing in her citation to indicate comparePlatoontootherVietnammovies, but rather the important nature of this work (except for her purpose is to show that it “represents a gendered mentioning the 1979 National Book Award)—no reading of the war.” (Jeffords, p. 184) This is but one comments on translations, media editions, example of the misleading natu re of many ofWittman's successive printings, variant editions, etc. “annotations” and raises doubts about the validity of In addition to relying on reviews, it seems likely most of what she writes. that Wittman relied heavily on other bibliographies There are curious holes in the list of materials for source information, in particular John Newman’s included in this bibliography. Even in the novel Vietnam War Literature, 2nd ed. An obvious sections, the titles missing raise questions as to the illustration of this can be seen in the citation for the author’s research approach. Nik-Uhumik’s War story “Dat-Tay-Vao” (item 1162, p.218), which offers Dogs, no.2, is included (item 564, p.94), but War the perfect example of another serious problem — Dogs 1 & 3 are not. Similarly, Jack Hawkins’ relying on and using another person’s work without Chopper 1, no.8, has been excluded, while nos. 1- carefully verifying that the information is correct. 7, 9, and 10 are included (items 519-527, p.91). A Her entry for “Dat-Tay-Vao” lists the author as surprising number of short stories have been Stephen E. Fabian, when in fact the author is F. overlooked, includingTom Suddick’s “China Beach”, Paul Wilson. Fabian is actually the illustrator. Paul West’s “A Feather on the Breath of God”, and Curiously, this same unusual error appears in several stories by John Deming. Poetry collections Newman’s book (item 619, p.224), which was by several noted authors have been ignored, among published the year before Wittman’s bibliography

29 J une, 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NUMbER 2 came out. She merely compounds Newman’s earlier field. That history is often the most important error. Once again Wittman’s methodology must be aspect of a publication. For instance, it is vitally called into question. Would such a mistake be important to note that different editions of Joe possible if she had actually seen this stoiy? Could Haldeman’s War Year (item 195, p.35) have both Newman and Wittman actually make the same startlingly different endings, as pointed out by mistake independently? I seriously doubt it. Newman, but ignored or unknown by Wittman. As for the accuracy of the author’s verification Had she consulted with one or more of the experts techniques, an even more outrageous case in point in Vietnam War bibliography, she might have been can be found among the personal narratives. able to provide this important fact. Wittman includes Michael Lee Lanning’s book The Wittman too often neglects to mention differences Only War We Had: A Platoon Leader’s Journal in title and/or author between editions, a common of Vietnam (item 730, p. 129), and at the end of her occurrence in British and Australian versions of annotation she states that it was reissued in 1988 novels. For example: David Alexander’s When the with a different subtitle, “A Company Commander’s Birffalo Fight (item 4, p.2), published in Australia Journal.” Actually, Vietnam, 1969-1970: A in 1980, was published later in the U.S. The author Company Commander's Journal is an entirely shown on the cover of that edition is Lex McAulay. separate and unique publication, which Wittman To satisfy my own curiosity, I looked this title up on would have known had she looked at the two books OCLC. Both versions were retrieved, but the (which I am doing at this very moment). Australian edition cited by Wittman was actually entered into the database in mid-1989, probably Accuracy of Information Listed after her book went to press. The U.S. edition, One of the most remarkable and puzzling however, was available on OCLC when Wittman editorial decisions made by this author was to list was “verifying” her entries. So why no mention of only a single bibliographic citation for each given the U.S. edition? And to prove my earlier point work. On rare occasions, she does make mention about the lack of authority control in OCLC, the of an alternate title, pseudonym, or some other U.S. publication record makes no mention of the unique publication information, but her own claim name Lex McAulay (which is on the cover of that is to list first American editions as the preferred book) while the Australian entry lists both McAulay citation. While this might seem at first glance to and David Alexander. OCLC is no help in make some sense, this decision eliminates an determining which is the pseudonym and which is enormous amount of important information. the real name of this author. Publication history can be valuable, if not vital, to A second example, Ellen Elliott’s Vietnam Nurse the serious researcher, and for the teacher or (item 146, p.27), was published in Australia as student or general reader looking for these books, Nurse in Vietnam, by Shanna Marlowe. Both those first editions may be difficult, if not impossible, examples illustrate the consistent absence of to obtain. In many cases, there are even recent author/title variations. In addition, there no mention editions currently in print. But there is nothing in is made of translator’s names in several entries, Wittman’s list to indicate that might be the case. among them The Ears of the Jung leby Pierre Boulle Considering variant titles, authornames, and other (item 43, p.8), translated by Michael Dobry and publication changes, this information can be very Linda Cole; and Into a Black Sun by Takeshi Kaiko important. (item 243, p.44), translated by Cecilia Segawa Adding to the confusion, Wittman does not stick Seigle. Again, this could be important information to her own first-American-edition rule. One example for the researcher, and indicates either carelessness is Dinah Brooke’s Games of Love and War, a or a lack of knowledge on the part of the author. I British publication (item 48, p.9). Wittman even prefer to think it could be the latter. lists the alternate American title, Death Games, Typographical errors are one thing, but the published the same year, but not as the main entry. errors I found in this work go well beyond simple What could be her explanation for these typos. Some of the more outstanding examples inconsistencies? And how does Wittman justify the from the novel section follow: British listing of Alan Williams’ The Tale of the Lazy Dog (item 465, p.83), with no mention of the Baker, Kenneth Waym^n [Wayman in Wittman (item American edition published the same year? 21, p.4)) The lackofpublishing history gives researchers, Bunch, Chris & Cole, Allan [Wittman omits Cole and more importantly teachers, students, and completely, something I’m certain Mr. Cole general readers a false view of the literature in this would take exception to (item 53, p.10) —

