Echoes of Combat

Since the end of the Vietnam War, freelance reporter and critic Turner posits, Americans have been torn between two compelling desires: they want to put the war behind them; yet they also want to relive it in detail through magazines, books and movies. Arguing that this conflict is a symptom of psychological distress, Turner uses the framework of the trauma recovery movement to analyze our national post-Vietnam psyche, and to determine a course of healing. Reading at times like excerpts from a psychiatrist's notebook, this work is both provocative and entertaining. The men's movement, for instance, is couched as an attempt to recoup cultural masculinity that was damaged, if not destroyed, by Vietnam. Turner's conclusion on this topic--that our collective attitude toward Robert McNamara is the key to resolving our national ""father longing""--may strike many as a stretch. But the material leading up to this conclusion successfully juxtaposes its anecdotes with analyses, drawing readers into the psychological examination. Throughout the book, Turner raises and takes sides on many controversial issues likely to stir old passions. Yet his presentation is nonconfrontational, resulting in a carefully considered and intelligent attempt to interpret the war's aftermath. (Nov.)