A View from the Other Side

Young Americans going to war. American soldiers deep in the jungle. Student protests. Patriotism. 50,000+ dead American soldiers. The Vietnam War Memorial.These are just some of the images that come to mind when Americans think about the Vietnam War. What all of these images have in common is that they are focused on the American side of the war, and they help formulate the American story of the Vietnam War. In the American story, the United States is the good guy who is trying to save an entire country from the evil communists. For the general public’s perception of the war, it’s black and white. We are good and the communists are bad.
The American War
Of course, nothing is that simple, and there are multiple sides to every story. In Vietnam, there is no Vietnam War; there is an American War. The Vietnamese story of the American War is completely different from the American version. In this story, a small country seeking independence is invaded by a superpower who wants to suppress Vietnamese independence. It’s the exact opposite: the Vietnamese are good, and the Americans are bad. Again, it’s plain and simple, right?
A Tale of War Crimes
Since we are all familiar with the American side of the story, I want to focus on the Vietnamese side. In the War Remnants Museum in Saigon, the Vietnamese government has formed it’s version of the story. Of course, this propaganda is missing pieces, but it is still extremely illuminating for Americans to see the war from the other side. In short, in the American war, the United States invaded Vietnam against the wishes of almost every major country in the world and even the American people. This is portrayed by a series of newspaper clippings and photos showing mass protests and world leaders condemning the war. Then, when American soldiers arrived in Vietnam, they committed various war crimes, such as murdering women and children. Soldiers would interrogate children, then shoot them, or just simply stab young children. In one instance, American soldiers found three children in a well, pulled them out, and stabbed them to death. The children were innocent bystanders of a political conflict they likely did not understand. Additionally, there was the Mai Lai massacre and other instances of mass killings by American soldiers. There was no regard for human life. One American officer said, “if it’s dead, it’s Viet Cong.” All Vietnamese seemed to be enemies (of course, many Vietnamese fought with the Americans, but the War Remnants Museum neglects this major aspect of the war). The Americans were by no means innocent saviors to the Vietnamese people, as some of our stories would have us believe. Even worse, the Americans’ use of Agent Orange was not only devastating to the Vietnamese during the war, but still has horrific effects today. The effects of Agent Orange cripple thousands of people each year, making Agent Orange an ongoing issue in Vietnam. Lastly, the museum points out that over 3 million Vietnamese died in the conflict- a statistic that largely goes unmentioned in the United States. The Vietnamese tell a story of hell on earth brought upon by the Americans when they came to Vietnam’s shores. Few people can deny the horrors of the American war.
Takeaways
For me, most important thing about the War Remnants Museum is that it showed that there are two sides to every story, and we need to take into account both sides. Of course, neither story gives a full and accurate portrayal of the conflict. But, by studying multiple stories, we can get a better understanding of the war. Furthermore, the museum reaffirmed that there is one thing every war has in common- war is a horrific experience. Through pictures of war crimes and the aftermath of battles, this museum puts on display the horrors of war. Seeing the war from the other side provided a unique and enlightening experience.

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