Strong hearts, wounded souls : Native American veterans of the Vietnam War / Tom Holm.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Holm, Tom, 1946-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Veterans.

Vietnam War, 1961-1975.

Indian veterans--United States.

Indian veterans.

Vietnam Conflict.

Veterans--history.

Indians, North American--history.

Veterans.

United States.

Medical Subjects:

Vietnam Conflict.

Veterans--history.

Indians, North American--history.

Genre:

interviews.

Personal narratives.

Interviews.

Physical Description:

xi, 240 pages ; 23 cm

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, 1996.

Summary:

At least 43,000 Native Americans fought in the Vietnam War, yet both the American public and the United States government have been slow to acknowledge their presence and sacrifices in that conflict. In this first-of-its-kind study, Tom Holm draws on extensive interviews with Native American veterans to tell the story of their experiences in Vietnam and their readjustment to civilian life. Holm describes how Native American motives for going to war, experiences of combat, and readjustment to civilian ways differ from those of other ethnic groups. He explores Native American traditions of warfare and the role of the warrior to explain why many young Indian men chose to fight in Vietnam. He shows how Native Americans drew on tribal customs and religion to sustain them during combat. And he describes the rituals and ceremonies practiced by families and tribes to help heal veterans of the trauma of war and return them to the "white path of peace."

Contents:

1. Forgotten Warriors

2. An Older Tradition: Native American Warfare and the Warrior's Place in Tribal Societies

3. Warriors into Soldiers: Euro-American Warfare and the Militarization of Native Americans

4. A Legacy of War: The American Indian Vietnam Generation

5. "Indian Country"

6. Strong Hearts.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 219-232).

Local Notes:

The Indian Rights Association Complementary Collection.

Other Format:

Online version: Holm, Tom, 1946- Strong hearts, wounded souls.

ISBN:

0292730985

9780292730984

0292730950

9780292730953

OCLC:

32432107

Online:

Publisher description