‘There were no women in Vietnam’
We chose this month’s book, The Women, by Kristen Hanna on the recommendation of a friend in the village who had enjoyed it and also found it informative. About the role of the women nurses in the Vietnam war, it was both horrifying and enjoyable – one member described it as ‘unputdownable’.
Frances, known as Frankie, has had a privileged life, sheltered by over-protective, conventional and affluent parents In California. When her brother enlists he is treated as a hero but when she signs up to join the Army Nurse Corps, her family is horrified.
With little or no preparation apart from rudimentary nursing training, she finds herself in the middle of a warzone in which unimaginable atrocities are a daily occurrence – think Mash without the laughs. Her training had not prepared her for this type of nursing and the hard decisions she would have to make and she is constantly exhausted as yet more wounded and dying men are helicoptered in. She is determined not to fail and through sheer grit, she becomes a sought-after nurse noted for her competence and compassion. In this she is helped by her friends and tent-mates Barb and Ethel as well as the camaraderie and the laughs and drinks around ‘the Pool’.
But the novel is not only about the atrocities of war: the second half is about what happens when Frankie and the Veterans (‘Vets’) return home, not to a hero’s welcome but reviled and spat upon as ‘baby killers’. Clearly suffering from PTSD, many took their own lives or suffered addiction and homelessness. For the women, there was an additional rejection: – Frankie’s parents refuse to acknowledge or talk about her wartime experiences, they were regarded as something to be ashamed of, concealed from their social circle. Working again as a nurse, her expertise is not recognised, and she becomes increasingly frustrated. Also suffering from PTSD, she is refused help because she is told ‘there were no women in Vietnam.’
The novel follows her downward spiral, through unwise and broken relationships to addiction but then her courageous fight-back with the support of Barb and Ethel to an independent and fulfilling life. She proudly marched as the Veterans were finally honoured with The Memorial Wall in 1982, followed by the Vietnam Women’s Memorial 1993 and she was able to help other women suffering in the same way.
The book is an easy and enjoyable read, and we learnt a lot from it. We felt that at times the writing needed tightening up and the second half was too long. We also raised an eyebrow at the ending – but no spoilers. I am sure other readers in the village will also enjoy it.
Next book: French hats in Iran by Heydar Radjavi