How enemies became friends in this unique lesson of Vietnam

"When the blood of any war soaks your clothes and covers your hands, and soldiers die in your arms, every breath forever more becomes an appeal for a greater peace, unity and reconciliation.

It was Vietnam. I was their commander and accountable for them. We charged the enemy with bayonets fixed to our rifles in face-to-face combat. I still hear the ugly sounds of war.
…

.. I still see the boots of my dead sticking out from under their ponchos, laces tied one last time by their precious fingers. … I still carry the wounded to the helicopters as they bled, screamed and begged to live one more day … and I still hold those who die in my arms, with their questioning eyes dreading death, as they called for their mothers … their eyes go blank and my war-crusted fingers close their eyelids. The blood of my dead soldiers will not wash from my hands. The stains remain.

On Nov. 16, 1965, we won the LZ-Xray battle in the Ia Drang Valley of Vietnam. But 79 of my dear troopers died for those of us who lived. During the battle, we took prisoners of war. We gave them water and aspirins to help relieve their pain. Their anxious faces soon gave way to expressions of relief that they were treated with dignity.

My unending thirst for peace and unity drove me to return to the "Valley of Death" in 1993. Some of my men accompanied me to meet with the man, along with a few of his soldiers, who had once endeavored to kill us all. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Huu An and I came face-to-face. Instead of charging one another with bayonets, we mutually offered open arms. I invited all to form a circle with arms extended around each other's shoulders and bowed our heads. With prayer and tears, we shared our painful memories. Although we did not understand each other's language, we quickly saw that the soul requires no interpreter.

Gen. An and I then walked toward each other and shook hands. He kissed me on both cheeks! A communion of friendship was established that far outweighed past bloody memories. Later, Gen. An and I walked part of the battlefield. Together we surveyed the once blood-soaked terrain. Foxholes dug long ago were adorned with blooming wildflowers. No thunder of war filled the air. Instead, birds sang with a most beautiful "noise." Ever so gently, Gen. An placed his arm in mine. We had made a very long journey from war to peace. This was sealed through the reverent affection of one arm in the other.

Col. Tran Minh Hao, one of An's soldiers, accompanied us during the battlefield visit. As we dined that night in Pleiku, he beautifully expressed the unity we all felt in the circle earlier that day.

"We have come to you this afternoon … feeling the loss of each of you … we come to span a bridge … untroubled by ancient rifts … we look together towards the future … we leave old hates for new friendships … forever in peace and harmony."

Spontaneous gestures of respect and friendship followed Hao's poem. I took off my wristwatch and offered it as a gift to Gen. An. Gladly, he accepted the gift. Then, he picked up his much-prized three-star helmet and offered it to me. Stunned, I accepted his most personal gift. Our eyes locked, as the door to our hearts had been fully opened to each other.

Lt. Gen. An died on April 9, 1995. I later visited his family in Hanoi to pay my respects. The wristwatch I had given him was displayed in a viewing case as a part of the family shrine in Gen. An's home.

Resting in my den, our dueling helmets duel no more! To the casual observer, they might just be old war souvenirs. But to me they are examples of a greater peace and unity between once warring nations.

From face-to-face combat to arm-in-arm friendship — unity was restored by our efforts to come together. I implore our great leaders on "the many days after" Memorial Day to advance this most worthy of causes for peace and unity. People and nations rise above their differences only through effort, through trust.

Without trust, unity is beyond reach and restoration. With trust, unity is within reach and preservation. We must reach out to others in order to preserve the freedom we hold dear. We are each called to bear witness to the ideals of liberty. When we treat others with the respect and friendship that true liberty engenders, they will be brought into that same liberty.

When the heartbeat of one soldier stops forever, the heartbeat of our nation should accelerate, driving us to ensure that this life was not sacrificed in vain. That racing pulse should rouse us to seek, at all costs, better ways to understand, forgive and deal with our differences. Reconciliation should always be our objective.

