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April 30, 1975, was the “official” end of the Vietnam War. Fifty years ago. Fortunately, most of the fighting was over by that date, as our POWs had been swapped in 1973, and active military involvement was minimal. But for those of us who served during that war or were a protester against that war, the following 50 years did not show us much improvement in our international relations.
Vietnam, like Japan and Germany, has become a trading partner with us, putting aside the hatred both sides showed those years ago. Travel is common in all three countries as though there was never a bloody conflict. And yet now we are facing other serious threats of war. When will we humans learn that no war ends with both sides happy?
It is hard to imagine what Germany was like after WWI when their money became worthless due to the postwar terms required in the ceasefire. Most Americans do not know that those terms were so horrendous that America would never sign the Treaty of Versailles, as the terms were not just. No wonder Hitler could rally good people to back him with the hope that he could change those terrible conditions.
Americans have little knowledge of true warfare unless one served in the armed forces or lost a husband, brother, or father. During all of WWI and WWII, as well as the Vietnam War, since Hawaii was not yet a state, no site in the then US was bombed or burned. Think of what our bombers did to almost every German city or what the Enola Gay did to Hiroshima. We have little concept of what the people in those countries suffered.
And now we continue. We have fought in Lebanon and Iraq, as well as in other skirmishes in the Middle East. We are now facing off with Iran, which may still have nuclear capability, and Russia, which clearly does.
We have been involved with the Middle East for years. I recently read a book written by Jack Carr called Targeted Beirut about what took place at the American Embassy in 1983. Our Embassy in Beirut was totally destroyed by a bomb driven into the Embassy by one of the various parties who all hated the American involvement in their country. Who can say for sure which sect attacked our people? There were so many, such as the Druze Muslims, Shiite Muslims, Sunni Muslims and other terrorist groups all over Lebanon and Syria. In addition to multiple embassy personnel killed and wounded, more Marines died there than at any other time since Iwo Jima. The lives lost and bodies wrecked for life caused me to think about how much of that attack we have forgotten.
Now we are facing another war. Be it in Iran or somewhere else, we have troops all over the world ready to fight. But think of this… Are there any foreign troops in our country who might just be the enemy? Probably not, but things can happen fast, as we saw on 9/11.
I do listen to several radio stations that play some old tunes that now strike me differently than before. This happened again last week as I heard about our strike on Iran. The song is Revelation was recorded in 1972 amid the Vietnam War and sung by none other than Waylon Jennings. As I heard the words, it reminded me of the dread many felt as we bombed Iran. Here are some of the lines.
Somewhere in Vietnam, a 19-year-old soldier walked out of a barroom
And he said, “I must be seeing things. That bourbon hit me like a baseball bat.”
In Memphis, Tennessee, a teacher raised the window, closest to the river
And the children in the classroom swore they’d heard a choir singing down the street.
In Washington, D.C., a private secretary’s lips began to quiver
And the President just put aside his papers
And rose quickly to his feet. …..
I lay in a cheap motel … when a loud explosion rocked the room
And turned the morning into night
I jumped out of bed and ran into the street. As the sky lit up my heart stood still
And I could feel my face was turnin’ white.
All at once the clouds rolled back and there stood Jesus Christ in all his glory.
And I realized the saddest eyes I’d ever seen were lookin’ straight at me.
I guess I was awakened by the penetrating sounds of my own screamin.’
It didn’t take me long to stumble out of bed and fall down on my knees.
Dear God, I’m thankful I was only dreamin’
And if I never go to hell, Lord, it’ll be because you scared it out of me.
It made me think of those times when we Americans shuddered and looked up at the sky, fearing the worst. Hearing of the attack at Pearl Harbor. The blockade of Soviet ships carrying nuclear weapons to Cuba. Hearing and seeing live on TV the sight of 9/11.
If we continue to wage war against each other, that feared catastrophe could happen, and it won’t be because we were dreamin’. We must hope that leaders of all countries can see some good in peace and not just keep facing off against each other to prove – prove what?