VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL
by  Robert W. Doubek
Category: History

"Doubek tells the story from his recollections and personal notes, calendars, photos, and news clippings...the book is a good read because Doubek, who was an important player in the Memorial's early history, describes the fervor, as well as the pettiness and rancor, displayed by those for and against the design, himself included"--VVA Veteran Magazine. Since its dedication in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial has become an American cultural icon symbolizing the war in Vietnam--the defining experience of the Baby Boom generation. The black granite wall of names is one of the most familiar media images associated with the war, and after three decades the memorial remains one of the nation's most visited monuments. While the memorial has enjoyed broad acceptance by the American public, its origins were both humble and contentious. A grassroots effort launched by veterans with no funds, the project was completed in three and a half years. But an emotional debate about aesthetics and the interpretation of heroism, patriotism and history nearly doomed the project. Written from an insider's perspective, this book tells the complete story of the memorial's creation amid Washington politics, a nationwide design competition and the heated controversy over the winning design and its creator.