We owe our dead and their survivors no less! We owe our children much more! We owe our children's children even more! Let us pay our debts.

God bless America."


(Photo - 1993 meeting: Vietnamese Lt. Gen. Nguyen Huu An, with the author at the Ia Drang Valley in Vietnam / File photo courtesy of Hal Moore)



Hal Moore served in the Vietnam War from 1965-67. He is co-author of the book We Were Soldiers Once … And Young as well as the book We Are Soldiers Still, which will be published in August. He is also founder of the National Endowment for The Public Trust.

http://www.historynet.com/ia-drang-where-battlefield-losses-convinced-ho-giap-and-mcnamara-the-u-s-could-never-win.htm

I know this is dated and old, but it certainly provides food for fought, how former enemies can find solace with each other. I dont have the original link from USA Today, but have provided a link to the actual battle. This of course wis what was later made into the film, "We Were Soldiers"

Can never agree with that, when you see the body of a mate with his hands nailed to a tree and skinned ALIVE I still want to KILL the bastards !

nicko wrote:Can never agree with that,  when you see the body of a mate with his hands nailed to a tree and skinned ALIVE   I still want to KILL the bastards !

Imagine if many felt the same as you based on attrocities carried out by the yanks mate?

Not all were bad and simple soldiers, just like you, which you fail to see mate.

Condemn those who did wrong, not cast all with the same poor brush. That is what Quill constantly does wrong all the time, when he lies and makes false claims on you. I would have thought, you would understand how that is wrong mate

Right, really have to go. So have a great day mate

I only want to kill the bastards who did it !

nicko wrote:I only want to kill the bastards who did it !

I certainly understand your passionate feelings about the subject. There were some ugly things done over there...on both sides.

But if you can step back a bit from the anger and passion, ask yourself: what were we doing there? The fault lies with the antiseptic politicians who harbored these evil thoughts, that motivated such ugly acts. You see, also, that the problem lies with admirals and general with too much time and money on their hands.

Yes the world is screwed up, but it's deeper than you realize.

Nicko doesn't have to be friends with anyone. As long as his feelings don't interfere with his life, he can hate them if he wants.

Didge wrote:


(Photo - 1993 meeting: Vietnamese Lt. Gen. Nguyen Huu An, with the author at the Ia Drang Valley in Vietnam / File photo courtesy of Hal Moore)

Yes there have been many similar meetings of erstwhile enemies, down the years. 
German & Brit commanders/aviators meeting up amicably just like these two.

See, fighters realise that they have a lot more in common than they have differences. 
Both sides have loved ones anxiously waiting back home, hoping for their safe return.
These enemies are in the same profession- they understand each other's anxieties better than their own families do. 
They understand the PTSD of war.
They shared the same arena too, got plenty to reminisce about.

Very touching that at christmas WW2 troops downed their weapons & played football with the enemy instead.

Jules wrote:Very touching that at christmas WW2 troops downed their weapons & played football with the enemy instead.

Pretty sure that was in WWI not 2, and in 1914, before the war had gone on too long (no one would be up for that with a death toll in the millions and dysentry endemic...).

But yes, agreed, an awesome, heartwarming moment in history for sure

It was ww1.

It must be sad to live a tragic exsistance ruled by hatred every waking minute. Just let go.
People sign up for the army to fight and kill. And be killed.
Doesn't really matter whether it's a bullet , ied, or a grenade.
Shit and casualties happen in combat.

War is a good advert for peace and friendship.

Are you "knocking" at me ?

Neither meant to dig at you nor insult you Nicko. I am saying that ALL war is horrible, there is no easy and humane way of killing each other.
You signed up knowing it was going to be ghastly, and you would feel angry and revengeful of your enemies because of what happened,

Thank you Andy !

Essentially I am a pacifist. Negotiate until the end before even contemplating conflict. That always ends in tears for both sides.  It has done from the time man hit another man with a club or dinosaur bone.

Andy, I am fully in agreement with your point of view, But the meek will never inherit the earth, the strongest will always win !