NARRATOR: Many district homeless in the '80s were veterans, damaged by their experiences in Vietnam, fighting an unpopular war.

(cheering) MAN: Didn't even have to go, I wanted to go.

Everything I put my heart into, you come back and you got dumped on.

NARRATOR: In 1980, Congress authorized construction of a Vietnam memorial on the Mall.

Following a nationwide competition, a design for a sunken, reflective black granite wall, by Maya Lin, a 21-year-old college student was selected.

ARTHUR: It was so simple and so direct that it was incredible.

NARRATOR: But not everyone was happy with the design.

PAT: I said, you know, "This doesn't look like something honoring these people's service."

And there was a tremendous cultural artistic debate that went on in this town, and a lot of people felt are they dishonoring the vets by doing this?

NARRATOR: Eventually, the design for the memorial was amended, and three soldiers were added.

But on its opening in 1982, the strength of the original design became evident.

MAN: I'm here to, to pay eulogy and homage to all of my comrades that didn't make it back with me.

IAN: I think they wanted something more heroic, but I think they got something that was even more profound.

PAT: I think what turned it around was not the black walls, it's the names on the walls.

And I will say, uh, it turned out from the way that thing's been, been received that I was wrong on that one.

Wrong big time.

MAN: And I love the American people for being here, and just saying, "Thank you."

Because that's all we wanted, is to hear that.

NARRATOR: For more clips and to watch the full program visit weta.org/decades.