In the modern history of American veterans, it is sometimes difficult to
separate myth from fact. The men and women who served in World War II
are routinely praised as heroes; the "Greatest Generation," after all,
triumphed over fascism and successfully reentered postwar society.
Veterans of the Vietnam War, on the other hand, occupy a different
thread in the postwar narrative, sometimes as a threat to society but
usually as victims of it; these vets returned home to a combination of
disdain, fear, and prolonged suffering. And until very recently, both
the public and historians have largely overlooked veterans of the Korean
War altogether; the hit television show M*A*S*H was set in Korea
but was more about Vietnam.
Long Journeys Home explores the veteran experience of World War II,
Korea, and Vietnam. It examines and dissects the various myths that have
grown up around each of these wars. Author Michael D. Gambone compares
and contrasts the basic elements of each narrative, including the
factors that influenced the decision to enlist, the impact of combat on
life after the war, the struggles of postwar economic adjustment, and
participation in (or withdrawal from) social and political activism.
Gambone does not treat these veterans monolithically but instead puts
each era's veterans in historical context. He also explores the nuances
of race, gender, and class. Despite many differences, some obvious and
some not, Gambone nonetheless finds a great deal of continuity, and
ultimately concludes that Korean and Vietnam veterans have much more in
common with the Greatest Generation than was previously understood.
