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It is 1965 and my son got drafted in to the Vietnam War. When he got his card that said he was being drafted into the war I started crying. The day he left I cried even more. It has been 3 weeks since my 19- year old boy has left his home. He sent me a letter saying that he is fighting Guerrillas. Guerrillas are small groups of people who ambush and set traps to kill people instead of shooting people. My boy's life was really in danger now. Two days after I read that letter an army general was turning on to my road. I was terrified because if they walk up to my door my son is dead. Lucky they did not walk up to my house they walked up to the house across from me. 30 seconds after they got out of the car and started walking the lady across the street screamed and started crying. I felt so bad for her but so good that it was not my son.
Hello I am a rat in Vietnam. The war has just started and my mom has died by falling in a Guerrilla trap. Guerrilla traps are really scary because when you fall into them there is bamboo at the bottom that sticks into you. The Guerrillas have also been putting bombs in the ground so I have to look out for those to. The people of North Vietnam are attacking the people of South Vietnam. The Viet Cong (Gorilla's) want communism and are also hiding all over the south. The Viet Cong built under ground tunnels so they could sneak attack the American army. These tunnels have hospitals, schools, and places to sleep in them because it was too dangerous to be outside plus they could hide from the army and sneak attack them. Every day I would go to school with the children and learn how to survive the war. The children would bring a first aid kit, their schoolbooks, and a straw hat to school.
After watching the news for 2 weeks my son sent me another letter. The letter said that his orders were to bomb everything to try to kill the Guerrillas. He said that a lot of times he was just killing innocent people and felt sooooooo bad doing that he was going crazy inside. To stop him from going crazy the generals gave him medicine. The medicine worked and he went on bombing the land. After doing that for about 2 weeks they only killed some of the Guerrillas. Then the general said that he had to spray Agent Orange. Agent Orange is a chemical that kills all plants. They found out later that if it gets in humans and those humans have babies that it makes the babies born with out any arms or legs.
Today an army soldier stepped on my tale. It really, really, really, really, hurt!!! Also big round things started falling from the sky and killing people. One almost hit me but then missed me by about 1 foot. The big balls kept on falling from the sky for about 2 weeks then there was this spray kind of stuff called Agent Orange that the army sprayed all over. All I could remember from that part of the war was all of the plants dying and a lot of people dying. It was very, very sad.
This week everyone in America start protesting about the war. It was really sad for me to watch because there were no Americans supporting the boys in the war. The president decided to end the war because there were soooooo many people against it. Also he ended it because there was a bunch of Americans dying for no reasons.
April 30th 1976 a lot of people started leaving on helicopters. I was really scared and did not know what was going on. Also a lot of people stepped on my tale.
My son just took part in the biggest helicopter evacuation called Operation Frequent Wind. I was soooooo exited for him. It has been 14 years and 7 mouths since I have seen my son. Today April 30th 1976 he comes home. All I did till he got here was ask myself questions like is he going to speak different or look different. When he came home I screamed cried and hugged him. I was just sooooo glad for him to come home alive.
The war in between North Vietnam and South Vietnam started when North Vietnam wanted South Vietnam to become communist. Communist means that every one is supposed to be equal. To make this happen, the people are not free to do what they want. The government takes charge and controls them to make sure everyone stays equal. The Americans went there to fight because the South Vietnamese were not given a choice if they wanted to become communist (which they didn't). They were attacked by the north and tried to be forced to become communist. America wanted to help their friends. Plus they thought that if Vietnam became communist then all the other countries just like it would easily be made communist too. Russia who was the head communists would eventually try to make America communist. When the Americans left Vietnam they lost the war and it became communist. When the north took over they killed everyone that fought them reprogrammed them. What I mean by reprogrammed is they sent them to the country and taught them how to be communist.
Thank you and please comment.
Captain-O Out!
P.S
I got much of my information from a visit to the War Remnants Museum and the Cu Chi Tunnels, both in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
- comments
Grandma Those were difficult years for our country...I remember them well....the Vietnam War Era....many families sacrificed. Your visit to the War Museum must have been very emotional for you. Thank you for the story, captain O!
Aunt DeeAnn Hi O. I was young, but I remember seeing war footage on the news every night. Very scary times for the United States. We lost so many people in that war -- and in such awful ways. It sounds like you learned so much about those times. Thanks for your great writings. I miss you ❤
Paige Olivia, I enjoyed hearing the story about Vietnam through a rat's eyes and a mother's eyes. Your writing skills are improving. I hope you are having the best time being reunited with your best friend. I miss you!