Vietnam--one photograph
It's been thirty years now since the Vietnam war ended. Many things have changed in this southeast Asian country. The battle fields of Khe Sanh which saw the lives of 500 American soldiers and untold numbers of North Vietnamese troops now is home to a large coffee plantation. Quiet memories remain from the little children selling uncovered medals or dog tags of the soldiers who fought here. The city of Hue, site of the bloodiest battle of the Tet offensive which saw over 10,000 civilians killed is now rebuilt and acts as one of Vietnam's main cultural, religious and educational centers. Portions of the Ho Chi Minh trail, once a major supply route of troops and amunitions is now a paved road for daily traffic. Other areas tainted by the long lasting effects of agent orange will never recover and be a continuous reminder of the war. Many people from all over the world come to this country and these battle areas to learn about the history of the war. Others come to relive and find peace in their souls. What remains in the minds of many are now memories.
One such person is Duong Thuy. A Vietnamese man now almost 60 years of age, Duong still works hard as a motor bike driver to support his wife and children. While in Hue, Duong took me around his city showing me the various points of interest. Being that Duong was a South Vietnamese soldier during the war and spoke good english, I was curious as to his perspective of the war. He spoke a bit about the war then told me he had photographs at his home he could show me. I thought this would be very interesting seeing the feelings and emotions of a Vietnamese soldier captured on film. We made plans to meet and later that evening Duong came to my guest house.
We talked a bit then Duong opened the folder he brought with him. Expecting to see numerous photos depicting the war, I was surprised almost disappointed when Duong produced only one photo. I thought to myself, this is it, one photo! He came here to show me one photo! Lying before me was a discolored, torn, faded, 30 year old photo of Duong standing next to another man. The other man in the photo was an American lieutenant soldier. Duong told me his name was Van. They had worked together from 1972 till 1975 in a rural development area outside of Danang in central Vietnam. Duong's role was that of an interpreter and co-worker. Over the next 30 minutes, Duong could not talk enough about how wonderful and kind Van was. He respected, honored and loved this man as a brother. I asked what happened. Duong said when America pulled out of Vietnam in '75, Van was gone. Duong felt like he lost a family member. All contact from that point on was eliminated. Duong looked at me and said, "all that is left is a memory." He went on to say if he could have one wish in his remaining lifetime, it would be to see his friend Van one more time.
I thought to myself, here is a man who saw his country all but wiped off the face of the earth. Thousands upon thousands of people lost their lives fighting over which government would be in control and here is a man whose memory of war is one of friendship, kindness, honor and respect towards an American soldier on the other side of the world. What a simple photograph but what a powerful message. If we all had the same feelings towards others as Duong, war wouldn't be part of our vocabulary. I also thought of the many people I convieniently forget about because I get wrapped up in day to day living. How many faces would be brighter by remembering someone or sharing a friendly hello. I got more information about Van from Duong and told him I'd do my best to try and make contact for him so his wish could come true. I also told Duong I would not forget him. He was more than a memory in my life, he was an inspiration.