How did the Vietnam War change the way we think of ourselves as a people and a nation? In this sequel of sorts to Patriots: The Vietnam War Remembered from All Sides, Christian Appy examines the war's realities and myths and its lasting impact on our national self-perception. Drawing on movies, songs, and novels as well as official documents, media coverage, and contemporary commentary, Appy offers an original interpretation of the war and its far-reaching consequences for both our popular culture and our foreign policy.

"Appy's penetrating and lucid account helps us make sense as few books have of this difficult chapter in the nation's history."—Fredrik Logevall