Frankie is moved by her encounter with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and finds some healing there.
The wall memorializes the names of more than fifty-eight thousand American men and women who served in the Vietnam War and were killed there.
Do you think it would make sense to memorialize other groups as well, such as those who suffered traumatic casualties? What about the South Vietnamese soldiers who fought alongside the Americans? What about the civilians who were killed in the War?
This is a tough question because there’s no “right” answer. The reason for the memorial is to honor those who will never come back to see their families again. While I don't think people with traumatic injuries should be memorialized on that specific wall, I do believe they deserve some form of recognition for what they endured.
ReplyDeleteAnd as much as I would like the names of the Southern Vietnamese who were killed to be on the wall, it does not necessarily make as much sense, as there wouldn’t be many people to “appreciate” it in a sense. I think a different wall located in Southern Vietnam would be a beautiful tribute for those soldiers instead, as they are more likely to be known by someone from their home country.
I also think the civilians who were killed deserve a memorial, just not the same one. After all, having a memorial for those civilians would help people realize the extent of the war, and hopefully help prevent the same thing from happening again.
What type of memorial would you suggest for citizens killed in action? Do you think it would be wall of every civilian's name or be more symbolic of all of the citizens like the Tomb of the Unknown Solider?
ReplyDeleteAll people who suffered in the war deserve to be memorialized. This includes all of the soldiers and civilians, regardless of the way they passed. However, I do believe that different groups should have different kinds of memorials. For example, most Americans will not have personally known any Vietnamese people, so their marker should not be a list of names. The memorials should be equally important and symbolic for all people involved.
ReplyDeleteI think it would make sense to honor those affected by traumatic casualties, and memorialize them whenever they pass away. The South Vietnamese soldiers should be treated as one and the same as United States citizens whenever it come to memorializing them, though I do believe it should be a separate service or memorial. Civilians should be honored as well, especially because they were killed in the midst of a battle that was not theirs to fight; their deaths are ultimately the result of the negligence of both sides of the war, and they should be honored accordingly.
ReplyDeleteI think there should be monuments and memorials for them. When I went to Austraia this summer, we visited the Mauthausen concentration camp. Thousands of people who were sent there just for being Jewish or not conforming to one man’s beliefs. Prisoners, whether the were POWs or just criminals, were sent there. Even spies were sent there to gather information on the camps, and many of them didn’t make it. At the camp, there were memorials from every country that had lost people in that place. There were even what I believe were called “spontaneous memorials”. Memorials set up by everyday people who decided that there should be another memorial. One of these was in the showers where they were stripped of all they used to be. All around Vienna, there are memorials and monuments dedicated to the Jews who lost their lives and their businesses and their homes. These memorials are there to help people remember. Remember and to never forget. By giving these everyday citizens memorials, you are reminding people that not everyone who suffered during wars were soldiers. War. Affects. All. I think that’s a very important reminder to have.
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