About the Project
April 30, 2025 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, the end of what is known in the States as the Vietnam War.
The Verge’s special series American War—named after what the conflict is called in Vietnam—confronts the myths and untruths that still haunt our collective memory of the war. Whereas the prevailing narrative tends to focus on the war as an embarrassment for the United States, that emphasis misrepresents where the greatest losses were. American War confronts the lingering effects of a conflict that changed the world, through stories of military failure, the refugee diaspora, and policies around everything from adoptions to free speech that persist even today. These essays are funny, moving, and often unexpected.
Though American War might feel like an odd fit for a technology website, the series is as much about systems, bureaucracy, and platforms as it is about Vietnamese people—one that pursues a kaleidoscope of approaches and tones. “Out of the Fog” speaks to the well-meaning but short-sighted vision of transnational adoption campaigns; “For Scale” wryly evokes the enormity of the unexploded bombs that still cover Vietnam and the impossibility of ever making the entire country safe; “The Napalm Girl Standard” illustrates how the war’s most famous photograph is still influencing what is permissible on social media platforms even today.
American War
Award
Online Commentary, Online Commentary, Package of Columns
Program
2026
Entry Links
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About the Project
April 30, 2025 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, the end of what is known in the States as the Vietnam War.
The Verge’s special series American War—named after what the conflict is called in Vietnam—confronts the myths and untruths that still haunt our collective memory of the war. Whereas the prevailing narrative tends to focus on the war as an embarrassment for the United States, that emphasis misrepresents where the greatest losses were. American War confronts the lingering effects of a conflict that changed the world, through stories of military failure, the refugee diaspora, and policies around everything from adoptions to free speech that persist even today. These essays are funny, moving, and often unexpected.
Though American War might feel like an odd fit for a technology website, the series is as much about systems, bureaucracy, and platforms as it is about Vietnamese people—one that pursues a kaleidoscope of approaches and tones. “Out of the Fog” speaks to the well-meaning but short-sighted vision of transnational adoption campaigns; “For Scale” wryly evokes the enormity of the unexploded bombs that still cover Vietnam and the impossibility of ever making the entire country safe; “The Napalm Girl Standard” illustrates how the war’s most famous photograph is still influencing what is permissible on social media platforms even today.
Other 2026 finalists in this category
Winners in this category
Winners in the 2026 awards