Vietnam: The Real War

Viewer discretion and parental guidance are suggested. This exhibition contains scenes and descriptions of war that some visitors may find disturbing.

Vietnam: The Real War, November 13, 2021 -February 6, 2022

"The commitment of the AP reporters was to the truth of the war itself."

— Pete Hamill

The Vietnam War left a deep and lasting impression on American life, including on the men and women who fought in it, the journalists and photographers who covered it, and the millions of Americans who supported it or protested against it. Thanks to an uncensored press, the world knew and saw more of this war than any other in history, before or since. In this expanded version of the exhibition Vietnam: The Real War, we examine how photography captured the War from national, local, and military perspectives. The experience encompasses over 150 images, artifacts from a local collection that were used by soldiers in the War, oral histories, and a variety of related programming.

Multiple perspectives documenting the Vietnam War come together in this powerful and thought-provoking exhibition. As we look back from the vantage point of half a century, this exhibition serves as a photographic record of the drama and tragedy of one of the controversial and darker chapters of the American experience.

Veterans, active military personnel, and their families receive free admission during Vietnam: The Real War.

Made possible in part by a major grant from:

National Endowment for the Humanities

With support from:

Dubuque Racing Association
Cottingham & Butler
The City of Dubuque
Humanities Iowa
IDCA Iowa Arts Council (1C BLACK)
Travel Dubuque

Veterans’ health programs
made possible by:

MercyOne

Public radio partner:

Wisconsin Public Radio

Additional Funding Provided by:
Black Hills Energy

The views and opinions expressed by this program do not necessarily reflect those of Humanities Iowa or the National Endowment for the Humanities