... it was awe, not courage, that nailed my feet to the ground when the Americans landed. In time, we all would learn the wisdom of standing still at the approach of Americans - the way one learns to stand still in the face of an angry dog. Before long, any Vietnamese who ran from Amercian gunships would be considered Viet Cong and shot down for the crime of fear. -Le Ly Hayslip, South Vietnamese civilian
John,
There were times when I felt we were doing the wrong thing, yes. Times I didn't want to kill. Now, this may sound horrible and to any who aren't fighting, it is, but once you get out there and you're engaged with the enemy, you don't think of them as people. They're merely the enemy, a man trying his hardest to kill you. Training kicks in, along with natural instinct. Kill or be killed. Plus the fact that the man next to you is depending on you to watch out for him. If he goes down, you cover him so the medic can take care of him. When you're in the field, there's no two ways about it. And while I know you don't want to kill someone, certain things become not only a necessity, but something that is accepted and in most cases expected. I know you'll do what you have to. You're a good kid.
Yes, the Army always has a way of making war sound romantic. How else do you think they would get so many young men and boys to join up? How else do you think they get the average citizen to agree with what they're doing? That's the reason people are so angry over this war; they found out, courtesy of the media, that the Army's been lying to them. They think the only thing that you're doing over there is killing women and children and innocents. What they don't realize, or see is the American GI that has stepped on a mine. Technology is causing more problems than it's solving, if you ask me.
Otherwise, things are holding up on the home front. Your mother bought a new lamp for the living room the other day. Said she coudln't stand the old one any longer. It doesn't really make a difference to me, but she seems happier about this new one. Did you say something to her about Bernie and the news? If you did, it certainly worked. He's been watching all week. Never says anything about it though. I think I might ask him what's going on, see how he's holding up. He doesn't really talk much about it, or you for that matter.
Your mother says hello and she loves you.
Love,
Uncle Jake