just memory, amer lit hist (2013, Ngyuen)

Author: Viet Thanh Nguyen
Source: American Literary History, Volume 25, Number 1, Spring 2013, pp. 144-163
Context: The article discusses the complex memory surrounding the Vietnam War, its representation in different cultures, and the ethical implications of remembering war.

Key Quote: “All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory.”
Focus: The article explores the conflict over remembering traumatic events, particularly the Vietnam War (also referred to as the American War by Vietnamese).
Approach: Examines the interplay of American and Vietnamese memories through various cultural forms such as art, literature, cinema, and memorials.
Concept of Ethical Memory: Defined as memory work that acknowledges both one’s own experiences and those of others.

Personal Connection: Nguyen's own experiences as a refugee from Vietnam shape his views on memory and trauma.
Secondhand Memories: Utilizes W.G. Sebald's idea of "secondhand memories" and Marianne Hirsch's concept of "postmemory" to discuss how trauma is inherited across generations.
Family Trauma: Nguyen recounts his parents’ experiences during the Vietnam War and how these stories influenced his own identity and understanding of war.

American Perspective on War:
- Often seen as detached; war is fought by soldiers overseas and is perceived primarily as a masculine experience.
- Civilian suffering is minimized; few civilians involved apart from specific contexts (e.g., Pearl Harbor).
Vietnamese Experience of War:
- Characterized as a total experience impacting civilians deeply; war included famine, death, and dislocation.
- Prolonged trauma persists within diaspora communities, affecting identities and social dynamics.

Vietnamese Ethnic Enclaves:
- War memories continue to resonate in Vietnamese American communities, with ongoing trauma manifesting in various social issues.
- Public displays of military pride and ongoing community tensions rooted in wartime experiences.
Vietnam War Literature and Cinema:
- Nguyen's youth was marked by exposure to American war narratives, which shaped his understanding of war as a multifaceted experience.
- Specific works (e.g., Close Quarters, Apocalypse Now) serve as critical texts highlighting violence and trauma in war narratives.

Asian American Studies: Nguyen critiques the field for emphasizing resistance while neglecting the complexity of accommodation within ethnic literature.
- Engaging with prominent Asian American authors illustrates both the need for resistance and the challenges of reconciliation with American narratives.
Complexities of Forgiveness: Analyzes Le Ly Hayslip’s memoir which promotes reconciliation but poses ethical questions about forgiveness from the perspective of historical and systemic injustice.

Defining Ethical Memory:
- Draws on Paul Ricoeur’s concept of ethical memory oriented towards justice and the other.
- Recognizes tension between telling one’s own stories and prioritizing the memories of others.
Doubled Model of Ethical Memory:
- Proposes a duality in ethical recall: remembering one's own (self-referential) and recalling others (collective responsibility).

Memorials and Nationalism:
- Discusses the varied memorial practices in Vietnam and the US, underscoring the distinct narratives portrayed by each nation and the underlying motives.
- Critiques the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for its exclusionary focus, contrasting it with the broader casualties of war, especially Vietnamese civilians.

Cinematic portrayals: American films primarily emphasize individual soldier narratives often at the expense of collective memory, while Vietnamese narratives tend to reflect broader societal experiences.
Significance of literary works: Addresses how different writers tackle the memory of war, while analyzing ethical dimensions of storytelling and representation.

Southeast Asian Context: Recognizes the broader implications of the war on other populations (Cambodian, Laotian) and how these narratives intersect historically.
Transnational Studies: Advocates for scholarship that transcends national boundaries to genuinely address the complexities of war and its memories.
Final Thoughts:
- Nguyen concludes that the challenging nature of memory, particularly in ethically recalling others, is crucial to understanding collective experiences of trauma and striving for comprehensive representations.

Important texts:
- Sebald, W.G. - Reflection on World War II trauma.
- Hirsch, Marianne - Discusses postmemory.
- Ricoeur, Paul - Works on memory, history, and forgetting.
- Kingston, Maxine Hong - Provides insight into gender and memory in war contexts.
Visual sources: Documented photographs and films to illustrate the narratives.