3. Together “reconciling” to towards the future.
The stories above are just typical examples in the journey of "returning" to Vietnam of battlefield diaries. The wartime diary pages of the Vietnamese army had the power to move, inspire and guide the veterans on the other side of the front line. It was a cross-border sensation that, many years after the war, American war researchers affirmed: the greatest discovery made by Americans during the war in Vietnam was the discovery of Vietnamese culture. The diary pages of Vietnamese soldiers have become a great value, affirming the will and self-sacrificing spirit of the Vietnamese people to protect the independence and freedom of the country.
However, in that journey, not every return has a "happy" ending. The story of veteran Weblndell Fritz Schoutz is an example. During the battle on March 17, 1968 at Kon Tum (this was also his last battle in Vietnam), he found a diary and some photos in the backpacks of Vietnamese soldiers. that your unit obtained. This diary does not mention much about the war, but mainly records songs and poems. They are love poems, romantic songs, and even music. It seems that whenever he marched anywhere, this soldier would record a song or poem to mark the places he had visited such as Thanh Hoa, Quang Binh, and even Laos. W. F. Schoutz hopes the Vietnamese soldier is still alive so he can return this diary, or his family. So far, however, that hope has not been realized. That has caused regret and torment for both sides.
However, that did not stop the joint efforts for both sides to continue on this meaningful journey as the message of veteran Peter Mathews: “Today's happenings show that the exchange of returning the diary to the martyr's family (Mr. Cao Van Tuat) partly helped heal the wounds of war. I hope the sadness of the martyr's family will ease and they can feel happy when they receive their loved ones' memorabilia back." The journey of reconciliation between Vietnam and the United States through the "return" of the diary pages is a story worth pondering and opening hope for many people. It is wonderful to see old enemies embrace each other to heal past wounds and form incredible friendships that lead both peoples of Vietnam and the United States towards a better future. All those who have been and are participating in this journey will always be honored for their silent contributions.