We hopped a train from Hue, headed to Hoi An. I was still deep in thought about being in Central Viet Nam. It was a very emotional day, as I watched the countryside go by and we passed places whose names are burned into my conciousness--Khe Sanh, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, My Lai...I couldn't help but think, as we passed the rolling mountains covered with thick vegetation, of my friends who had roamed these hills, fighting a war that should never have been fought.
And I thought of the family members of my sons, who also fought in these hills and of the tremendous impact the war had on their families--and how that war had changed the trajectories of their lives. Yes, I am glad to have my sons, and no, it shouldn't have happened.
And then I think of the damage to this country--of a war that would have been over so much sooner had the U.S. not gotten involved. And how now, 35 years after the U.S. pulled out, Vietnam is finally pulling itself out of the ashes. What, I wonder, will happen in Iraq? Afghanistan? What damage is being done? How many are dying needlessly? And is our involvement solving the problem, or prolonging the agony?
In Central Vietnam, one can't help but be aware of the legacy of war. It isn't the kind of legacy anyone wants to leave...
PS. If you need a smile after this post, make sure to check out the Hue pics for a show performed by the boys with hotel room decorations...
