The place of veterans in any given society is an utmost interesting subject of research. It becomes all the more interesting in a country like America which is both the most advanced military nation and also in a near-constant state of war.
I think the image of veterans has fluctuated a lot. In America, the lowest point was probably during the 1960's and 1970's, when the opposition to the Vietnam War and the shame felt by the authorities for losing it coalesced into a violent rejection. I can only imagine how traumatizing it must have been for these men who had sacrificed so much to return home only to be called rapists and murderers. However, since the 1980's, through the works of prominent scholars, objective journalists, and fictions such as
First Blood and
The Hanoi Hilton, the perception has shifted towards a more positive outlook on those brave men's service to their country.
I would like, in their honor, to paste here a quote from the aforementioned movie
First Blood, which summarizes well the extent of the trauma the veterans returning from Vietnam had to deal with:
Trautman: You did everything to make this private war happen. You've done enough damage. This mission is over, Rambo. Do you understand me? This mission is over! Look at them out there! Look at them! If you won't end this now, they will kill you. Is that what you want? It's over Johnny. It's over!
Rambo: Nothing is over! Nothing! You just don't turn it off! It wasn't my war! You asked me, I didn't ask you! And I did what I had to do to win! But somebody wouldn't let us win! And I come back to the world and I see all those maggots at the airport, protesting me, spitting. Calling me baby killer and all kinds of vile crap! Who are they to protest me, huh? Who are they? Unless they've been me and been there and know what the hell they're yelling about!
Trautman: It was a bad time for everyone, Rambo. It's all in the past now.
Rambo: For *you*! For me civilian life is nothing! In the field we had a code of honor, you watch my back, I watch yours. Back here there's nothing!
Trautman: You're the last of an elite group, don't end it like this.
Rambo: Back there I could fly a gunship, I could drive a tank, I was in charge of million dollar equipment, back here I can't even hold a job *parking cars*!
I'll definitely be thinking about them this Sunday.