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another result of using OCLC as a verification her work. source?] The question of accuracy in Wittman’s Butler, James. Song Vam Sat [Song Yam Sat in “annotations” is also important to note. In her Wittman (item 57, p. 10)] preface, she claims to have included an annotation Carver, James. The Shadows in Go-Yeu [The only when the item could be verified and obtained Shadows q£ Go-Yeu in Wittman (item 76, for examination. Based on inaccuracies in her P-14)] summaries, I am left wondering just what that Elegant, Robert S. [Robert in Wittman (item 145, examination involved. I suspect, as stated earlier, p.26) that it consisted mainly of reading nothing more Frankland, Mark. (Franklin in Wittman (item 161, than cover blurbs, or relying on someone else’s P-29)] reviews. I would much rather know that the Grossbach, Robert. (Grosback in Wittman (item notations came from first-hand knowledge of the 191, p.35) subject matter of a book. In light of her intended Kingry, Philip. IKlngerv in Wittman (item 257, p.46)] audience (particularly students and educators) it Porter, JohnG. I f I Make My Bed in Hell Ilf I Made would have been helpful for Wittman to more My Bed in Hell in Wittman (item 365, p.66)] closely examine the works she cited (perhaps even Sandberg, Berent. [Sanford. Barent in Wittman (item read them!) so she could address the needs of that 401, p.72)] user population rather than making general, Vaughan, Robert. (Vaughn in Wittman (items 447- nondescript statements that mean little or nothing. 449, p.80)] There are so many errors in this work, between Cain, Jonathan. Cherry-Boy Body Bag. [Cherry- the typos, inaccurate citations, the lack of publishing Boy in Wittman (item 500, p.90)] history, misspellings, and inaccurate annotations, Cain, Jonathan. Hollowpoint Hell. [Hollowpoint that hardly a page out of the 385 in this work is in Wittman (item 504, p.90)] without critical mistakes. This includes the indexes, Helm, Eric. The Kit Carson Scout. [The Kit which seriously misdirects the reader a number of Carson Sauad in Wittman (item 534, p.92)] times, as in the listings for Bill Larson and Earnest Lansing, John. Pungi Patrol. [Punji Patrol in Larson (both spelled Larson in the index but Larsen Wittman (item 556, p.93)] in the citation) on p.344 of the Author Index — entered in the Author Index as item 248 — but they Many will consider such errors as these to be are actually found in item 948! This same error can merely first-edition editorial problems — the sort of also be found in the Title Index entry for this work. mistakes any early edition will contain. But in this And Tomorrow We..., on page 356. case, there are far too many factual errors to be Wittman’s unfamiliarity with these materials excused as editorial gaffes (author names, dates, also led to a number of bibliographic “ghosts”. Such title words, publisher names, etc.). These bibliographic phantoms further undermine the misspellings and other inaccuracies could easily validity of this work, and may lead readers to make it impossible to identify and locate these inaccurate conclusions resulting in misconceptions materials if one relies on this bibliography. The or dead ends. A couple of prime examples include: types of errors appearing in Wittman's book are On page 237, item 1293 lists ’s “M” symptomatic of sloppy research by one who is not (excerpt from the novel). M is not a novel, and is very well acquainted with the literature in this field. listed with the personal narratives (item 805, p. 147). As an information specialist, one thing I find If she knew the material more intimately, she could most annoying, yet encounter all too often, is have prevented this inaccuracy. Immediately above careless and slipshod bibliographic citation. Even Sack, item 1292 lists Geoff Ryman’s “The the most scholarly works are often littered with Unconquered Country” in Interzone 4, published such inexcusable sloppiness. Sadly, this can cast in 1987. However, the Interzone series only went doubt on the credibility of the author/researcher, up to “3” as of 1988. We have yet to verify this and on the results of their work. Students, citation. educators, and other scholars relying on the accuracy of this information are regularly foiled in Selection Criteria of Materials Used their attempts to retrieve materials cited. The Wittman inexplicably omits an entire genre of misspellings, inaccurate titles, incorrect publisher Vietnam War novels—the pornographic novel. This information, plus lack of alternate publication data includes a considerable body of materials, and in Wittman’s bibliography will result in just such though these materials are perhaps distasteful, I retrieval frustration by those who attempt to use find their exclusion by a librarian to be disturbing.

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More disturbing still is the fact that she does not reputable experts in Vietnam War literature. The mention this exclusion. I could have more readily result is a publication full of inaccuracies, blunders, accepted this personal censorship if she had stated misrepresentations, and omissions. I could never it up front. For a supposed “comprehensive” begin to elaborate on every error found so far (by one bibliography of the literature of the war, this is a colleague’s count nearly 300 individual errors had serious omission. Her response when challenged in been identified, not including the lack of publication a letter by one of my colleagues was that the histories). bibliography was intended mainly for teachers, and I am particularly concerned with the larger pornographic materials would be of no use to them. issue of responsible publishing and reviewing. The I find this presumptuous and disappointing, not publisher is equally responsible for bringing out a because I believe our children should read this book that is seriously underprepared for publication. horrid material (much of which I have read and If this was, indeed, meant to be merely a teaching looked at) but because it is a significant piece of tool for educators and students, then it should have what’s been written about the war. Students, been produced and marketed as such, rather than teachers, and researchers should at least be aware as a major research tool. And I seriously question of its existence. Interestingly enough, she did such an inadequately prepared body of information include one pornographic book in her list (Everett as being appropriate for students and teachers. Avery's Vietcong Terror Compound, item 19, p.4). They deserve better. Anyone familiar with the literature would have Responsible and accurate reviews would have recognized Star Distributors, publishers of many helped to diminish the potential damage of this pornographic works. But it is likely, once again, work. An evaluation of the reviews already given to that Wittman relied on someone else’s work for her this book would require another whole article, information. The book is listed in Newman (item something I may pursue later. But basically, the 186, p.76), and the annotation is ambiguous as to problem lies in the long-time practice of non-expert the pornographic nature of the book. reviewers evaluating specialized books. There are I also take great exception to Wittman’s any number of knowledgeable and scholarly experts distinguishing between “NOVELS” and in Vietnam War literature who could have done this “ADVENTURE NOVELS”. She claims that this work justice. The reviewers who did look at this “subgenre” includes only “novels that are part of a book were basing their reviews on the idea behind series of adventure novels,” and that they “emphasize the work, and on the considerable bulk of it. the adventures that form the plot rather than Numbers always seem to impress, and the large Vietnam . . . They could be set in any hot spot of number of items included in Wittman’s listing was the globe ...” She goes on to explain that she does noted by all. But they did not have the knowledge not annotate them, largely because of this and “the of the field to be able to properly assess the usefulness similarities of plot.” (p.xi) Implicit in this is a or accuracy of the information given. In a recent statement on the quality of these works. Wittman’s article in Reference Services Review, David Henige lack of familiarity with these books has led her to addressed this issue quite elegantly. draw some faulty conclusions. Such statements as hers could be made about any number of books “Users of reference works have the right listed in the general novel section. And the quality to expect that the presence on library shelves of those works is at least some of writing is not necessarily diminished in these warrant of their value. At the moment series books. There is plenty of pitiful writing this right is being abused, as reference among the general works as well. The “adventure shelves become more replete with items novels” are an important part of the literature, and that would fail to pass any inspection Wittman gives them little credit. given them. The trouble is, no inspections have ever been given them Conclusions from the moment they become a glint in the compiler’s eye until they reach the Wittman’s stated purpose for creating her status of entry in a publisher's catalog." bibliography “is to gather together the most complete (p.14) and current list of materials written about the Reference works such as Wittman’s must be Vietnam Conflict...” I truly believe that she had accurate, and they must be more carefully good intentions and meant to carry out her purpose considered before being recommended to users. honestly. But she made no attempt that I could tell In fact, after at least one reviewer was contacted to check her work or to consult with any of the and informed of many of the problems with this

