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The Vietnam War, lasting from the late 1950s to 1975, was a conflict primarily between communist North Vietnam, supported by its allies, and South Vietnam, backed by the United States and other anti-communist nations. Rooted in the broader context of the Cold War, the war aimed to prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.
U.S. involvement escalated significantly in the 1960s, marked by a large military presence and controversial tactics like aerial bombing and chemical warfare. The war sparked widespread protests and debate in the U.S. and around the world due to its high civilian casualties and ethical implications.
In 1973, the U.S. withdrew its troops following the Paris Peace Accords, but fighting continued until North Vietnam's victory in 1975, leading to the reunification of Vietnam under communist control. The war had lasting impacts on U.S. foreign policy, military strategy, and public perception of government, as well as profound social and economic effects on Vietnam itself.
Stories from If All the Sky Were Paper
Stories from If All the Sky Were Paper
Richard Luttrell
Richard Luttrell
Before returning to his platoon, he looked for valuables on the dead man’s body and found his wallet. Inside was the tiny photo of the soldier and his daughter. Richard took the photo and carried it in his own wallet for decades. Years later, as many Vietnam vets found some sense of absolution from leaving mementos from the war at the memorial, Richard tried to lay his guilt there as well.
In 2000, after retrieving the photo from the Memorial Collection, Luttrell journeyed back to Vietnam. Assisted by producers of the news show Dateline, who documented the trip, Richard found the girl, by then a 40-year-old woman, and returned the photo to her. He practiced a message in Vietnamese, expressing his sorrow, acknowledging her pain, and asking for forgiveness. In free-flowing tears expressed from the old soldier and the daughter of another one, the forgiveness that eluded him was finally given.
Click here to view Luttrell's return to Vietnam
Stories from the Community
Stories from the Community
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