Although I was born in an air raid house during the battle and lost family members, the majority of my wartime thoughts are those of historical events rather than personal experiences.
I can still recall the women in my community who never saw their husbands or sons profit, who had children with disabilities, and friends who had been killed or killed by left landmines. These are only the visible components of the tradition, though. A deeper type of pain is hidden, persistent, and passive beneath the surface.
The American War ended 50 years ago, but some people still don’t understand why. We frequently consider the actual destruction caused by war: killed soldiers, destroyed towns, scorched forests, etc. The most persistent injuries may be mental, unobserved, and frequently ignored.
Our study, titled” Vaidaise Health and Aging Study,” demonstrates that many older people who survived the war still exhibit post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ), including those who went through the conflict’s most bloody battles, flashbacks, and avoidance.
These conditions frequently coexist with or worsen other problems, such as depression, stress, chronic fatigue, and depression. These signs are often overlooked or misinterpreted as regular aging or bodily illness in Vietnamese culture, even when they are the result of potential trauma.
survivors of forgotten generations
War frequently leaves scars, but not all of them are obvious and patients are never acknowledged. The psychological effects of war have been viewed for decades mainly through the eyes of soldiers, especially in Western contexts. However, the anguish of citizens has long remained in the dark in the areas where the wars actually took place.
A generation in Vietnam who endured attacks, movement, and serious loss of loved ones and homes has little knowledge of their suffering. They were mothers who lost everything in an attack, parents raising people amid conflict, and kids forced to leave college.
They now carry both serious illnesses and emotional wounds that have never entirely recovered as they enter the final section of their life.
The VHAS tells a different history than most foreign reports that concentrate on soldiers. In many cases, residents may have suffered more than men. They were more vulnerable to long-term emotional effects because of their poor health, lack of military training, and lack of support network.
Hence, both their treatment and trauma took longer. Despite being living testimony to history, their suffering continues to be generally overlooked.
when pain always fades
Those who entered the war were prepared to give their life in order to achieve the country’s independence.
Some people relied on their societies and home values to maintain their lives. The desire to succeed and the will to survive were stronger than ever in the midst of continuous air raids and chaos.
Both soldiers and civilians chose to ignore the daily struggles they encountered only to keep moving, as both did. They clung to the delicate pleasure of being merely dead. However, the problems they had shoved down did not actually go away; instead, it sat there waiting to erupt beneath the surface.
Many older people in Quang Binh state burst out in grief as they recalled their war experiences. One man, the father of two children with disabilities connected to Agent Orange, struggled to talk as he described a eerie memory: the dead body of a younger pair who had just come back together after years of separation.
An aging former wept as he recalled the moment his fellow soldier was killed by debris in front of him. 50 decades later, the soldier’s bones are also missing. The burnt bodies of ten loved people were pulled from the wreckage of their bombed-out house by a woman, the only victim of her home.
The marks are still there no matter how hard they try to forget. These thoughts come back in sleepless nights, during celebrations and joyful meetings.
Forgiveness as a treatment for wound treatment
Although war trauma is frequently avoidable, the appropriate support can help with its long-term effects. Our research reveals that most older people who survived the battle had amazing resilience. They have adapted, apologised for what is still present, and kept their sights on the prospect.
The pillar of treatment is social assistance, whether it is from family, friends, or the wider community. People who have strong family ties, familial connections, and a sense of belonging are more likely to manage. The most successful path to recovery is early diagnosis of PTSD, combined with integrated physical and mental heath.
Many individuals have chosen to let go of the history, not to forget, but to forgive, even those who were previously seen as opponents fifty years later. Empathy doesn’t remove story; it acknowledges that war leaves behind scars on both sides, both soldiers and civilians.
When we accept that no one really “wins” a conflict, we stop treating one another as adversaries and start to see each other as other individuals. We have the power to choose how to move ahead, but we didn’t change the past.
Knowledge and sharing one another’s suffering, both as individuals and as a country, is the first step in healing.
Looking back to make a move forwards
Half a decade has passed, and the battle’s surviving members are now aging. However, both their pasts and the emotional wounds they left behind are still stunning.
If we don’t pay attention to their suffering today, acknowledge it, and feel compassion for it, we run the risk of losing an unique portion of our history, not just facts and dates, but also profoundly personal experiences from a horrible and tumultuous time.
The end of the war marks the 50th anniversary of which there is a time to reflect, learn, and develop kindness. Real healing only occurs when the invisible wounds of those who endured the war are acknowledged and treated.
Only then can we move forward in harmony and make sure that no more agonizing events ever occur.
At Hanoi Medical University, top professor and researcher Tran Khanh Toan.