A compilation of the slang unique to the Vietnam War, how it was used by the soldiers and Marines and its relation to the war. The slang, the unique vocabulary of the soldiers and Marines serving in Vietnam was a mishmash of words and phrases reaching back to the Korean War, World War II, and even earlier. At the same time it used words and phrases reflecting the country’s changing protest culture at home, ideological and poetical doctrine, ethical and cultural conflicts, and racialism and the drug culture. The slang rage in Vietnam was made even more complex by the Pidgin Vietnamese-English used by Americans and Vietnamese alike. American culture and society were changing rapidly and drastically at home and this bled into Vietnam. In the jungles, swamps, and hills of Vietnam soldier and marine slang also followed the traditional path of what was important to their daily lives: their leaders, the harsh environment, food, uniforms, weapons, equipment, and how they fought and lived in the country. AUTHOR: Gordon Rottman joined the US Army in 1967, served in Special Forces in Vietnam 1969-70 and subsequently a number of other roles for 26 years until retirement.
36 illustrations