Pilon: Vietnam war had `terrible effects' on Americans
By MYRA McGRIFF
Saint Mary's Editor
University of Northern Arizona professor Charles Pilon, who served as a consultant for the Vietnamese Ministry of Education, gave the Vietnam war a human face Wednesday during his lecture, "The Vietnam War: What happened and what is Happening." Relaying stories from his book "Bridging the Gap: Twenty years after the War in Vietnam," Pilon spoke of the effect the war in Vietnam had on the American conscious.
Pilon began a project to chronicle the effects the war had on individuals when he was invited to consult with administration and faculty of the Ministry of Education in Hanoi, Vietnam. Since Pilon had access to areas most Americans were denied, he was able to see a complete picture of what he calls "the terrible effects of war." He visited graveyards, mausoleums and talked to Vietnamese officials, discovering the impact the Vietnam War still has on the people of Vietnam.
"Over one million of Vietnam's soldiers were killed and over one million were [missing in action]," said Pilon.
Pilon also spoke of the effect the war had on him as a teacher in Arizona. Although he did not fight, he stood by those students that grieved over the loss of parents, brothers and classmates. He described the 60s as a horrible period he was sorry he had to go through.
"I would grieve with and cry with them. The 60s were a terrible time to live," said Pilon.
In addition to the effects the death of service men had on the students, Pilon also spoke about the rebellion students displayed against American involvement in the war. As a high school teacher, he saw students burning flags and wearing upside-down American flags sown onto their clothes. He discussed how the veterans of the war were treated differently from soldiers returning from World War II, which he fought in.
"It was not a fun time. American service men were not respected. The Vietnam veteran would not dare wear any military apparel."
He also touched on the more memorable moments of his experience in Hanoi. There, he visited the prison for prisoners of war (POW) were held, nicknamed the "Hanoi Hilton." There, Pilon saw the cell of Senator John McCain, who was held as a POW, and took bricks from his former cell. Pilon also told a story about giving money to a homeless veteran, missing his legs. He said that after he put the money into the veteran's tin can, the veteran saluted him and Pilon saluted him in return. For Pilon, the incident connected him to that veteran.
"In that moment our hearts were looking into each other's heart," said Pilon.
It is this connection and the devastation Pilon saw in the veteran that makes him see war as so horrible and causes him to question what he calls "mans inhumanity to man."
"Men die, women always become widows and children become orphans during war," said Pilon.
After his stay and research at Hanoi, he still has no more insight into the justification of a war that he described repeatedly as "terrible."
"Every president, vice president, and chancellor asks me, `Why did we fight this war?' and all I can say is I don't know."
All News Stories for Thursday, April 12, 2001
