A Communist Country by junge1
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Description
The idea to visit Vietnam came from my buddy who is a retired Force Recon Marine who had served three tours of combat in Southeast Asia, including 72 days in Khe Sanh. He wanted to revisit some of the sites, Khe Sanh and Camp Caroll, the nearest fire support base for Khe Sanh with 175 mm guns among them. His wife didn't want him go and his two psychiatrist nixed the idea. So I wound up going by myself.
On the surface Vietnam is becoming a tourist friendly country, and the new generation, especially the children are just curious and friendly. People in general are busy making a living and one cannot detect any open animosity, at least I didn't. But there are reminders that Vietnam is a communist country. Saigon was changed to Ho Chi Minh City, the red flags with the gold star of Vietnam, and, in Hanoi interspersed with flags of the hammer and sickle, the flag of the former Soviet Union, are lining the streets at regular intervals.
As we were visiting the Citadel in Hue a party commissioner in uniform, a Vietnamese that looked like Chairman Mao, gave me a hard stare, and instantly, I was reminded of my time in-country, 45 years earlier. Seeing the flags and an occasional sign like this one in Hoi An, Quang Nam Province, started to get under my skin, and I wasn't exposed to combat like my buddy had been. I was on Da Nang AB, working on aircraft and being guarded by Marines, I have a new respect for these young psychiatrists, easily 30 years younger than my buddy, and never having experienced anything close to combat, they made the right call.
Forgive me for rambling on, but this part of visiting this beautiful country made me understand better what some of the combat veterans are going through.
This picture was taken on 24 August 2012, Sig....
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Comments (17)
Faemike55
Nothing like a little reminder of how things are vs how things were.
Great capture
renecyberdoc
luckily i never saw war and such,but you give us an insight of what hell the veterans must go through to this day.and in my eyes the worst is that the governement is spitting on them.
durleybeachbum
PTSD is also only recently being recognised and treated here in the UK too. It ruins lives.
UteBigSmile
junge1
@durleybeachbum! Yes I agree, and it can ruin family lives too!
starship64
I'm glad you could go for your friend.
SunriseGirl
I had to favorite this photo if for no other reason than your great comments. I have always hated war of any kind from the time I was a kid and especially during the Vietnam era. The movies try to glamorize it, but in truth it is a horrible, grisly, mind bending experience for those who must be involved. I do not discount the heroic actions of many I just hate that human beings cannot seem to overcome this horrible way of trying to solve their problems. Sorry for the rant and grateful for those who have served. They very much deserve our respect and care.
prutzworks
cool info
kgb224
Superb capture my friend. What does one gain with war - I say absolutely nothing. God bless.
ontar1
Great capture!
blankfrancine
We get all too few glimpses of that war-torn country. Fine capture.
photosynthesis
Interesting photo & thought-provoking comments. I was fortunate enough to have avoided military service due to medical reasons back in the 60's, but I have several very close friends who are veterans of that war & who suffer from PTSD to varying extents to this very day. Some have gone back to Vietnam & have made the visit part of their healing process, while others can't face the prospect of doing that. Though they share the common experience of war, they each have their own personal & unique ways of dealing with it...
Buffalo1
I'm spot on with photosynthesis. I was a year young for service in Vietnam, and my family, including brother, cousin and uncle who had served there were firmly against me joining up. A trip back to Vietnam seems to be very positive for some veterans like Sen. John McCain. For others such as your friend it would just bring back bad memories. My brother and cousin have no desire to return for a visit while a friend of mine who saw hard combat would love to go back. Great pic, Sig and I'm glad you had a chance to see what is going on there today.
weesel
Communism; illusion of happiness and progress when one ignores, or can't see, reality. (They are so happy and devoid of personality, those cartoon people. Should we tell them there are no wires on the pylons? )
A government that advertises to its people that they are doing well is probably trying to convince someone.
Thanks for the image. It says a lot.
Richardphotos
I knew a man years ago that spent several years in a mental health facility here in the states. he was open about what happened to him in Vietnam. him and a buddy was taking a break sitting down. the buddy offered a chocolate bar to a child and when the boy reached for the bar, the boy dropped a small explosive near his friend and the explosion killed his friend. he was so mad that he immediately fired his weapon killing the boy. I forgot how many years that he spent in the hospital, but I do recall he did not want to return
flavia49
nice capture
MrsRatbag
It's a whole different world...