32 June, 1991 VIETNAM G eneration, Inc. VoluME 5 NUMbER 2 work, he reconsidered his recommendation and colonial ideology and contemporary representations attempted to rewrite his review, but to no avail. It in literature and film. His work examines the also became apparent that most of the review neglected influence of the Puritan concept of religious sources will not publish second reviews of works and political mission in relation to the American that should be reassessed. Attempts to get at least literary experience of Vietnam. He astutely argues one source to reconsider their reviewmet with some that both writings reveal the outsider’s struggle amount of hostility. with spiritual alienation, colonial conquest and the Finally, this raises many questions in my own need to testify to the “truth” of experience. mind about other works purported to be expert, Melling takes issue with fashionable concepts comprehensive, and so on. I rely on reviewers and of Vietnam interpretation such as lack of historical their supposed expertise, but now I am left wondering dimension within key narratives and postmodernist how many other shoddy works slip through with ideas of absurdity. “The assumption that personal rave reviews, claiming them to be the most narratives ‘dehistoricize’ the war and its literature exceptional works in their field. In this case, the is misleading. Throughout the history of American truth was far removed from the statements of literature personal narratives have served as familiar publisher and reviewers. My only hope is that if means of addressing issues in public history. In the Sandra Wittman decides on a second edition of this literature of Vietnam that tradition continues. work, she will more carefully consider her method, Personal narratives restore to the reader the vitality her inclusion policies, and will consult with and of the past and the opportunity for self-discovery work closely with someone who knows something that is often available to those who retrieve it. about this literature of the Vietnam War. Personal narratives reflect both the anguish and the joy of a colonial vision in a strange new world. References They remind us, in particular, of the testimonies of spiritual experience delivered by the Puritans, in Henige, David. “When Bad is Good Enough: The Lowest the gathered churches of New England, between Common Denominator in Reference Publishing and the 1630s and the end of the seventeenth century.” Reviewing.” Reference Services Review, Vol. 19, no. 1, (xiii) Spring 1991. pp.7-14. Returning from Vietnam the writer faces the Jeffords, Susan. “Bom of Two Fathers: Gender and trauma of facing a society frequently denying both Misunderstanding in Platoon, in William J. Searle (ed.) Search and Clear: Critical Responses to the war and each veteran’s personal experience. In Selected Literature and Films of the Vietnam such circumstances the veteran offers the reader a War. Bowling Green, OH : Bowling Green State narrative in which the concept of mission is renewed University Popular Press, 1988. pp.184-194. as a visible symbol of triumph over the suppression Newman, John. Vietnam War Literature: An of truth. Melling’s writers include not just actual Annotated Bibliography of Imaginative Works veterans such as Caputo and Kovic but other voices About Americans Fighting in Vietnam. 2nd ed. such as Martha Gelhom and Mary McCarthy who Metuchen, NJ : Scarecrow Press, 1988 offered personal testimony concerning denied historical realities. He also cites works such as Philip H. MeIUnq, V/et/vam in A merican Loren Baritz’s Backfire, Ronald J. Glasser’s 365 Literature. Boston: Twayne PublishERs, 1990. Days, and Mark Frankland’s The Mother of Pearl $20.95 Men. The last offers a “way in which the Vietnamese history can be made more available to the reader Reviewed by Tony Williams, Cinema and and the manner in which the war might become Photography, Southern Illinois University much more accessible to those who have no Carbondale, ILL 62901. experience of it.” (vxii) Melling particularly objects to postmodernist Philip Melling has produced an extremely thoughtful interpretations of the U.S. war in Vietnam as analysis of the intrinsic connections between “formless” and its narratives involving a “retreat Vietnam War literature, history, and American from meaning.” He values those writings that have cultural archetypes that still dominate contemporary some relationship to historical issues and is critical consciousness. In a time when media manipulation of works which seek to deny meaning. Gustav of the Gulf War has led to exaggerated claims of Hasford’s The Short-Timers is criticized as a reversing the “Vietnam syndrome” his work is deceptive “novel of seduction” whose main character particularly valuable. Like Richard Slotkin, Melling exploits the reader’s craving for entertainment with investigates key connections between American spectacular and melodramatic lures. Joker “is as

