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THE VIETNAM WAR WAS THE LONGEST WAR IN MODERN HISTORY. IT RAISED POLITICAL PASSION AND MORAL CONTROVERSY THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN WORLD AND PLAYED AN IMPORTANT PART IN SHAPING THE POLITICAL DESTINY OF NOT ONLY SOUTHEAST ASIA, BUT OF THE WHOLE WORLD.
THERE IS STILL MUCH MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE TRUE REASONS FOR THE WAR, AS ILLUSTRATED BY THE COMPARISON OF HOW BOTH PERCEIVED AND REACTED TO WHAT THEY THOUGHT (OFTEN ERRONEOUSLY) THE OTHER WAS GETTING UP TO, THE WAY THE TRAGEDY EVOLVED.
IN VIETNAM, THERE WAS THE TRAUMA OF HAVING TO FIGHT ON WHILE QUESTIONING THE RATIONALE, AND THEN AFTER - IN THE HOME COMING - THE DEVALUING OF THE SOLDIER'S SACRIFICE ALONG WITH THE CAUSE.
IT WAS A DIFFERENT WAR ONLY IN THAT, WITHOUT NATIONAL VALOUR, THE SOLDIERS WERE LEFT WITHOUT ANY FEELING OF INDIVIDUAL HONOUR - ALL TOO OFTEN LEFT WITHOUT ANY FEELING AT ALL, BRUTALIZED BY THE TERRIBLE SAMENESS OF WAR WHICH IN THIS CASE THEY COULD NEVER REDEEM.
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