"A major critical study on one of the central public myths of our time. It uncovers the political sources and historical development of a national cult of grievance, whose persistence distorts our understanding of the Vietnam War and our responses to current issues in foreign affairs.... An important contribution."
Richard Slotkin, Olin Professor of English and American Studies, Wesleyan University "Mr. Franklin's meticulously researched book... casts strong light on the Indochina war's ghostly and ghastly afterlife."
Todd Gitlin
The New York Times Book Review
"Finally, someone has put the Vietnam legacy of alleged MIA survival in its wider political and cultural setting.... A powerful confirmation of the cruelly irresponsible forces that are at work in our country at the highest levels of government.... A gripping account of subversion from above, a book that should be read by all Americans."
Richard Falk, Milbank Professor of International Law "An important and compelling book.... Franklin raises and answers all of the hardest questions about an enduring piece of political mythology."
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Franklin's startling and meticulously researched account of the inner history of the POW/MIA issue transforms our understanding of how the Vietnam War ended and how it continues. Every historian of the period... will need to read and contemplate its conclusions."
Marilyn B. Young