A New Question
Addressing students brings "Stories of Vietnam" to a whole different vista
In 2022, when I rededicated myself in earnest to writing and talking about Vietnam, I made clear that I was not approaching the efforts with any endgame in mind.
In writing and speaking alike, there is the general rule to have a point. That is, you want to leave the audience feeling something different than when you began your talk.
It makes sense, yet like so much else about the Vietnam Era, this guideline did not work for what I was doing:
How could I possibly have a neatly packaged message to convey about a time that was so painful and messy?
Enter the Younger Generation
A long-time dream of mine has been to speak to students about Vietnam. Not only do I genuinely love spending time in their company, but I am also acutely aware that the war is often only taught through scenes of brutal fighting and cryptic politics. It’s bad enough that most adults who lived through Vietnam want to leave it behind—and often for good reason—but to have the entire chapter of our history be lost to the ages for want of a good story is painful at best and criminal at worst.
“We cannot forget,” said veteran John Granfors to me at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in 2014. Though this is an almost trite saying that could apply to many aspects of history, these three words were especially poignant as his eyes still shone with the pain of looking upon his buddy’s name on the Wall: a friend and soldier who had been just three days from coming home.
We cannot forget, indeed, but in what manner do we proceed?
This was the question that I felt I must answer for the students, or at least clear the way for its eventual answer.
Over the period of 10 presentations in two days (yes, I was quite tired by the end!), this “answer” formulated itself:
The Vietnam War Era is painful for a lot of people. It was brutal what our nation went through, and for this reason, you’ll often sense or feel fear or avoidance when the subject comes up. But I want to encourage you to just stay present with the topic, let yourself be curious about it.
Because, though we can’t change what happened, we can, through conversations and small moments, loosen up some of the pain around it.
I don’t know exactly what it is, but in almost every conversation and interaction I’ve had about Vietnam, there is some small shift, some hint of healing. You can do that too, if you just stay present, if you just don’t turn away.
Before I began speaking to each group, I asked them to write the first thing that they thought of upon hearing the word “Vietnam.” Overwhelmingly, I found later, they wrote the word “war.”
After my talk, I asked some of the students to do the same thing. A few of the answers were:
“I think Vietnam can be a good place.”
“It wasn’t just fighting. There were a lot of other things going on in the background.”
“Culture, Community, Togetherness.”
“Always try to find hope.”
One card began with “Many young boys being sent to war to die” and concluded with: “Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed learning. Keep sharing. It was great.”
I was also encouraged by the response from the 8th-grade social studies teachers:
To see [Fitzpatrick] unpack this time in her life is great storytelling and a cautionary tale of the darkness of war. I highly recommend that everyone interested in history, travel, or just a great story hear her presentation!
Her story, in the words of her beloved father, is a “great adventure.”
-Evan Harley
The presentation was engaging . . .Ms. Fitzpatrick weaves personal letters, photos, and stories to paint a vivid picture of her time in Vietnam. The presentation led to great discussions and questions the following day. Students were interested in learning more independently about life in Vietnam during the war.
-Kristen Burns
To learn more about my presentations, visit Kat-Fitzpatrick.com. In the past few years, I’ve done myriad presentations on my own and with memoirist Karen Kaiser. Each seems to be a chance to bring a little more understanding and healing to this vast story that is Vietnam in American history.
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this essay, please like, comment, share, or subscribe. These free weekly “Stories of Vietnam” offer a historical and personal glimpse into the Vietnam Era as we approach the 50th Anniversary of the End of the Vietnam War.
Hey Kat,
Contrary to your findings, I can't stop thinking about Vietnam. It's a magical land with kind, generous people.
Example: We lived in Da Nang in 2017. My adventurous wife was returning home
from Hoi An one afternoon on her rented motorcycle and sustained a flat tire near the gate to a construction site. The guards invited her over and provided her with a small table and chair while they called a mechanic friend to come and fix the flat. Then they served her some tea until her bike was rideable again. I want to say she wasn't charged and if she was, it was nominal, like 50,000d (two bucks). Acts of kindness are commonplace in Vietnam. I love it there.
James Robinson
USMC 1965-1969