Remembering Vietnam
All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory
Viet Thanh Nguyen
Introduction: Twelve Critical Episodes in the Vietnam War
This exhibition presents both iconic and recently discovered National Archives records related to 12 critical episodes in the Vietnam War. They trace the policies and decisions made by the architects of the conflict and help untangle why the United States became involved in Vietnam, why it went on so long, and why it was so divisive for American society.
It is important to answer these questions. The sacrifices made by veterans and their families, the magnitude of death and destruction, and the war’s lasting effects require no less. Yet many only know the war through a handful of slogans, lyrics, and film scenes. “Remembering Vietnam” is a resource for refreshing our collective memory. Its collection of evidence provides an opportunity for new insight and greater understanding of one of the most consequential wars in American history.
Episode 1
Truman Sides With France, 1946-1953
Truman aids France in its war to recolonize Vietnam—the beginning of a 25-year involvement
Episode 2
Eisenhower Backs Diem, 1953-1961
Eisenhower commits U.S. support for the new anti-Communist South Vietnamese government.
Episode 3
Kennedy Doubles Down, 1961-1963
Kennedy invests in a military solution to a political question: What type of government will rule a united Vietnam?
Episode 4
Johnson Sets the Stage, 1964
Congress rushes to give President Johnson war powers
Episode 5
America Goes to War, 1965
Johnson orders air campaign and sends first ground troops to Vietnam
Episode 6
Fighting on Three Fronts, 1966-1967
Tension between military strategy, humanitarian efforts, and antiwar activism reach crisis levels
Episode 7
Tet Offensive, 1968
Americans lose faith in the potential for victory after wide-ranging Communist attacks
Episode 8
Nixon’s Campaign Promise, 1968-1969
Nixon scuttles Johnson’s peace talks before the election and expands the war after it
Episode 9
Crossing into Cambodia, 1970-1971
Nixon’s Cambodian campaign fans antiwar flames and deepens divide between Americans
Episode 10
Fighting While Talking, 1972
The North Vietnamese “Spring Offensive” and the American “Christmas Bombing”
Episode 11
Paris Peace Accords, 1973
Peace is declared but not achieved
Episode 12
Fall of Saigon, 1975
The Communists conquer Saigon
Remembering Vietnam: Legacy
A memorial for veterans, healing for the nation
Just as the individual military participants in the Vietnam War needed to be healed, so too did the entire nation.
Jan C. Scruggs, 2015
Jan C. Scruggs came home from Vietnam in 1969 with permanent souvenirs. His body was riddled with shrapnel. But his most painful injuries were of the mind and spirit. Ten years after his return, he envisioned a way to heal the psychic wounds of his fellow veterans and the nation— a monument, not to the war, but to those who fought it, with the names of everyone killed in action inscribed upon it.
Three years later, after raising over $8 million from private donors, seeing legislation through Congress, and fighting battles on multiple fronts over the controversial design, Scruggs realized his dream. The wall lists more than 58,000 Americans who gave their lives in the war. “The Wall that Heals” is one of the most popular sites on the National Mall.
History of Foreign Occupation of Vietnam
Veterans’ Records at the National Archives
The National Archives and Records Administration holds the records of U.S. military personnel. A veteran (or next of kin) may request his or her individual military personnel file (201 file). For information about obtaining these records, visit archives.gov/veterans.
Personnel records of civilians who worked for the various branches of the military are also held in the National Personnel Records Center. For information about obtaining these records, visit https://www.archives.gov/st-louis/opf
Related Online Resources:
- Find primary sources and activities for teaching about the Vietnam War on DocsTeach
- Explore more records, information, and resources at the Vietnam War Research Portal
- Read About the Exhibition in Prologue Magazine
Remembering Vietnam was created by the exhibits staff in the National Archives Museum and presented in part by the Lawrence F. O’Brien Family, Pritzker Military Museum & Library, AARP, FedEx Corporation, and the National Archives Foundation. Additional support provided by the Maris S. Cuneo Foundation, The Eliasberg Family Foundation, Inc., and HISTORY®.