33 J une. 1991 VIETNAM G eneration, Inc. Vo Lume 5 NuMbER 2 preoccupied with master narratives as any of the Puritan legacy of testimony, Melling comments, villains he brings to our attention... The text, “The book comes across as a crusade for truth, but therefore, is a work of ambush, a novel that exploits the opportunity to present that truth in as dramatic our sympathy for those who are playful in order to and colorful way as possible proves too tempting. obscure their lust for glory.” (p. 9) Against this Dispatches plays host to a parasitical fiction, one absurdist temptation Melling cites the more that supersedes the professed intention of historically grounded visions of Robert Mason, Mark reportage.” (p. 69) Lacking any adequate picture of Baker, Donald E. McQuinn, Takeshi Kaiko, and the Vietnamese and indulging in shallow cinematic Tran Van Dinh. But most important is the underlying spectacular perspectives, the book never attempts concept of the Puritan consciousness. to discriminate “between what happened “The Vietnam War emphasizes the importance occasionally, what happened all the time, and what of cultural memory in American life. It reminds us happened to everyone irrespective of who or where that Puritanism is neither a spent force nor a dead they were." (p. 78) In contrast to other more reliable religion but a complex philosophy that continues to works Hasford and Herr appear as the villains of provide guidance for principles and activities in our Vietnam literature. For Melling they are undoubtedly social, cultural, and political life. Puritanism is the twentieth century incarnations of Melville’s about the way selected people live in the world and Confidence Man, manipulating audience the structures they create to make their world a safe sensibilities denying both Vietnamese culture and and hospitable place. It is about the way people see history for postmodernist gratification. the world, their sense of Godliness, and the enemies “Dispatches is a concoction that has little to do that exist within it. Puritanism is about the way with Vietnam, a lot to do with the man who calls people talk about themselves in the world and himself , and everything to do with convey their sense of faith to one another.” (p. 15) what America is and the expectations of its reading In this sense one such “Puritan” jeremiad public.” (p. 83-84) Melling stresses the importance influential on the Kennedy administration goal of of viewing Vietnam as more than just an American bearing any burden was Lederer and Burdick’s The affair, as a terrain for Myers’ “point man” to wander, Ugly American. By contrast Ron Kovic’s Bom on heedless of Vietnamese culture and its people. “By the Fourth o f July is a reaction against such implication, a novelist who writes from a Vietnamese values. Paradoxically, it is also a work of testimony, point of view, or who downgrades the American with its own sense of mission opposing those presence in the text, is liable to be accused of ideological aims that sent its author to Vietnam in abandoning his primary duty, which is to distance the first place. Vietnam was offered as the dark the reader from the Vietnamese.” (p. 94) To avoid wilderness of Puritan mythology, that Satanic such ethnocentric pitfalls Melling stresses the enclave where the forces of evil awaited the unwary importance of the layer by layer revelation ofVietnam traveller. Opposing that vision are the alternative contained in Mark Frankland’s The Mother-of-Pearl voices of Bobby Garwood, Martha Gelhorn, Mary Men. It is a work similar to Forster’s A Passage to McCarthy, Takeshi Kaiko, and those in the India in its critique of European misconceptions. appropriately titled collection by Don Luce and Frankland’s book is a necessary counter to those John Sommer, Viet Nam: the Unheard Voices. In texts which merely view Vietnam as a locale for contrast to Michael Herr these works attempt to revealing the truths of Puritanism. represent the Vietnamese as more than bit-players Melling further asserts the necessity in in an introverted Puritan American horror fantasy. understanding Vietnam's relevance to contemporary Like other recent works on Asian women (Women history. “If we accept, as Philip Beidler does, that and Revolution in Vietnam; Shallow Graves: Two Vietnam was ‘a place with no real points of reference, Women and Vietnam), there is a firm evidence to then or now,’ then present-day questions like the counter any claim that all American writers were impact of the Vietnam onAmerican foreign policy in unable to comprehend and understand the Vietnam Central America, or the role of the Vietnam veteran experience. “To accept this evidence is to ignore a in the ‘Olliegate’ scandal, can be easily pushed to number of works that are driven by an opposing one side.” (p. 112) impulse, especially the desire to testify to what the The bookcontains further significant arguments writer has observed as an essential truth.” (p. 59- such as understanding Paco’s Story as author 60) Heinemann’s desire to make the war “a social One of the canonical texts singled out by Melling experience for the reader" and contesting that for its unrepresentative vision is Michael Herr’s Meditations in Green is no mere work of Dispatches. Regarding it as a perversion of the postmodernist dislocation. Vietnam in American

34 J une. 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. Vo Iume 5 NuMbER 2

usual ways—a warrior, a nurse, or even aprotestor— Literature examines the role of technology and economics in interpretations of the war, expertly this fact would not be surprising. Today, many investigating Robert Stone's The Dog Soldiers and bookstores and libraries have sections on Vietnam, A Flag for Sunrise along these lines. Melling’s with book after book detailing the vivid and powerful work is thus an important contribution to the study experiences of veterans of that war. But my story is of Vietnam in literary and cinematic terms. Taking not there, (p. 3)” Like thousands of other war wives, Novak felt issue with contemporary historical and “condemned to silence" for many years because, as postmodernist strategies and excavating important a wife, she did not experience combat and therefore aspects of the American cultural inheritance, it is felt she had no authority to write about war. sure to stimulate further debate. A highly Eventually recognizing that she too was “wounded” recommended work. by the war, she began to examine her own experience. “I am writing,” she says, “because I can’t stand the aye one y r s MARiAM F NovAk. L I G/ / wirh silence any longer.” (p. 5) BvRNiNq Eyes: A Wife R ecaUs Her HvsbANd's The memoir begins in the early 1960s with JovRNEy Hom e from Vietnam. B oston: L it t Le, Mariam describing herself as an ordinary adolescent, B rown ANd CoivipANy, 1991. $18.95 looking forward to marriage and “having a rather ordinary life as someone’s wife.” (p. 5) When she Reviewed by Susanne Carter, 545 East Delmar, became the wife of David Novak Springfield, MO 65807. in 1966, she began a life as “someone’s wife” that was far from ordinary. Living on a military base, she Several recently published books examine the formed the only real friendships that would sustain experience of Vietnam War wives who were left her through the coming war years—a bond of stranded on the home front while their husbands “sympathetic sisterhood” with other military wives flew halfway around the world to the war in Southeast based upon “our silent sharing, a sharing of fear Asia, wives who were later left bewildered and and worry that would become the hallmark of our confused when their husbands returned as strangers friendship.” (p. 123) This supportive connection haunted by intense memories, young men made old was soon severed when husband was sent to before their time by horrors. Aphrodite Matsakis’ Vietnam. Because the military offered no housing Vietnam Wives (Woodbine House, 1988) is a or support system for military wives whose husbands sociological documentation of the effect of the war were in Southeast Asia, most women such as Novak on the wives and families of returning veterans. sought ‘comfort and refuge where we thought we Patience Mason’s Recovering From the War could safely and honorably find it. We went home.” (Viking, 1990) recounts her own postwar feelings as (p. 182) a veteran’s wife and examines strategies veterans Pregnant when her husband left for war, Novak and wives can explore to recover from the war faced childbirth alone and later entered college, experience together. Both of these works emphasize seeking a sense of normalcy in her life among those the postwar experiences of war wives and their her own age. But meeting very few women who were relationships with estranged and often embittered experiencing the same emotions as she, Novak felt veteran-husbands. In contrast, Mariam Faye an intense sense of isolation among the throngs of Novak’s Lonely Girls with Burning Eyes focuses college students, many of whom were growing instead on the lonely, alienated existence young increasingly adamant in their stance against the war wives endured on the homefront while their war. She would eventually regard these students as husbands served in Vietnam. Explaining why her the real “enemies” of the war as she remained loyal story—as well as those of many other war wives— to the war effort. While other students seemed self- deserves to be told, Novak begins her memoir with assured and certain of their destinations, Novak this justification: describes herself during that period of her life as “I am the wife of a man who went to war. I “marking time in a no man’s land, certain of nothing. ” watched my husband train for war; I waited thirteen (p. 187) months fo r him to return home from it; and then I Her only assured ties during this time were with waitedfifteen years for him truly to come home. The other waiting wives scattered throughout the country war my husband went to. in Vietnam, has turned out who shared their fears and grief over the inevitable to be the central event of the 1960s and 1970s in casualties war with long distance correspondence. America. It has certainly been the central event of Letters home from her husband in Vietnam during my life. If I were a veteran of that war in any of the this time period illustrate the differing priorities of a combat soldier and his homefront wife. “Our

35 J une, 1991 Vietnam G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NuMbER 2 needs had been reduced to the basics,” Novak on “the pain that comes from waiting for a man who writes. While she longed for someone to talk to, her has gone to war and that comes from living with husband wrote that his greatest need was for a tent. what happens afterward.” (p. 6) I am grateful that “What a strange world it was becoming," Novak MarianFaye Novak, along with women like Aphrodite realized, as she planned her husband's funeral, Matsakis and Patience Mason, have broken the should he not return, even as she hopefully awaited silence of Vietnam War wives. his homecoming. Returning home to a war-weary, apathetic MARTiN B ernaI. BUck ArhENA, R utqers country, David Novak, like many veterans of this UNivERsiTy P ress, 1989. war, attempted to bury his memories of Vietnam without success. During the early 1970s these Reviewed by Daniel Egger, Yale Law School, New haunting memories began to resurface in the form Haven, CT 06520. of nightmares. Although he outwardly seemed to be coping with postwar readjustment, with a promising Perhaps the greatest positive contribution which career and growing family, inwardly he was the Vietnam War made to U.S. society has been to distressed. “He had a constant look of anger, serve as a clear and compelling demonstration that bitterness, and confusion in his eyes” as well as a the experts do not necessarily know what they are drinking problem, Novak remembers, (p. 269) “I talking about. Indeed, caught up as they are in the can’t offer you anything, “ he once told his wife, “I’m game of preserving their status as experts, they all used up.” (p. 270) may be the last to accept reality. Martin Bernal, a Part of the gradual healing process for her Professor of Political Science at Cornell, explains in husband, Novak explains, has been repeated visits his Preface how the Vietnam War contributed to the Wall in Washington, D.C. But the crowds of substantially to his own disillusionment with the people who reverently honor the 58,000 names normative authorities in his field. He got tired of engraved on black granite there still remind her of teaching the racist ideas of Hobbes and Locke, how many Americans refused to support soldiers learned Vietnamese, then Hebrew, and began such as her husband while the war was ongoing. exploring the origins of the Greek-centered “Where were you when we needed you? When we all normative canon upon which Western universities needed you? How can you look so long and lovingly now rely. Black Athena conveys the exhilaration on the silent names of these dead when you were so of escape from the reductive uses of that canon. quick to turn your backs on their living faces?” (p. Bernal discovered that Greece has been 274) considered the source of Western culture and ideas Lonely Girls with Burning Eyes reveals the only since the 1820’s. At that time, German scholars untold story of many still silent war wives of the began to espouse the “Aryan” model in which white, Vietnam War whose feelings have been “Indo-European” invaders descended upon Europe overshadowed by veterans’ more dramatic roles from what is now northwest India (hence the name), acted out in the theater of war. As I read the book, displacing backwards tribes with their own superior I found myself wishing Novak had placed more language and culture, and ultimately creating Greek emphasis on her thoughts and feelings and less on culture, from which all western civilizations derive some other details. I wish she had written more their highest values. They posited the existence of philosophically, as she did so eloquently in the a language belonging to these invaders, Indo- introduction to the book, and less factually. I European, claiming it as the source for the more wanted to expand the war section of the book and abstract and philosophical words surviving in Greek. shorten the prewar chapters. I wanted more Scholars in classics and linguistics have elaboration about the homecoming of the husband subsequently suppressed or ignored the evidence and subsequent problems for their relationship suggesting sources of Greek culture and language and family. Despite these lacks, I found Novak’s elsewhere than from the Indo-Europeans. story of her anguished isolation absorbing and Bernal systematically dismantles the Aryan sensitively written. Although I could not identify model, demonstrating its racist and anti-semitic with her unflinching support for the war and the presumptions, its dependence on unprovable United States Marine Corps, I grieved for the sense assertions, and, ironically, its disrespect for the of alienation she endured as young mother and war classical sources themselves. The Greeks always wife whose emotional needs were as neglected by traced their culture in general, and philosophical her fellow citizens as were those of the returning wisdom in particular, to Egypt. They respected veterans. I shared Novak’s agony as she elaborated Egypt as, in many ways, an ideal society, whose

