Tormented. Beaten. Herded like cattle. Imprisoned within walls lined with barbed wire. Cowering with fear when in the shadow of a tall, strong soldier. All hope depicting escape has faded away and been replaced with dread. No one would dare attempt to abscond from the camp for it would result in immediate death. Blood spilled on the dirt floors, living in filth and scars.…
Somewhere in the Middle East there is a mom fighting in a foreign war. The gunpowder smoke coagulating in her lungs, hearing the cries for help, and not knowing if she’ll ever see her 2 year old son again. Soldiers everywhere do this every day not knowing if they are going home ever to see their loved ones. They do this because they are selfless and are heroes. That’s why an American I believe in is made possible by the sacrifices of our military.…
This documentary about life and the era in which the former Secretary of Defense of the United States, Robert McNamara refers to the concept of “Fog of War “ to describe the level of ambiguity in knowledge of the situation experienced by the participants in military operations. Robert McNamara was a great man, because although he made mistakes major in his position as Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War, his intentions were to do the right thing for his country.…
The next morning, I was to report to Logistics and Strategy. People were all over this place. Seaman lined the walls with headsets on and screens in front of them. They used their fingers to tap the screens and then shout out coordinates. I walked down the row of officers scrutinizing interactive pixel maps. They had the ability to visualize the ships and planes in real time with holographic symbols. I passed them and walked up some steps to a clear glass room. TOO THIN, Fernando, Chad, Mallory, and five Admirals were there. One Admiral for each permanent coalition country. There were also a line of officers outside the room, waiting for orders.…
Hi Amber, great to "see" you in another class! Thank you and your family for the years of service. The military life has its own culture, but as you have mentioned the frequent moves allow you to experience numerous geographical locations and their cultures. My grandparents immigrated through Ellis Island from Scotland and I have been fortunate to visit where they lived several times.…
I am a “boot” adjusting to my new life in kilo company, and corporal has recently returned from a nasty deployment in iraq. He says that he is my father and that he knows what’s best. he kicks sand at me while i am timed to see how fast i can pick up all the yellow cigarette butts he dumped on the floor to “fix” my attention to detail and remind me of my ignorance, as he yells, “you are going to war soon, and I won’t be there to babysit you!” During the deployment workups in the states, we spent weeks patrolling, looking for something that we knew wasn’t real. Digging into defensive positions and waiting the night out for an enemy we knew would never come. Spending rainy nights in muddy holes, fearing what our leaders might do to us if we fell asleep. Firing machine guns, shooting rifles and launching grenades at little green targets…. All of it was just training ops.…
Saigon, a small city situated in South Vietnam, is where I grew up. It’s not a big city; however, its population has been growing rapidly in the past decade. New immigrants from different part of the country keep coming toward us for higher-paid jobs and modern technologies. Unlike the U.S, Vietnam is not a developed country. We have low standards living condition; some parts of the country even have no electricity; crimes and violations happen frequently because people want to escape from poverty; etc. Growing up in a country consisted of those characteristics, I was taught to be ambitious and to push myself hard enough to reach higher goals. It is the bad condition in my country that harbors my dreams to come to the US and to get access to…
First off, trip to Vietnam was truly a blessing. I did not expect so much of the trip until the first day I arrived Vietnam. On my first day, I got an opportunity to meet many great people who were selfless; those who cared more about others rather than themselves. It took approximately 14hours in total to arrive at hotel. Even though the plane ride was only about 5hours, since it was a group trip, it took extra time to ensure everyone is in right place. Despite the exhaustion and drowsiness, no one complained but encouraged others. I was already touched by grace of God before we even began our mission trip. On the second day, I volunteered for the medical service. There were two activities including the medical service, and house painting…
I grew up in Saigon, Vietnam. I lived in a place where it can be considered the borderline between the city and the countryside. We didn’t have a distinct suburban area, just city and not-city basically.…
The Civil War legacy still has an impact on Americans today. Today, most Americans look at the Civil War in an awe-inspired perspective. People try to skip over the blood and ugliness that resulted because of it, and instead try to focus on the courage and heroic deeds that soldiers performed. Many today are more likely to view the war as a fight for black freedom instead of for state’s rights, which is what it had previously been known for. The South still seems proud of the Confederate flag, even though it is the cause of a lot of controversy. Some people view it as part of their heritage. Certain topics of the Civil War are still well-known throughout society. Abraham Lincoln, the Gettysburg Address, and the Emancipation proclamation are all examples of what people associate with the Civil War. People try to remember iconic people and images like these, instead of the blood, gore, and hate that took place.…
When you are someone’s support system you take on multiple roles that indirectly deteriorate your self preservation. Being a listener or a shoulder to cry on, requires sacrifices that, in the moment, you do not even recognize as imposing. Voluntarily and willingly being there for someone begins with the unwavering doubt that you and your own problems cannot and will not prevail over your person’s immediate crisis. Depending on the duration of your duty, a somewhat selfish thought of inconvenience is bound to surface. But, that wave of retraction is almost always combatted by a riptide of dedication and loyalty that brings you back to sea, where all you can do is tread. In turn, the suppression of self regarding issues regularly comes with a layer of obligation and a sting of bitterness.…
3)Team, Shmoop Editorial . "The Vietnam War Primary Sources" Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 9 Jun. 2013.…
I am a Vietnamese student at SFSU. I do not like the bookstore at school because this place is so racist. I have visited many bookstores in the U. S, but there is no place has the most unpleasant staff members like in SFSU’s bookstore.…
As soon as I graduated from high school, I had to work and help my sisters. After all this time my dad finally came home. I wanted to continue my education, so I found a friend that can sponsor me to go to India and study…
I was born on June 20, 1928 I was the second daughter in my family to be born. I spoke Yiddish, and was a Jew. After birth my family moved to Liege, Belgium. At school I spoke French, Yiddish at home. My mother made sure I learned Hebrew. I was 11 when the Germans invaded.…