The Center for War & Diplomacy in the Post-Vietnam War Era
Mission
The mission of the Center for War & Diplomacy in the Post-Vietnam War Era and the Post-Vietnam War Era Archive is to encourage, promote, support and enhance the long term study and preservation of all aspects of America's diplomatic and military experiences and involvements on a global scale, beginning in 1975 and continuing to the present. Though this, the encouragement of a widespread better understanding of America's experiences will be achieved.
Vision
The Center for War & Diplomacy in the Post-Vietnam War Era will develop closely following the proven procedures of the Vietnam Center at Texas Tech University. The focus of the new Center will be the period from 1975 to the present, with a concentration on, but not be limited to, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Operations Provide Relief and Restore Hope, the Kosovo War, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Additionally, it will encompass issues regarding national security, military and government intelligence, homeland defense, the development of new military technologies and their impact on operations, diplomacy, and the personal experience of American servicemen and women in the post-Vietnam era, and other closely related issues as may arise. While the starting date for the period of focus for this Center is precise - 1975 - the terminal date remains open.
The Center will develop a companion Post-Vietnam War Era Archive that will focus on gathering archival materials that document events occurring during this period. With the advent of the electronic age and the concomitant reduction in traditional letters as a principal means of correspondence, the new archive must adopt a technology-based approach to preserving records. It must focus on capturing e-mails, blogs, digital videos and digital photographs that deal with principal events and the service men and women's experiences, while still pursuing and preserving traditional archival materials.
The Center must establish a close relationship with veterans' groups and individual veterans who have served in one or more of the post-Vietnam conflicts, and enlist their support. This has proven to be a vital means of collection development as Vietnam veterans have greatly assisted the growth of the Vietnam Center.
