Aztlán and Viet Nam

by Mariscal, George

• ISBN13: 9780520214057
• ISBN10: 0520214056
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-03-01
• Publisher: Univ of California Pr

Summary

Showcasing over sixty short stories, poems, speeches, and articles,Aztlaacute;n and Viet Namis the first anthology of Mexican American writings about the U.S. war in Southeast Asia. The words are startlingly frank, moving, and immensely powerful, as they call to our attention an important and neglected part of U.S. history. Gathered from many little-known sources, the works reflect both the soldiers' experience and the antiwar movement at home. Taken together, they illustrate the contradictions faced by the traditionally patriotic Mexican American community, and show us the war and the grassroots opposition to it from a new perspective--one that goes beyond the familiar dichotomy of black and white America. George Mariscal offers critical introductions and provides historical background by identifying specific issues which have not been widely discussed in relation to the war, noting, for example, the potential for Chicano soldiers to recognize their own ethnic and class identities in those of the Vietnamese people. Drawing upon interviews with key participants in the National Chicano Moratorium Committee, Mariscal analyzes the antiwar movement, the Catholic Church, traditional Mexican American groups, and an emerging feminist consciousness among Chicanas. Also included are personal accounts: Norma Elia Cantuacute;'s remembrance of her brother who died in combat, Baacute;rbara Renaud Gonzaacute;lez's evocative poem about Chicanas on the homefront, Alberto Riacute;os's and Naomi Helena Quintilde;onez's moving poetry about the Wall, and the recollections of Abelardo Delgado and others on the August 29, 1970 Moratorium.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi
Aztlan and Viet Nam	1	(14)
Part 1 STANDING AT THE WALL
Introduction	15	(34)
Corrido del padre de un soldado	49	(2)
Jose Morante
``My Uncle Sam'' and ``Sea of Freedom''	51	(2)
Magdaleno Avila (Juan Valdez)
Las cartas de Martin Flores	53	(10)
Pedro Ortiz Vasquez
Dragon Mountain	63	(9)
Robert Perea
The Oddsplayer	72	(8)
Joe Rodriguez
Lonely Vietnam	80	(1)
Pedro B. Anchondo
Interrogations	81	(3)
Leroy V. Quintana
Somewhere Outside Duc Pho	84	(13)
Daniel Cano
Shifting Loyalties	97	(9)
Daniel Cano
A Mexican in Vietnam	106	(4)
Francisco Javier Munguia M.
Medal of Honor: A Vietnam Warrior's Story	110	(16)
Roy Benavidez
Chained Eagle	126	(7)
Everett Alvarez, Jr. with
Anthony S. Pitch
Unfinished Letter to Terry	133	(6)
Ignacio M. Garcia
``En memoria de Arturo Tijerina'' and ``Get It On''	139	(4)
Patricio Paiz
History of a Chicano Vietnam Veteran	143	(2)
Juan Ramirez
Soldados: Chicanos in Viet Nam	145	(11)
Charley Trujillo
Dogs from Illusion	156	(3)
Charley Trujillo
Party on the Mountain	159	(6)
Michel W. Rodriguez
The Tortilla Mission	165	(3)
Jacinto Reyes
Dos Recuerdos	168	(2)
Ralph Molina
I just Got Back from Vietnam, Baby	170	(4)
Ricardo Mario Amezquita
El entierro	174	(2)
Saul Sanchez
Death in Vietnam	176	(1)
Luis Omar Salinas
Canicula: Snapshots of a Girlhood en la Frontera	177	(2)
Norma Elia Cantu
Untitled	179	(1)
Tomas M. Calderon
``La siembra,'' and from ``Los Corts''	180	(3)
Carmen Tafolla
Too many targets, too high a body count'	183	(32)
Mushroom Montoya
Part 2 RAZA SI, GUERRA NO!
Introduction	187	(28)
Viet Nam Veteran	215	(2)
Robert Barron
Speech Refusing Induction	217	(2)
Rosalio Munoz
Corrido de la guerra	219	(3)
Anonymous
Rocket Flight	222	(2)
Elias Hruska y Cortez
Little Girls	224	(1)
Anonymous
``Hearts on Fire'' and ``Heroes''	225	(2)
Gina Valdes
The Summer of Vietnam	227	(2)
Barbara Renaud Gonzalez
My Cousin Ralph	229	(1)
Arturo Silvano Bobian
Pensamiento serpentino	230	(2)
Luis Valdez
Cinco poemas	232	(4)
Maria Herrera-Sobek
Blessed Amerika	236	(2)
Adrian Vargas
Juan Carlos Gonzalez	238	(2)
Ben Reyes
Poema	240	(2)
Proceso R. Montoya, Jr.
Anonymous, ``A Question Every Chicano Should Ask''	242	(2)
Anonymous (A soldier de la Raza, overseas), ``Should Ask''	244	(2)
Anonymous ``Vietnam: Gabacho's War''	246	(1)
La hora de todos	247	(1)
Portilla de la Luz
Chicano Moratorium, December 20, 1969	248	(1)
Alejandro Negrete
La nina Lina en East Los Angles	249	(2)
Dorinda Guadalupe Moreno
Chicano Is an Act of Defiance	251	(2)
Tino Villanueva
Eulogy for Ruben Salazar	253	(2)
Carlos Conde
Overkill at the Silver Dollar	255	(7)
Enrique Hank Lopez
A Walk in the Sun	262	(2)
Delfino Varela
Chicano Moratorium	264	(4)
Patricia Rodriguez
Song to a Thousand Faces/My People in the Streets	268	(1)
Katarina Davis del Valle
Due Process of Law	269	(2)
Abelardo Delgado
Assault with a Deadly Weapon	271	(1)
Roberto Rodriguez
Always Running: La vida loca, Gang Days in L.A.	272	(4)
Luis J. Rodriguez
Delia's Song	276	(2)
Lucha Corpi
``Young Chicano's Death Described'' (on Moratorium of January 30, 1971)	278	(2)
Rick Browne
The Vietnam Wall	280	(2)
Alberto Rios
America's Wailing Wall	282	(4)
Naomi Helena Quinonez
Enemy Way	286	(7)
Enrique R. Lamadrid
Chale Guerra	293	(2)
Gregg Barrios
A time to raise questions	295	(2)
Trinidad Sanchez, Jr.
Epilogue: Treinta anos despues (Thirty years later)	297	(6)
Notes	303	(18)
Sources	321