From 1955-1975, America waged war on Vietnam. The world may know it as the “Vietnam War,” but in Vietnam it is called the “American War." This is one example of the influence that a world superpower like the United States can have on historical narratives. It is the power to control or distort history.
People at the top can dictate how stories will be told and whose story will be told. Money and power can be used to influence larger platforms like educational materials, movies and representation in political parties. Finally, when the news coverage of Vietnam began exposing the atrocities of the war, public sentiment turned against it. The War Remnants Museum shows how the people of Vietnam were and continue to be impacted by the long war there. The topic of memory is quite near to my heart, as it directly relates to narratives and the exclusion of narratives within education, which is a topic I am particularly interested in.
I learned that Vietnam is still working to rebuild its community, as the country continues to suffer from the after-effects of chemical warfare. You have probably heard of Agent Orange. It was sprayed across Vietnam, along with other poisons, during the war. It has been estimated that one million Vietnamese have Agent Orange-related disabilities.
