What is the main idea in the book, Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War?

In the book, Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War by Viet Thanh Nguyen, the author uses the Vietnam War as a model to critique the ways in which wars are remembered and offer an alternative ethical model. The book rests on Nguyen’s assertion that wars are fought twice, once on the battlefield and a second time in the memory of the individuals and societies involved. Accordingly, he calls for a “just memory,” both to ethically remember past wars and prevent future ones.