The Story Of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Vietnam veteran and former Pittsburgh Steelers' running back Rocky Bleier narrates this historical look at the conception, design, and struggle to build the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a national lodestone which attracts some 10,000 visitors each day. The inspiration and groundwork came from Jan Scruggs, a determined vet who led a six-year campaign to raise the 8 million dollars necessary to realize his dream. When the go-ahead was finally achieved, the striking design of Maya Ying Lin, a Yale architecture student, was chosen over 1,421 other submissions in public competition. Although the idea of a black V-shaped wall was originally lambasted by the National Review ("Orwellian glop") and others, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, dedicated on November 11, 1982, is widely regarded as one of the most powerful war memorials ever created. The film interviews Scruggs, fundraiser Senator John Warner, and others, while incorporating footage of the construction, dedication, and human drama daily visible at the wall. Recommended. (R. Pitman)