I like the word "simpleminded." In the many threads and discussions we have had here on those times, it has always been a kind of pleasure in sharing thoughts and ideas with those who were, in those days, on all sides of the issue. We have a broad cross section here and the only time things have ever broken down in communications of feelings is when the few simpleminded fools show up and try to show that there is somehow an easy answer.
I look forward to reading this other book because I think the lack re-integration was indeed a major factor. What caused that lack? Korea vets were never properly welcomed either probably because there was such little understanding by those at home of what that was was. It was also close to WWII so there at least was no antagonistic attitudes toward returning soldiers. VietNam, because of the media attention and the availability of seeing the war on your TV nightly, changed all of that. It also brought out many people in total opposition to the war. Being generationally removed from WWII made a difference as well.
What I think this brought out were the nutcases from both sides. Certainly there were those who spit on soldiers and just as certainly there were soldiers, returning from an emotional experience without any real debriefing/cool-off/integration time who were willing to think that everyone held the entire war against them personally. That's easy to see and for most of those vets........well, where's the end? For a few, every protester became the enemy and every look a spit.
Anyone on either "side" here who boasts of what they did and proudly say they would always do it again under any circumstance is simpleminded. Every one of us lives with what we did then and most of us have reconciled our actions but continue to question.......and talk.....and feel.......and hope that sometime it will be behind us forever. I fear that is a hope only fulfilled in the grave. We all played our parts, but were indeed pawns...and only pawns. I am proud of what many vets did; I am proud of what I did. I am often ashamed of what our leaders did.