Oral history essay

The Vietnam contend make the whole world in some ways. But when singing round fights in class only give you unmatched perspective which is the big picture. But what astir(predicate) the small picture? The effect the war had on individuals and their families. Sometimes hearing the bill from someone who was in the war stinkpot give you a come apart cause round the conditions they faced. For this oral history melodic theme interviewed my uncle Steven Mangled who was an engineer serjeant in the Vietnam War.During this time in the beginning the sketch was abolished n 1 973, many parade were selected for usefulness with the drafts tho those who didnt want to go to war would sometimes flee to Canada or other(a) places. 25 percent of the troops that served in this war were draftees. These slew were called draft dodgers. My uncle didnt want to be one of these pile and wanted to do his duty as an American citizen so he joined the army in the 1 asss afterward graduatin g college. He went through NCO school, which is a syllabus to becoming a non-commissioned officer.He then went through his training to become a sergeant and entered the U. S Army Corps of Engineers. shortly after, around 1 970, he was direct to Vietnam. His mission there was to support an hit man unit that was stationed on the border of northeastern and South Vietnam. He built and designed amours like helicopter pads, flood shield systems, facilities for the army and many other things. During his stoppage he also had the opportunity to do build a hospital for the Vietnamese people.One of the things that touch on my uncle during the war was the subject of races. At this time period there was a lot of civil rights move ments going on. The Vietnam War had a precise high function of blacks more than any war before it. Blacks make up about 13 percent of the troops that served. Before connexion the war my uncle had a lot of prejudices about the different races, but started to think otherwise after trifleing closely with people from all different races and ethnicities. He erudite to live with them and became very close to a lot of them.The Vietnam War provided these African Americans and Hispanics their setoff experiences of white comradeship and really unresolved peoples eyes to the fact that they werent all that different. Of charge there was bound to be perfunctory racial tension but they try to keep this tension from affecting the mathematical operation of the troops. My uncle started to gain respect for Hispanics in the war. He said that they were the hardest workers and had a nifty work ethic. His visions of the races totally changed.Another thing that really affected my uncle was when he was building the hospital for the Vietnamese. The hospitals in the Vietnam War were different from any other war. There wasnt a very safe(p) road system through Vietnam so transportation was very hard so most of the hospitals were semi-permanent. Before the hospital was recognise they started treating patients. The patients were of all ages, from children to elderly. Since he roads werent very good the helicopter was a great help in getting patients to the hospitals and protected many lives.My uncle described the injuries as inexorable and a lot of times fatal. assimilate all of the wounded really got to him. He expected to see some injuries but figured that because he was an engineer that he wouldnt be too close to a lot of them. He had time to talk to a lot of the Vietnamese, and was shocked at the fear that they lived in. Men his age had been existent in war zones all their lives and grew up in very bad poverty. This made him appreciate where he comes from. He realized how lucky he as to remove grown up not stir about having his home raided or burnt-out down or his family torn apart.The American dream was a real thing and he was glad to be supporting it back at home. We read about wars all the time but nigh always jus t look at the big picture. You hear about great deal causalities and death rates. Talking to my uncle made me see the effects of war on a smaller scale. I now better understand how people felt tour at war and the things they Saw. Know that he is very proud Of his service in the war, and I am too. If it werent for the brave men and women who fought for our country we wouldnt postulate the freedom we have now.