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American History: Time and Memory

            Deadly combat is certainly one the most traumatic human experiences (Allison, pp. 69). As a result, Fred Allison, a Marine Corps Historian in his article “Remembering a Vietnam War Firefight” tries to explore and compile the experiences of a war veteran. The article is based on a comparison of two interviews from the same Marine, reflecting on experiences of the Vietnam War that claimed the lives of five out of eight Marines.  The first interview was conducted two days after the firefight with the subsequent interview being conducted 34 years later. Thus, the author aimed at depicting how the memory reconstructs a combat experience, by trying to make an en event comprehensible.

            First of all, the author is quick to challenge historical viewpoints. Basing on the interview of PFC Michael Nation, a Marine who fought in the Vietnam War, conducted “in-country” it is obvious that the author finds the Marines unemotional and business-like when recounting the turn of events. Nevertheless, the author states that an interview conducted 34 years later involving PFC Michael Nation, reveals a change as the Marine is calm, friendly and fully emotional more so the interview was characterized with cohesion. Thus, the remarkable differences evidence the fact that the memory is capable of reconstruction (Allison, pp.75). Additionally, the second interview differs from the first one as it possesses more color and description. In consequence, the author is able to justify his stand based on the two interviews conducted on PFC Michael Nation, complemented by a primary source, for example, Charlotte Linde’s Life Stories, a book that further supports and justifies the characteristics of recounting life events.

            Secondly, the article is very relevant to the United States rich history in warfare. Fred Allison reveals how the Marines units during the Vietnam War were characterized and ensconced in a belief system that complements brutal combat. In addition, the interviews conducted on PFC Michael Nation reveal that the United States soldiers often override values placed on their fellows. On the other hand, it is imperative to note that the article is of great importance to Marine officials, as they often interview soldiers to get a clear picture of the events that took place on...