What We Can and Can't Afford

Memoirist, poet, editor, and Marine veteran W.D. Ehrhart taught English and history at the Haverford School in Haverford, Pennsylvania. The author of twenty books, his prose and poetry have appeared in hundreds of publications including the Los Angeles Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Utne Reader, Reader’s Digest, American Poetry Review and the Virginia Quarterly Review. He was a major presence in the Ken Burns and Lynn Novick documentary The Vietnam War.

“There are many excellent and revelatory essays in this collection. I would recommend to anyone wanting to read American history.”—The Veteran

• Table of ContentsPreface1. Paul Fussell: A Remembrance2. “Turning Thirty/Sixty”3. Thank You for Your Service4. With All My Heart, Dan5. What We Can and Can’t Afford6. What Daddy Did in the War: “Casey” Kehs Remembers World War II7. The Arrogance—and Emptiness—of Power8. Remarks in Honor of the Media FBI Burglars9. Where the Dangers Lie10. Con Thien and Dancin’ Jack11. Me and Veterans of Foreign Wars12. The American War in Vietnam: Lessons Learned and Not Learned, University of Tokyo, June 30, 201513. When the Chickens Came Home to Roost: The Vietnam War and the 60s Generation14. Samuel Johnson Was Right15. Remarks at the Horsham Air Guard Station16. In Memory of Horace Coleman17. A True ­Spat-Upon Soldier Story18. God, Jesus, and the Vietnam War19. The Tail Wagging the Dog20. America’s Modern Military: Who Serves and Who Doesn’t21. From Pennridge to Vietnam: What I Knew and Didn’t Know22. “A Band of Brothers”: Senior Dinner Remarks23. A Foolproof Solution to Gun Violence in the U.S.24. Earth Songs II: A Review25. Chiseled in Stone by God’s Hand?26. Veterans Day vs. Armistice Day27. Bernie Sanders: Extreme Radical Socialist28. Captain Crozier Deserves a Medal29. Tom McGrath: A Political Poet30. A Letter to My Daughter: Election 202031. Racism: As American as Apple Pie32. Trump and the Military: Is Anyone Really Surprised?33. Why I’m Not Voting for Donald Trump34. The Democratic Party Has One Last Chance35. Insurrection: Are We Really Surprised?36. Is This Who We Are?37. Will You Settle for Returning to Politics as Usual?38. Welcome to the Shooting Gallery39. “We Forced Them to Be Brutal to Us”40. It’s Time to Dump the Filibuster41. Afghanistan: The Graveyard of Empires42. Afghanistan: Vietnam Redux43. Afghanistan: Who’s Responsible?44. Sanitizing American History45. Re-thinking American History46. More Fun Facts About American History47. It’s a Big Universe Out There48. Do You Believe in Unicorns?49. You Want to Serve Your Country?50. A New Birth of Freedom51. This Is Democracy?52. Who Needs Diversity, Equity, or Inclusion?53. Does This Mean War?54. Propaganda 101: The Art of Creative Lying55. What Is a Bayonet? Or, Who Wins and Who Loses?56. Going Green, Or: Poetic Justice57. Smedley Darlington Butler: From Consummate Imperialist to Strident ­Anti-Imperialist58. In Praise of 21st Century Luddism59. Woe Is Me!60. A Farewell to Arms?61. The Way Things Are62. Let’s Talk About Original Intent63. The New Normal64. Trumpster Nation65. Why I Like to Watch Bike RacingMilitary History of W.D. EhrhartAbout the AuthorIndex