Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War

What does it mean to remember a war? Nguyen (English, Univ. of Southern California; The Sympathizer) explores this question through a critical analysis of the films, literature, cemeteries, statues, video games, etc. that memorialize the Vietnam War in the United States, Vietnam, and elsewhere. The author points out that America's recollection of the conflict is more familiar around the world in large part because the country's movie industry has global reach, which is not the case for Vietnam. Nguyen argues that the military-industrial complex has learned the wrong lessons from this war—that victories are not necessary to perpetuate a battle's existence. He advocates "just memory," which includes (among other things) the ability to see both the humanity and inhumanity in ourselves and others as a way to redress this. The author also examines how the conflict is recalled by Vietnamese Americans, South Koreans, Hmong, and others.