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Title: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Subtitle: The History of Washington D.C.'s Vietnam War Monument

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Robert Diepenbrock

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-12-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

Before the Vietnam War, most Americans would have been hard pressed to locate Vietnam on a map. War broke out between Communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam around the end of the '50s. Kennedy's administration tried to prop up the South Vietnamese with training and assistance, but the South Vietnamese military was feeble.

Johnson sent fewer than 5,000 Marines to Vietnam in early 1965, but he quickly upped it to 200,000 by the end of the year. There was no going back. By the end of the decade, Vietnam had left tens of thousands of Americans dead, spawned a counterculture with millions of protesters, and destroyed a presidency. And more was still yet to come.

The Vietnam War remains one of the most controversial events in American history, and it bitterly divided the nation. It is somewhat ironic that the most famous monument commemorating the war is also on one of the most serene spots in the nation's capital. The Vietnam Wall is a place of almost eerie silence where even children cease their chatter. Rising out of the ground like an ancient obelisk, it calls upon its visitors to stop talking and to look and gaze upon the magnitude of America's great mistake, a war that began in whispers and ended in tears.

At the same time, the monument speaks volumes not just about the nature of war but the utter catastrophe that occurred in Southeast Asia. Visitors who may have come from the bustling Lincoln Memorial nearby are often struck by the length of the wall, a solemn but powerful reminder that Vietnam claimed nearly 60,000 American lives.

Members Reviews:

Bringing into Focus

I opposed the Vietnam War. When it was erected, I disliked the memorial, not for political reasons but because the design was too far afield from the bronze statues I associated with the idea of a "memorial." This book has given me a much different perspective. I understand now both the poetry and simplicity of "The Wall" and the ways in which it captures the sentiments of a conflicted nation. It represents our young men; its polished surface literally reflects the country around it--the cloud-studded blue sky, the rolling green grass, the men and women who stand before it... and remember.

I was not aware of the statues which were added to the park until I read Charles River's description. Understanding the memorial, and its adjuncts, brings a deep appreciation for its history, its art and grace, and for the 58,000+ men and women it so simply and eloquently memorializes.

Great book as even being from that generation I really ...

Great book as even being from that generation I really did not understand the whole idea behind the memorial but have read a lot of the war. I feel for all the guys on that war and that is all and I was lucky I was able to live a full live now at 62

Quick read and informative

This edition on a historic site was a quick read packed with much information. Written in a simple format young readers can even enjoy learning about this memorial to our Vietnam service men and women.

Helping to give us Closure, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Powerful and interesting....worth reading to get a closer look at the why's and wherefores of this monument to the lives lost fighting Communism.

excellent read

Excellent book.