Legacies+of+War

[|Legacies of War.org] __as a Tech Tool to Access Information__

Legacies of War.org is an online, non-profit organization that seeks to bring awareness of the psychological, emotional, and physical impacts of the indiscriminate United States bombing of Laos in the 1960s and 70s. The site provides a number of articles and external media links pertaining to issues revolving around the problems of unexploded Vietnam-era ordinances and personal accounts of the "secret war" in Laos. The site also offers an online art museum exhibiting various sentiments and perspectives by Laotian survivors of the conflict in that country. In addition to its role as a resource for information, Legacies of War also plays the role of community bulletin. It posts event information related to performances and workshops tied to dissemination of the Laotian experience in Southeast Asia and in the United States.

How can I use this in a history/social studies class? This would be an excellent resource when discussing U.S. intervention in Southeast Asia. Because of the attention directed primarily toward the war in Vietnam during the 1960s and 70s, other Southeast Asian conflicts during the same era are often overlooked. Legacies of War would serve as a way to remind students that Laotians, too, were greatly impacted by U.S. intervention in the region. Utilizing the site's online art exhibition, meanwhile, my students will be able to view the conflict on a very "human" level and be asked to reflect on the emotions of the various artists and connect with their experiences. Also, this site can be used as an example of how the history of conflict and trauma is preserved and reconciled. As exemplified by the site's collection of conflict-inspired drawings and its highlighting of the crises involving unexploded ordinances throughout the Laotian countryside, Legacies of War.org demonstrates to students the willingness of war survivors to lend their voices and experiences to historical record not only to act against but also to heal past and present suffering.

Home