Vietnam Reconsidered

Overview

An analysis of the war, the times, and the national trauma that's stretched into current events, from the perspective of an anti-war veteran

Very few of the many books about the Vietnam War fully address why the fighting was conducted in such a cruel manner, why it was prolonged far past its logical end, or what, ultimately, went wrong. American literature has been reluctant to emphasize the fact that between 3.5 and 5 million Southeast Asians died—many of them peasants—that the majority of the bombs dropped from American planes landed on South Vietnam—our ally and an impoverished agricultural society—or that the use of napalm and Agent Orange was, in reality, chemical warfare. Americans have been reluctant to acknowledge the damage done, but after 17 years of another, very similar conflict in Afghanistan, many Americans are beginning to wonder why our highly financed and supported military isn't more effective. This book strongly suggests that the lessons of Vietnam are relevant and worthy of being reconsidered as today's wars are debated. From Captain Kangaroo, Roy Rogers, and Walt Disney to space travel, muscle cars, and The Beatles, the generation that would be sent to fight in Vietnam was uniquely influenced by times that were a-changin'. Like square pegs in a round hole, the post-World War II baby boomers were brought up with values that made widespread social outcry against the horrors of the war predictable and necessary. Those influences and values have long been ignored, but this book revives a spirited discussion and analysis of the first war America lost.

Reviews

"A thoughtful. Timely, and beautifully written book that every American should read if we are ever to learn from the disaster of Vietnam." —Ron Kovic, author of Born on the Fourth of July

"Reading this book, I got angry all over again. The only thing we learn from history is that we don't learn from history. Ketwig has done a great job in bringing the entire era, the war, its historical setting, the culture and emotions of the times to life in a vivid and powerful way. Even those who fought in Vietnam will learn much and will be shockingly reminded of how huge that whole experience has been. Congrats to Ketwig on an interesting and important book." —Bobby Muller, founder of Vietnam Veterans of America and cofounder of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997

"A thoughtful mosaic on the war and its times. His trauma-honed insights range from the military-industrial-intelligence complex's killing of President Kennedy, who was committed to ending the war, to the corporate profiteering that fueled 12 more years of slaughter. Ketwig's work inspires us to seek the abolition of war." —James W. Douglass, author, JFK and the Unspeakable

"A balanced, engaging, fascinating look at the slimy underbelly of the American power structure and the hired guns of the media who cover up for them." —Michael Le Flem. Michael Le Flem is an independent researcher and a university lecturer in history and philosophy in Chicago. He holds a Master's degree in Western Intellectual History from Florida State University.

"This is a long-considered sequel to Ketwig's mind-blowing war memoir, …and a hard rain fell. Ketwig offers savvy commentary on the swirling demons of profiteering, PTSD and suicide, patriots vs. peaceniks, sex and soldiers, the draft, and the Wall, among other topics. He presents lists of questions for students to consider and FAQs on key things such as Agent Orange. What makes this book memorable, a gift to share with others, is Ketwig's unrelenting quest to dig deeper into what the war in Southeast Asia did to so many people, civilians and soldiers, Asians and Americans, and what to do about it." —Jan Barry, author of A Citizen's Guide to Grassroots Campaigns, Earth Songs, and co-editor of Winning Hearts & Minds: War Poems by Vietnam Veterans, among other works.?

"This is not a war story. Ketwig explores the connections between the events at home and their effects on the war. He debunks the notion that the media, or the protesters, kept us from winning. I was surprised about the depth of corruption among our own troops. He manages to compare corruption in Vietnam to the disappearance of billions of dollars-worth of $100 bills in Iraq and the rip-off contracts given to defense contractors. Reading this book was, to me, kind of like sitting at the bar of the VFW and shooting the shit with a good friend." —John Zutz, Vietnam Veterans Against the War 

Author Biography

John Ketwig was in Vietnam from September 1967 to September 1968. He is a member of Vietnam Veterans of America and Veterans For Peace and a lifetime member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War. He is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir ... and a hard rain fell and has written for numerous magazines and publications.