OH+Reflection

Oral History Reflection

After learning about the Vietnam War in class, and researching the war, we thought we had a pretty good understanding about what the war meant for America and American citizens. But, after listening to our uncle speak about the war and his job of accompanying the bodies back to their families and loved ones, we gained a new perspective of what the Vietnam War meant to people in America. Hearing about families' reactions to the news of their loved ones dying made us realize what a hard time the Vietnam War must have been in America.

For us, hearing about our uncle's job and how it affected him was a different way to look at the war. Also, we learned a bit about how the war affected people short and long term. A relative of ours, our Aunt's father, died from lung cancer caused by agent orange. In the word's of our uncle, his job of escorting bodies back really put a face on the war. This interview helped us to do the same, to understand the Vietnam War on a more personal basis. Something we both found very interesting was our Uncle's father-in-law to be telling him to get out of the war, that they'd already lost. We wonder if most soldiers and officers over in Vietnam thought (knew) that too.