Class With Nazis

Today I went to a class on the Vietnam War. All of the other Americans I’m here with went as well, and the class was packed. It's taught in English, but as usual the majority of students taking the course are Germans.

During the opening discussion, the professor asked if anyone had gone to the Vietnam war memorial and what they felt it symbolised. I raised my hand because I have been there and it was quite an intense experience for me. I described the wall and how I was overwhelmed with emotion thinking about how all of these people died for basically nothing. That it was so depressing to Americans because it was a war with no good results; only suffering.

Then a German raised his hand and asked me what I thought a war with “good results” would be. I said that I didn’t believe in the concept of war at all, and I didn’t think there it was necessary to try and stop communism in Vietnam, but if it actually had been a threat and we had stopped it, that would be “good” results. I could tell I wasn’t getting my point across, so I pointed out the difference between that war and World War II, and how that was seen by the allies as having good results and the people who fought in it were seen as heroes.

The reaction I got sent a chill down my spine as a great uneasiness overtook the room and everyone turned and made comments to each other. I knew I shouldn’t have mentioned World War II in front of a bunch of Germans. The kid who had asked me the question looked perplexed and said, “The people who fought in World War II were heroes?” And all I could say was “Well, that’s what they were seen as.”

The German sitting next to me whom I’d been talking to before class and had been explaining the set-up of the course turned to me and said, “It’s okay, it’s just that Germans perceive World War II a lot differently because we were losers.” I told him I knew and I probably shouldn’t have said that.

After class he came up and talked to me and the other Americans a little more about the subject. He explained how this was a touchy subject because in both of the world wars their country had lost, and now they all believe that their side was clearly in the wrong. For years afterwards nobody talked about it, much like the end result of the Vietnam War for Americans. They didn’t see anyone who fought in the war as “heroes” but merely as brave men who fought and died bravely for their country, whatever side they were on. So that was interesting.

But after that initial reaction from the class I had thought I was going to be burned at the stake. Luckily the professor explained later that I was right, and that in America the soldiers from WWII were celebrated and given parades, while soldiers from the Vietnam War were ignored or spat on. And even if some of the people in the room were angry with me for what I said, I’m sure most of them understood and it made me all the more interesting to them. I noticed a lot of the girls looking at me at arbitrary times, and I even got a few smiles for no reason. Whatever that means.