36 J une. 1991 ViETNAM G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NUMbER 2

to digest its central tenets and/or explore their population Herodotus described as being the implications. happiest and most religious on earth. Plato was It is likely that the general reader who stumbles even criticized in his lifetime for lack of imagination across Black Athena and finds the ideas in constructing his ideal Republic to be just like fascinating and provocative, but feels himself Egypt. unequipped to test their plausibility, may figure The Greek opinion was accepted by scholars that it “goes too far,” because if it were correct, it from Roman times through the Renaissance, when would have made a bigger splash. But I believe that texts of Egyptian origin were considered even more those who, like myself, have read through the bulk valuable than Plato. Bernal argues that the Egyptian of the bibliographic sources, primary and secondary, model is essentially correct, and that Greek religion, in English language translation, and have at least philosophy, art and culture can best be understood a passing knowledge of prehistoric Archeology, as adaptations of Egyptian forms. The beauty of Hieroglyphics, Hebrew, Greek mythology and Bernal’s idea is that it collapses the tedious debate philosophical vocabulary, Plato and his followers, between “conservative” and “politically correct” hermetic tradition, the Italian Renaissance, the academics about what should be taught in U.S. radical Enlightenment, and German cultural history, universities. will find themselves agreeing with Martin Bernal on The “conservatives” who would place Plato, almost every point. Of course, it’s still difficult to Aristotle, and the European thinkers who responded trust in one’s own judgment against solemn to their ideas, at the core of education may gradually pronouncements of the normative authorities. have to accept that the insights of their beloved white men were learned from the Priestesses and ElliOTT RichMAN. A Bucker of ISAils: P oems Priests of Egypt. They may at last turn with respect From tHe S econcI hdochii\A War , SAiviisdAT- to the passages where Plato says as much himself. Merritt ClifTON, c/o THe A nIiviaIs' A qencIa, Once one begins to read Greek philosophy respectfully, the patriarchal framework through 456 Monroe TuRNpikE, Monroe C T 06468. which it is now taught collapses. For instance, WRiTE fOR pRiCE. Socrates tells us that he learned all that he knows from a Priestess with whom he studied. By Bill Shields, P.O. Box 47, Youngwood, PA 15697 One the other hand, those who would chuck the Great Books and start afresh maybe sobered to A couple of words about Elliott Richman. I watch learn that the best of African, Semitic, and this guy close. matriarchal ideas may already be found, if in So few poets have the ability to keep an audience transmogrified form, in Plato. If those who seek awake, even the polite listeners stifle yawns & change in American universities also wanted to be dangle the car keys, wishing by Christ they were consistent, they should not condemn the classical home in their own bed. Only a handful of men & tradition, but celebrate it as a demonstration of the women writing poetry in 1991 can bring a sweat to continuing power and profound influence of African the brows of any audience, any time. Richman is ideas. one of those fingers in that intense hand. Black Athena will eventually be recognized as His chapbook, A Bucket of Nails: Poemsfrom one of the most creative, influential, not to mention the Second Indochina War is written in beautifully written, scholarly books to be written in Vietnamese personae & every poem rings true. the wake of the Vietnam war. But, characteristic of “The American boys pay no attention/ to me, an great masterpieces, the book had difficulty finding aged man in the ,/ a bag of bones in a loin a publisher, and its appearance has met with cloth. They do not know/ my oldest son died with almost complete silence. Those readers who work in his bayonet/ in a Jap’s face. They do not know/ my the academic disciplines Black Athena critiques, father was executed by the French for the Plot of apparently unable to rebut its central arguments, 1907. They do not know/ that at night these have found it safer simply to ignore the book. The wrinkled by steady fingers/ place detonators in popular press has seized on a peripheral issue to land mines/ that will make bones of young bodies.” argue about. By bickering over whether or not The poems move so quickly & register hard. Egyptians were black, something the book does not Straight hits to the body, as in: even assert, those few reviewers who even picked up the book can feign interest in it without beginning

37 J une. 1991 ViETNAM G eneration, Inc. VolUME 5 NUMbER 2

Do They Belong to Another Race? Without slopping over into blatant The first time the Americans came, sentimentality, responsibility is taken into account, children followed, responsibility we all should—but cannot bring the soldiers giving them sweets. ourselves to— acknowledge:

