Vietnam War Interview Forum

Guest

>What was it like when you came home from the war? what were your feelings and did you feel like you changed?

No one but my immediate family seemed to notice I was back, much less gone for a year.  People were not directly effected by the war, they didn't have to sacrifice or do without anything so they took little interest.  Vietnam was not a politically correct subject of conversation unless you were a protestor.  The war became a national embarrassment and somehow we, the solders, didn't try hard enough to win.  Our politians blamed everyone else instead of taking responsibility for not allowing us to win.  

The goal of war is to conquer the opponant.  Politics is a tool used to create a compromise solution that is acceptable to a majority of those involved.  Mixing the two together gets real confusing.  To win the war we should have invaded North Vietnam instead of just trying to keep them out of South Vietnam.

I didn't want to be changed by the war.  I didn't ask to be changed and thought I should be able to return to life as it was before I left.  So I buried all the memories of of the war and denied thay could ever bother me.  Denial is great except it blinded me to the real reasons for my flashes of anger, guilt, never ending depression and disillusionment with life.

It took thirty years before I could admit I needed help to deal with all that happened, all that I could no longer deny or surpress.
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>were you ever involved with chemical or biological chemicals or knew anyone that was? if so what was it like?

As an infantryman, we walked through the jungle where Agent Orange had defoliated the trees on many occations.
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>do you know anything about the VA hospitals and if they are treating fellow veterans well or poorly?

I've been treated as an outpatient for diabetes, PTSD, and loss of hearing.  Appoitments seemed to come slowly but the doctors all seemed to be doing their best.

>i appreciate this sooo much thank you all for what you have done! ¢¾