The vietnam war in american memory is a welcome addition to efforts in the deconstruction of the national post vietnam story it is also a reminder of the pitfalls awaiting the writing of postwar narratives for iraq and afghanistan. Patrick hagopian the vietnam war in american memory veterans memorials and the politics of healing boston university of massachusetts press 2009 553 pp reviewed by jerry lembcke college of the holy cross like repeated declarations that freud is dead perennial announcements that the us war in vietnam is over seem premature. The vietnam war in american memory veterans memorials and the politics of healing by patrick hagopian amherst university of massachusetts press 2009 560 pp clothbound 4995. The cultural construction of vietnam veterans played a central role in shaping the remembrance of the war the veterans were living embodiments of the war and their difficult readjustment to civilian society became a metaphor for the nations problems in integrating the vietnam experience into the pattern of national life. Download citation the vietnam war in american memory veterans memorials and the politics of healing review hagopians first book almost two decades in the making is a rare combination