The second time they came, “Some American soldier we poured them water came to your mother for love, to drink. or lust, or a moment’s respite from loneliness, and you happened... The third time they came, I will dream you are my own daughter. they killed everything. But none of that will matter when you come here tomorrow W.D. EhRhART. J ust Fo r LAuqhs: P oems by and I’m gone.” W.D. EhRhART, V ietnam G eneration, Inc. ancI (From “Twice Betrayed”) B urn'inq CiTiES P ress, 2921 T errace D rIve, These are not solely war poems; interspersed ChEvy CHase, MD 20815, 1990, 84 pp, throughout are poems about the now, about Bill’s pERfECTboUNd, $10.00. daughter, his wife, remembrances of prewar life, Reviewed by Andrew Gettler, 2663 Heath Ave., although Vietnam informs, as it should and must, Apt. 6D, Bronx, NY 10463-7520. all of his poetic vision. One poem for his wife compresses desire, humor, I’ve always admired Bill Ehrhart’s work both his tenderness, understanding and a familiarity that poetry and his prose, and Just fo r Laughs is a fine can only be approached through love when the addition to his already considerable body of work. poet, sorting clothes for the wash, comes across; Ehrhart’s poetry is at once accessible and complex. It is what it is on the surface, yet there are “that pair of panties I like levels and depths, that will not be obvious at once (the beige ones with the lacy waist)...” but have a kind of timed-release effect on the reader. You begin to realize that, yes, on first and he cannot bring himself to put them into the glance, this may be a poem about war, this about machine; its aftermath, that about the poet’s wife or daughter, but... that isn’t all. In fact, that isn’t all by a long “but they felt so smooth, so soft, I shot. just stood there getting hard. Woman, I’ve read a lot of Vietnam poetry whose overall never mind the crows’ feet and creeping slack. effect is numbing; a cataloguing of body parts, methods of destruction, guilt-ridden rage. While For me, you'll always be sultiy, the inhumanity that demands that old men continue mysterious, ready for anything.” to be allowed send young men half a world away to (From “For Anne, Approaching Thirty-five”) kill other young men (and women and children) for hidden agendas that have nothing to do with honor, There are several pieces for his daughter, Leela, freedom or dignity should always enrage us, it that are as much about a father’s hopes for his should never leave us numb and helpless before its child’s future as they are about his own past. One onslaught. that I particularly like, “Chasing Locomotives”, Ehrhart’s poetry, while acknowledging that concludes; inhumanity, never dodges complicity, never loses sight of the ability of hatred, greed and the desire for “but it’s little enough power to perpetuate themselves, no matter the cost: my daughter has to keep her from a world full of men “How many wounded generations, like me touched with fire, have offered up who can’t imagine any world their children to the gods of fire? except the one they think Even now, new flames are burning, belongs to them.” and the gods of fire call for more, and the new recruits keep coming.” In his fine Vietnam collection, Johnny's Song (from “Parade”) (Bantam Books, 1986), Steve Mason speaks of the

38 J u n e , 1991 VIETNAM G eneration, Inc. Vo Lume 5 NuMbER 2 need for “each combat veteran of Vietnam/ to live utilizes a unique set of subject headings, including his life/ as if he were living for two...”, his own and such categories as “Family,” “Love,” and “Street the never-to-be-finished life of someone who didn’t Life.” Due to the rare nature of its books the make it back. Brautigan Library is not a lending library, so books If there were more poets, more artists, more must be read on the premises. Comfortable seating teachers with the humanity and craft of W.D. is provided. It is anticipated that the library will Ehrhart—and if that humanity and craft were heeded cultivate a new kind of literary tourist, as people and appreciated—future generations would only from other cities come to see this unusual place and have to concern themselves with their own dreams, explore it contents. not as well the dreams of those lost to the aberration Over the long term the library hopes to establish we’re pleased to label, “War.” a reputation for its body of “folk literature,” (part of Just For Laughs isn’t about laughing at all. It’s the Brautigan Library lexicon) and that the about seeing, knowing, sharing and, finally, about publishing industry and others will use it as a hoping. Bill Ehrhart’s vision is one that touches source. The library could help give exposure to the human being in us all. writing that otherwise might go unnoticed. Particularly interesting works may qualify for library publication. Plans for library publications include L ate BREAkiNq LIt e r a r y NEWs-RichARd syndicated newspaper and magazine columns, a radio program and eventually an annual book omes to e BRAUTiqAN's FicTioNAl LibRARy C LII publication. The Brautigan Library is governed by a Board of Burlington, Vermont. A unique public library Trustees made up of prominent literary and media specializing in unpublished literature opened its professionals form the State ofVermont. An Advisory doors in Burlington, Vermont on April 22, 1990. Board includes writers, poets and other creative The Brautigan Library is modeled after a fictional professionals from across America. library described by the late American author You can become a Supporting Member of the Richard Brautigan (1935-1984) in his 1970 novel. Brautigan Library with a donation of $25 or more. The Abortion: An Historical Romance 1966. It is a The library also accepts charitable contributions of library for writing outside the mainstream of any size. For every fifty dollars donated, the library’s commercial publishing, a library for works written Trustees will sponsor one new work under the by serious writers, as well as not-so-serious writers. library’s “Support a Writer” program. Writing of all sorts is accepted by the Brautigan Manuscripts should not be sent without an Library: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, technical or application. literary works. The only restriction is that a piece For information regarding submission and of work may not have been previously published library hours, please call or write: The Brautigan before being sent to the library. Other than that, the Library P.O. Box 521 91 College Street, Burlington, Brautigan Library has an open door policy regarding Vermont 05402 (802) 658-4775 submissions. The Brautigan Library is a nonprofit organization, funding itself with charitable contributions and with fees paid by writers to V ietnam Generation N ewsletter register their works. Those who can’t afford the fees can apply for assistance through the library’s Direct queries and submissions to the Newsletterto “Support a Writer” program. Writers send their the Editor: manuscripts to the library, preferably in a recommended format. Along with the manuscript, the writer includes a completed library application Dan Duffy form and a check for the registration fee. When the 18 Center Road Woodbridge, CT 06525 manuscript arrives at the library, the staff registers (203) 387-6882 the work and attaches a hard cover binding. The FAX: (203) 389-6104 library does not judge works it receives: all works / are given an equal opportunity to be on the shelf. Vietnam Generation Newsletter is a publication of Unlike most libraries, which use the Dewey Vietnam Generation, Inc., 2921 Terrace Drive, Chevy Decimal System of classification, the Brautigan Chase, MD 20815; (301) 608-0622; FAX: (301) Library organizes its collection according to the “Mayonnaise System.” The Mayonnaise System 608-0761.

39 Back Issues of Vietnam Generation: 1989 and 1990 Volume Years N

1.1: The Future ofthe P a st Revisionism and Vietnam ($16) "In Cold Blood: The Vietnam War in Textbooks," “Two Quiet Americans: British Literature into American Propaganda," "Disputing the Wreckage: Ideological Struggle at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial," “The American Bombardment of Kampuchea, 1969-1973," "First Blood Redrawn," “Inflationary Impact of the Vietnam War," “A Hundred Happy Sparrows: An American Veteran Returns to Vietnam," “On the Cover of the Rolling Stone: Toward a Theory of Cultural Therapy."

