War Memorials Should Also Depict the Suffering of the Victims

War memorials should also depict the suffering of the victims

In the past, war memorials were used to celebrate victories. However, in modern times, they are used to honor those who died in war. For war memorials in the past and present, war memorials don't depict the suffering of the victims. Whether the war is good or bad, the suffering of the victims for winners or losers always occurs in the war. History tells people, the Vietnam War had no winner. In other words, the counties which were involved in the war were all losers. The war was full of suffering of people who involved. Even though some people survived, the pain of war was engraved in their hearts forever. American people, Vietnamese people, and the soldiers were victims in this war. Therefore, the war memorials for the Vietnam War should also depict their sufferings.

Soldiers are human, but they are tools in war. The only work they have to do is obey orders. The suffering of the soldiers comes from two aspects. One is from their bodies, and the other is from their minds. In the Richard Nixon's famous speech, "The Great Silent Majority", he said, "Now let me begin by describing the situation I found when I was inaugurated on January 20: The war had been going on for four years. Thirty-one thousand Americans had been killed in action"(2). When the Vietnam War was not ended, thirty-one thousand Americans were already dead. So it is unbelievable that how large the death would be when the war was ended. There were still many survive soldiers with a disability. The life must be tough for the rest of their lives. Even though the war was ended, the soldiers were survived still felt difficult in their lives. When they were back from Vietnam, their surrounding was not friendly for them. One old Vietnam veteran, David Clayton Carrad wrote, "In a very short time I acquired a lifetime supply of angry words, spittle, and hostile glances. Although I was proud to have served, I quickly learned the basic survival skill for Vietnam veterans: keep quiet about it"(1). As a Vietnam veteran, Carrad has bad memory about the Vietnam War in his mind. That's why he often visits Vietnam Veterans memorial in the Washington. Before each time he goes there, he has to dress up so that people will not guess he was a Vietnam veteran (Carrad 1). There are thousands of Vietnam veterans live like him. It is a pity that people don't understand their feeling and experience their suffering. According to the two aspects, there should be a war memorial erecting in the Washington.

When people talk about the Vietnam War, they don't forget the My Lai massacre. Kendrick Oliver, the author of Coming to Terms with the Past: My Lai, are describing the massacre's situation."Those killed were predominantly women, old men or small children. A number of the women had been raped before being killed. Other victims