The Viet Nam War ended nearly half a century ago. This book--part history, part travelogue--reveals the war's legacy, still very much alive, in the places where it was fought and in the memories and memorials of those who survived it. The chronological story is told through the exploration of culture, history, popular music, and the countries that were major players: North and South Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, Australia and the United States.

The author traverses significant sites like Dien Bien Phu--where French colonialism ended and U.S. intervention began--the DMZ, Hamburger Hill, the Rock Pile, the Cu Chi Tunnels, and Australia's most famous battlefield, Long Tan. Residual hazards remain in the form of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in such places as Siem Reap and Luang Prabang, as well as in Quang Tri Province, where nonprofit groups like Project RENEW work to manage removal and provide victim assistance.