Personal Narrative: An Interview With A Soldier In Vietnam

If Philip Caputo’s memoir is meant to be the story of an American soldier, Trâm’s diary becomes the story of the Vietnamese people and their struggle. On May 7th 1970 Trâm recounts her feelings on the history of war in Vietnam, and how the people still remain undeterred. “Twenty-five years immersed in fire and bullets, we are still strong.” Not only after all this fighting and after all that Trâm herself has witnessed and endured she is still confident in her country. “We will persevere and be courageous and hold our heads high and take the offensive.” Trâm’s diary makes it clear that there was never any doubt in

Roldan was asked how much time he spent overseas. He responded “I served three tours of Vietnam. Each tour was about nine months and I got out right when the war ended. North Vietnam overthrew Saigon and Americans has to evacuate.” I wondered if Mr. Roldan was able to return home while he served. He mentioned how once a year he received a 30-day leave. He would come home and experience the resentment of soldiers by the American people. The Americans called him a “baby killer.” On a positive note, Mr. Roldan’s parents were proud and thankful to see that Mr. Roldan was alive. I asked Mr. Roldan if he was able to cope in society after the war. He expresses, “Yes, but I often wondered if the friends I met were still alive.” The war had a positive and negative affect on his life. “The war broadened my horizons on what to expect from life. I do not take anything for granted and I have learned how to treat people. I was able to embrace different cultures and learn the way others live. On the other hand, Mr. Roldan’s deepest concern was staying alive. His biggest challenge was not knowing if he took innocent lives. By watching The Vietnam War documentary, I learned that often times the innocent civilians were killed. I was saddened by this information and gained a better understanding of what Mr. Roldan felt during the

This chapter covers the transition of Mary Anne Bell, of how she changed from being a normal, sweet teenage girl to being one of the Green Berets, filled with enthusiasm for the war and intrigued with the culture of Vietnam. This message is about how the innocence of women is consumed by the war and how once they begin to learn more about it, they are hopelessly entranced by it, far from returning to their usual selves. Rat talks about how, “Anne made you think about those girls back home, how they'll never understand any of this, not in a billion years. Try and tell them about it, they’ll just stare at you with those big round candy eyes. They won't understand zip.”(O’Brien 108), and this shows that women won’t understand what Vietnam really is like, they have to experience it themselves. Women also won’t understand the grueling mental pain that soldiers experience in the war.

On April 25, 1975, marked the end of an era for one country, but the cruel reality of a new beginning for many Vietnamese families. As the north communists were celebrating their victory, the south was in a panic to escape new order. Many families feared for their lives and were forced to make difficult decisions and sacrifices by leaving their whole life behind in hopes of starting a new life in another country. GB Tran is an American whose parents fled from Vietnam in order to escape communism. With no real knowledge of his family’s history pertaining to the Vietnam War, he finds himself unable to make a connection with his home country, and a deeper understanding of what sacrifices his parents made for their family. In this

“War is hell, but that 's not the half of it, because war is also mystery and terror and adventure and courage and discovery and holiness and pity and despair and longing and love. War is nasty; war is fun. War is thrilling; war is drudgery. War is what makes you a man; war makes you dead.”In the autobiography “The things they Carried”author Tim O’Brien, gives his readers insight to the trials,horrors and romances of the Vietnam war.As a young man Mr.O’Brien was forced into the war by the Draft lottery a Selective Service System of the United States conducted to determine the order of call to military service in the Vietnam War for men born from 1944 to 1950. Entering into the Vietnam War Mr.O’Brien, knew he was neither prepared nor made for the harsh realities of armed combat.However after taking a life awakening journey to the Tip Top Inn Mr.O’Brien knew what he had to do, so he went to war.In the story “The things they Carried” Mr.O’Brien not only tells his account of the war but gives account to his fellow soilders version of the war like the young medic Marc Fossie who flew his high school sweetheart May Ann Bell to the base, transforming the book into a love story. Or when fellow soldier Curt Lemon dies and the story turns into somewhat of a shakespearean tragedy.Even when the War is over writer Tim O’brien explains to his audience about how savilians respond to his “war story” and how he told a true war stories are not about living in the moment but surviving for

The authors purpose was to explain what his brother’s thoughts about living and eventually dying during Vietnam. The reader captures the struggles and comradery ship the soldiers experienced while in war. The audience really starts to grasp who is really fighting our wars. It’s not the older people who has seen the world.

I was running around from tent to tent and it was chaos I was scared, but I needed to help the people that were hurt it was my job. As a German plane buzzed overhead I, nurse Helen Doyal dropped face down in the mud. As an American nurse serving at a British Army base hospital near the Western Front in 1918, it's my job to help the wounded people and soldiers who fight.

When I first got put in the challenge program I was very scared. I only knew a handful of people and I didn’t know if it was the best fit for me. However, the past 4 years have proven me wrong. I would have been bored and in challenge when you have teachers like Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Hill, you wonder why you questioned yourself.

I sat in my room bored out of my mind. My last mission was a few days ago and since I’ve only flown once. I was getting the itch. I needed to fly. To kill. To do something other than sit here on my ass and deal with drunk French and American soldiers every night. Being the first woman to fly and the only woman soldier in this war, I had a hard enough time dealing with their horny, egotistical men comments. I don’t need them drunk too. I got up and walked to my brothers room.

It was the day before it all happened, everyone knew that people were coming to fight and take all the men, in the refugee to go fight against us, we didn’t know what to do with my father. Once my father came back home we were so sad because we didn’t want our dad to leave us, so we were planning to hide my father, Aunt Betsy was telling us kids to go in the room because, my parents had to talk. So me (Sally) and my little 5 year old brother. My little brother (Michael) all he talked about was being a warrior which I didn’t like because, we were going to be a in a war, but I didn't mind because I knew he was little and really didn’t know what he wanted to be.

When in combat, you always check your surroundings first to make sure the enemy isn’t approaching, and to find a safe place from the weather or the enemy. When you find something like an abandoned farmhouse, it’s a Godsend. I quickly talked to Pierre, telling him about the house and what happened. His leg was clearly broken, and you could see the bone. There was still no time to waste, so I, again, left Pierre, and walked towards the house. As I approached the house, I crouched down. I listened to see if anyone was in the house, but it was completely empty. I walked in. The house was by no means luxurious or fancy, but it was shelter from the cold and dangers outside. The house had been abandoned for- I imagine- a good six weeks. There was

Silence and darkness loomed over the room. Other than the occasional snore and bed creak, the room is silent, oblivious to the war that is being fought in Vietnam. Men are being ripped apart; their innards mercilessly pierced by the multitude of rounds penetrating through the air. One wrong move and suddenly, you’re soaking red, staining the garment around your torso and cementing your fate. But in this room, we were oblivious to such pains, such bloodshed. It was like if the war wasn’t even happening at all, isolating us from the pain and the death that would ultimately be subjected upon us. One of these days, we were going to be deployed, with almost ninety percent certainty that we would never see our families again. Ah, fuck it! I joined

Most of my grandfathers had fought in wars. Two of them fought side by side in the Vietnam War and my great grandfathers took part in World War II. My great grandparents never lived to tell me their experiences at war. I doubt they would tell me, as the thoughts may bring back scarring memories they had hoped to forget.

This shows the effects of the Vietnam War and how it can cause separation between the family not just physically but also mentally.

My hands were covered in blood.. It was only a matter of time till they caught me.. I could hear the roaring of the wind. The heavy breathing coming from my own chest.. My stomach ached in pain. I could feel the tears beginning to escape from my eyes...