I watched Vietnam In HD (great series) and I came away with many of the same observations that you did.
Do you feel like this was also a generation that missed their chance to be "men"? What I mean by that is that in all past memory, men had gone off to battle and were welcomed home as heroes. This was different, and I feel like in some ways led to the emasculation of the American male. They missed their chance to be heroes like their fathers had been in WWII. The women's rights movement also started at the same time. It was a complete upset to the social norms that had been established in society.
A contributing factor to this phenomenon is the overwhelming presence of news cameras in that war. In previous US wars, the news was censored under war time powers. In Vietnam, citizens watched every night in gory, uncensored detail, what was actually happening. Of course time takes it's toll as the war drug on with no meaningful resolution.
Very good point. It also underscores the rise of television, which imo contributed to the fracturing of society that has been most fully realized now via social media.
I think it's more about army being detached from the society. I have red some memories of Vietnam veterans and it seems to be a common point. French have experienced the same in Vietnam, according to Jean Larteguy and even during WWI according to Louis Barthas. It's also a common problem of alienated Arab armies, getting hit bad every time they fight with a solders' nation of Israel, I believe Kapuscinski has written something about it as well.
Thanks for sharing this. As someone who grew up in the 90's I definitely recall the resurgence of WWII nostaglia after Saving Private Ryan was released.
Do you feel like this was also a generation that missed their chance to be "men"? What I mean by that is that in all past memory, men had gone off to battle and were welcomed home as heroes. This was different, and I feel like in some ways led to the emasculation of the American male. They missed their chance to be heroes like their fathers had been in WWII. The women's rights movement also started at the same time. It was a complete upset to the social norms that had been established in society.