Thursday, April 3, 2008
Week 12 open topic
Talking about Vietnam for the past few weeks, I keep thinking about those who fled to Canada or tried to get out of the draft. I remember the only time I ever talked about Vietnam, it was in 6th grade. We had to do a project on WWII and I had to interview my grandpa. After the interview, I was curious as to who else in my family went to war. I learned that my uncle was in the military, but he was the only other one, other than my grandpa. I asked my dad why he never went to war, and that's when my mom told me about the Vietnam war and how my dad was going to have to go, except that he was in school. When I asked my dad about the war, he said that was one of the main reasons he went straight to college was because if he quit school, he would have been drafted and had to go to war. My mom always told me that my dad probably would have died over there, or he would have been different when he came back. I never understood why she said that, but I now know. The Vietnam war changed people, and not for the best. People who came back from Vietnam had many psychological problems and some physical problems as well. My dad has always been a "softy"...war would not have been good for him. He's not the kind of guy who would enjoy being at war or would be able to sleep through the night after war. He has a heavy concious, so war would not be good for him. I don't really care why he didn't go to war, I'm just glad that he didn't...my dad wouldn't be the same he is today.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
I had to interview a vietnam vet for a class I took at community college. The pictures and stories he told be about his experiances were a bit over my hear. I was only 17 at the time so I was more creeped out by the way he talked about war and cartain things that happened. I remember being very uncomfortable when he would talk about women from vietnam and how he wouldn't show us the pictures of them. The readings in this class and reinforced some of those thoughts and feelings while explaining misconceptions i had as well.
That is a very sweet post. I think a lot of our parents, more than some us know did the exact same thing as your dad. And we should probably be more thankful for that because it has allowed us to live the life we currently live today
I really enjoyed your post as it was honest and pure. Over the semester we have very rarely touched on the the actual effect the war could of had on us personally, but this post was a great insight into how our lives may have been different. My father was never involved in the war and I could not image the difference in my life if he was. I often find it hard when I am at airports seeing hundreds of troops walking around, as each one had to say goodbye to there family. I can imagine or put words to how a family and soldier would cope.
I liked your post. I am really glad that your father didn't go to war. I can't even imagine what my dad would be like if he went to war. It is horrible how war changes people...or kills them. I don't believe in anyone who has been in war and was not affected by it.
I know I have already commented on this post but I wanted to add just a bit more. Your mother was relieved that your father didn't into the military because he possibly wouldn't be alive today or he would not be the same person. When I was a Senior in high school (which was in 2001, yes i'm old) I was recruited by the airforce. We had a very long courtship and I just barely joined. The only thing that stopped be was that I was 17 at the time and I still felt very much like a kid. Exactly four months after I told them that I just couldn't sign that dotted line the Twin towers were hit. That day when I returned home from work the first thing my father said was "my god I have never been so glad that you didn't join. Becuase there will be change now and you would have been in the heart of it". Everytime we hear about things that happen in the current war he says that exact same thing. The worst part is I feel ashamed for not being there. I feel like I wimped out or barely escaped.
This was a great post, great conversation; Christine, your post is much appreciated -- thanks for sharing this O'Brien-esque experience...
Post a Comment