ImagiNation

I'm Melting

Well I actually wrote this a day or so ago, but the small town we were in didn't have the most reliable internet- so I have to rewrite it... (at least what I can remember, anyway).

We saw Khe Sanh today. A man sold dog tags. The color of the earth could only be only be described as a shade of blood, literally. I've been to historic battle fields before, but for the first time in my life I actually knew of someone who fought there. One of the professors of my China program was in a medical position. He shared his stories with us students then, but only now do his "stories" have a real meaning. I am filled with a lot of sadness and confusion. Why? The United States dropped more than 15 million tons of explosives on Vietnam- the equivalent of the power of 400 Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs- over the entire country in an attempt to prevent a Communist victory (Duiker). On the other hand the Vietnamese people are eager for peace and a normal relationship with the U.S. This is not because they have short memories or do not harbor a certain amount of anger or bitterness toward the U.S. government. Rather it is rooted in the historic Vietnamese tradition of making peace with enemies (Ngo). And then there is just knowing someone who was there because it's just what he was suppose to do. I'm confused because I want to side on the American's but also on that of Vietnam. One of the Vietnamese directors had to hide for NINE years while growing up here due to the war. Could you imagine being in hiding for almost ALL of your childhood? Could you imagine giving up your your life between the ages of 18-25 for a war that couldn't be won?

posted by imagine @ 12:21 PM