Voices from the battlefield: personal narratives as an historical tool in studying the place of the Vietnam war in Australian society

Hiddlestone, Janine (2002) Voices from the battlefield: personal narratives as an historical tool in studying the place of the Vietnam war in Australian society. Journal of Australian Studies, 73 (26). pp. 57-66.

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Abstract

[Extract]The use of personal narratives has proved a popular method of studying the Vietnam War, both in Australia and the United States. Vietnam was one of the most controversial and longest wars in contemporary history. It was a war that was fought on the home front as well as on the battlefield, and for many, the wounds inflicted are still painful more than a quarter of a century later. The rush of histories, that quickly followed previous wars were not so swift to appear after Vietnam. There was no great victory to celebrate and many found difficulty placing Vietnam into the context of a proud military history. When histories started appearing, they focused mainly on how Australia and the United States had become entangled in Vietnam, and how it had all gone wrong. Vietnam Veterans, as a group, felt dispossessed by society, and therefore ultimately, from history. Oral history offered them the opportunity to be heard.

Item ID: 13560
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1835-6419
Keywords: Australian history; personal narratives; Vietnam War
Additional Information:

Special Issue: The Dog of War.

Date Deposited: 04 Mar 2013 02:10
FoR Codes: 21 HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY > 2103 Historical Studies > 210399 Historical Studies not elsewhere classified @ 100%
SEO Codes: 95 CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING > 9505 Understanding Past Societies > 950503 Understanding Australias Past @ 100%
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