1.2: A White M an’s W an Race Issues and Vietnam, Special Editor: William King ($15) “Contemporary Afro-American Studies and the Study of the Vietnam War," “Soldados Razos: Issues of Race in Vietnam War Drama," “Forgotten Warriors: American Indian Servicemen in Vietnam," “Project 100,000: The Great Society's Answer to Military Manpower Needs in Vietnam," “‘Our Men in Vietnam': Black Media as a Source of the Afro-American Experience in Southeast Asia," “Alamo Bay and the Gook Syndrome," “The Silent Majority Baby Boomers: Class of 1966 in a South Jersey Town," “I, Too, Sing America: Vietnam as Metaphor in Coming Home," “Perceptions of Race and Class Among Chicano Vietnam Veterans," ‘Bloods Revisited."

1.3-4: Gender and the W an Men, Women and Vietnam, Special Editor, Jacqueline Lawson ($19) “Sexist Subscript in Vietnam Narratives," “‘Going Toward War’ in the Writings of Maxine Hong Kingston," “Interviews with Two Vietnam Veterans: Welcome Home," “Women for Peace or Women’s Liberation? Signposts from the Feminist Archives," “The Television War: Treatment of Gender and the Vietnam Experience in Network Television Drama in the 1988-89 Season," “Visions of Vietnam in Women’s Short Fiction," “ I Never Really Became a Woman Veteran Until...I Saw the Wall': A Review of Oral Histories and Personal Narratives by Women Veterans of the War," “Nuclear Discourse and Its Discontents, or, Apocalypse Now or Never," “Moon Landing: A Memory," “As Soldier Lads March By," “Paramilitary Fantasy Culture and the Cosmogonic Mythology of Primeval Chaos and Order," “Point Blank: Shooting Vietnamese Women," “Violence, Death and Masculinity," “The Day They Buried Traditional Womanhood’: Women and the Politics of Peace Protest," “Taking in the Images: A Record in Graphics of the Vietnam Era Soil for Feminism," “Happiness is a Warm Gun: Militarized Mourning and Ceremonial Vengeance," “Making Sense of Vietnam and Telling the Real Story: Military Women in The Combat Zone,’ “Back Against the Wall: Anti-Feminist Backlash in Vietnam War Literature," “Feminist Criticism and the Literature of the Vietnam Combat Veteran."

2.1: G l Resistance: Soldiers and Veterans Against the War, Special Editor, H ariy W. Haines ($15) “Black GI Resistance During the Vietnam War," “GI and Veterans Movement Against the Vietnam War, 1965-1975: A Selected Bibliography," “Stealing Hubcaps," “Hegemony and the GI Resistance," “The War Within A War: Dissent in the Vietnam-Era Military," The Presidio 27," “Lieutenant Hatfield," “A Matter of Conscience: Resistance Within the U.S. Military During the Vietnam War," “Breaking Ranks: GI Antiwar Newspapers and the Culture of Protest."

2.2: K ent and Jackson State: 1970-1990, Special Editor, Susie Erenrick ($15) “Statement by the Governor, the Generals, the Command Officers, and the Guardsmen," “Statement by the Parents: January 4, 1979," Th e Sixties, Kent State, and Historical Memory," “Beggar’s Bullets: Captain Trips Bums Clevo or What a Short Dull Trip It Was," The May 4 Memorial at : Legitimate Tribute or Monument to Insensitivity?" “Four Students: Address Delivered at Kent State, May 4, 1974," “A 1990 Postscript," “Simple Themes and Complex Reality in the Spring of 1970," “Address Delivered at Kent State, May 4, 1984," “Address Delivered at Kent State, May 4, 1987," “From Kent State to Tiananmen Square: Some Personal Reflections," “A Tribute to Arthur Krause: Delivered at Kent State, May 4, 1989," “Anniversary: May 4, 1988," “Brothers and Sisters on the Land: Tent City, 1977," “Kent State: What You Still Don’t Know," “Recalling the Kent State Killings," “Twenty Years Later," “On the Trouble at Kent State," “’Mediated Reality' of Kent State: The Friction Between Fact and Fiction," “The Killings at Jackson State University, May, 1970," “Our Beloved Sandy is Gone Forever," “Lynch Street: The May, 1970, Slayings at Jackson State University," “Save the Pooch," “Mississippi Killing Zone: An Eyewitness Account of the Events Surrounding the Murders by the Mississippi Highway Patrol at Jackson State University," T h e Big Chill: The Stifling Effect of the Official Response to the Kent State Killings," “May 15, 1970: The Miracle at Jackson State University."

2.3: Southeast Asian Am erican Communities ($12) “Vietnam, My Country,' “Southeast Asian Parent Empowerment: The Challenge of Changing Demographics in Lowell, Massachusetts," “Cambodians in the Bronx and Amherst: A Photographic Essay," “Between Cultures: Oral History of Hmong Teenagers in Minneapolis," “Reducing Teenage Childbearing in the Hmong Community: First Year Results," Th e Vietnamese Amerasian Resettlement Experience: From Initial Application to First Six Months in the United States," Th e Education of Hmong Women."

2.4: Just For Laughs: Poetry hg W .D. Ebrbart ($10) Volume 3, 1991

3.1 Swords Into Ploughsares: A n Anthology of “Home Front'’ Vietnam W ar Literature 3.2 Australia R rJR j Australian Scholars Address the Vietnam War 3.3 W inter Soldiers: Vietnam Veterans’ W ar Crimes Testimony 3.4 Antiwar Protest in the Vietnam W ar Era

To subscribe to tbe Vietnam. Generation journal and Newsletter, send your check of $40.00 for individual' $75.00 for institutions to Vietnam Generation, Inc., 2921 Terrace Drive, Chevy Chase, M D 20815; (30. 608-0622; FA X : (301) 608-0761. All new subscriptions begin with the first issue of the current volume year. To order back issues, indicate the numbers of the issues you would like to receive and enclose payment. You may order any combination of four back issues for $40.00 for individuals, $75.00 for institutions. Double issues count as two single issues.