Our last days in Vietnam were spent in Ho Chi Minh for a thing called LDW–a time for us as a squad to rest, reflect, and use our gifts to encourage our squad.
While we were there, my teammate Maggie, squadmate Sara and I went to the War Remnants Museum–because I cannot be in Vietnam and NOT go to something related to the Vietnam War (which is called the American War of aggression in Vietnam). I would just like to share about what I saw and my thoughts on it.
Going into it, I had heard that the museum was biased (for obvious reasons) and pretty brutal.
The first floor was purely posters and pictures of countries around the world (mostly communist) that were against the US hand in the war.
Other aspects of the museum showed the brutality and rawness of the war (and really, war in general)–much more than sensitive America ever would be okay with showing in her museums.
There were exhibits dedicated to the after-effects of Agent Orange which had gruesome and sad pictures of what it did to some victims.
There were photographs that showed what Americans and Vietnamese did to each other during the war.
They had a sample of what the prison system looked like that made me sick to my stomach.
As I walked through and as my heart got heavier and heavier, I couldn’t help say to God, “You can’t be happy wars like this happen.” I can’t imagine how grieved God’s heart is when people kill each other–let alone so brutally.
I also feel for the Vietnamese people and what the after effects of the war did to them. But I also feel terrible for our soldiers of that day. In that day where the people raged for peace; yet, the government commanded the soldiers to go-who was to support the soldiers who came back after they had been apart of this horrific thing called war?
It also makes me appreciate more what our soldiers now and in the past have done for us. So I want to thank any and all military personnel that sacrifice so many things for our freedom. Thank you.
Lastly, here are some NOT gory pictures of the museum:
