Historical Interview Paper
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Historical Interview Paper
Where and When Were You Born?
I was born on January 19th in the year 1937 in Texas, which is today one of the United States’ states with the highest enlistment rate (Governing, 2020). I was born around the time of President Franklin Roosevelt’s inauguration to take office for the second term. It was also a time when the American economy was attempting to recover from the devastating effects of the Great Depression that engendered vast unemployment and extensively disintegrated the country’s economy. I was the third child as I had two older brothers, both of whom were schooling and helping out on our farm during their days off school. I was born to moderately successful parents and, we lived on land approximately 60 acres in size. I am now 83 years old, and I consider myself as having lived a full and very vibrant life despite not having the luxury of the much technological advancement I see today.
I am fortunate to have been born at that time because I experienced many events that shaped many of the world’s nations, and I understand the reasons for the types of relationships and interactions that exist between many of the world’s countries. I understand why different countries are at economic war and why countries like North Korea insist on making nuclear weaponry despite the persistent international condemnation against such practices. Due to lacking an in-depth understanding of history, many world leaders continue to point fingers at each other but really not knowing why there exists so much tension between their countries. Further, there are many ally countries in the world whose relations go back during the time around when I was born, and which many people today cannot fathom.
What Was Your Childhood Like?
My childhood was fascinating because I had a very vibrant family. My parents were farmers who specialized in planting food crops and rearing livestock. They also had five horses that were the most exciting aspect of my childhood. My brothers and I would usually engage our dad on virtually everything we could think of, and he always found a compelling and pragmatic way to address our childhood curiosities. He was a very hands-on person and loved hanging out with us, and thus, his practical approach of dealing with things helped us learn a lot. My dad also ensured that his relationship with our mum was very vibrant, and they would play on the farm and also invite to play. We hardly slept as we talked about much as a family, which continually strengthened our bond and friendship. We were hardworking children as our parents taught us the importance of having a strong work ethic, which helped us value that they gave their best to take care of us. As a result, we were very proactive and self-driven, which enabled us to perform well at school.
My parents were also very interested in politics, and it was only later that I came to learn that my dad had served in the military for a couple of years. However, he dropped out after several years after suffering an injury. Nonetheless, he would regale us with stories about the many interesting engagements he did in the military. I remember I was particularly interested in his experiences at the military, not realizing at the time that the fascination I gained from his accounts would later inspire me to enlist into military service. Despite the widespread poverty and unemployment in the country, my childhood was interesting and fulfilling.
Describe Your Teenage Years
My teenage years were equally vibrant because I had gotten much closer to my dad. He was a strong pillar in my life, and I learned almost everything in knew in my teenage years from him. The few years my dad had served in the military as a marine endowed him with much knowledge of service in the military, especially because he had an affable character that helped him establish close relations quickly. During his short stint at the military, he formed friendships with commanders and learned much about military operations. He told me he had always desired to join the Marine and felt much content on the day he was enlisted for service in the Marine. I had already developed a childhood interest to join the military, mainly motivated by my father’s patriotism, his persistent talking about the military, his love for our country’s history, and my enthrallment with his military service. I spent much of my teenage years studying the military and focusing on the nature of military operations. I worked hard in school because I knew I had to do well in high school and college to get enlisted. I also did four years in college and passed excellently, after which I registered with the Selective Service for one year of active service as was required in the new Selective Service Act of 1948 for men aged between 19 and 26 (PBS, 2014). After serving in this area, I eventually joined the Marine Corps.
Did You Serve In The Military And In What Branch And During What Time Period? What Was The Experience Like?
I served in the military, having enrolled in 1961 as a Marine at 24 years of age. As a marine, I understood that my role required me to act as the first on-ground force during conflicts to protect the interest of the United States (Department Of Defense, 2020). At the time, the law required that all Marines undergo a 13-week basic training program known as the Boot Camp and an 8-week Infantry Training Regiment (ITR). The training aimed at building new Marines into effective infantrymen who could engage a battle, survive, and take control in a combat situation. To date, I believe that combat infantry is at the core of Marine service due to the vital need to seize and control the required terrain by closing on and defeating rival fighters. During this training period, I learned how to navigate versatile frenzied and uncertain conditions of conflict and crisis using a variety of strategies and weapons. The most memorable experience was participating in the Vietnam War. I went to Vietnam on the same day that the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade landed there on the eighth day of March in 1965 and went to the Da Nang airbase in China along with a contingent of over 3,000 Marines to protect our country’s bombers.
I also remember watching the number of Marines increase exponentially in response to the Gulf of Tonkin incident in which an attack was launched against two American naval destroyers that were located off Vietnam’s Coast (Ohio History Central, 2020). The incident marked the full involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War as Marines began adopting strategies to end the insurgency. By 1966, we were approximately 70,000 in number, and we undertook extensive ground-based procedures against South Vietnam’s Viet Cong. We conducted searches in large units and destroyed the operations of the insurgents. The experience left me with a better understanding of the nature of country relations and how countries use their military strength to enforce their agenda and exterminate their enemies. I understood why countries strive to develop and retain nuclear power despite the persistent rallying call for countries to abandon all development of nuclear weaponry. Despite the many lessons I learned, the experience also scarred me because I saw people die in droves, and these memories gave me moderate PTSD, which I thankfully sought assistance in managing and recovered fully.
What Were The Major Historical Events Of Your Lifetime? Which Ones Affected You the Most and Why?
Although I did not personally experience this major historical event, I was born around the same time when President Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated for his second term. The Second World War that started in 1939 and ended in 1945 was another major historical event in my lifetime, which began following Hitler’s decision to invade Poland (HistoryExtra, 2019). The United States’ 1945 Atomic bombing of the towns of Nagasaki and Hiroshima was another event occasioned by President Truman’s decision to attack the two Japanese cities with atomic bombs in response to the attack by Japanese troops on the American naval base known as Pearl Harbor. The Cold War that began in 1947 is another major event that happened in my lifetime. The war was an economic, philosophical, and geopolitical struggle between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) (U.S. History, 2019). Another event I recall was the 1968 killing of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther, Jr, an incident that helped me understand the adverse outcomes that could emanate from a country’s unchecked political division. I could not forget the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States perpetrated by Islamist terrorists in which approximately 3,000 people lost their lives.
However, although some of these events affected me in different ways, none affected me as strongly as the Vietnam War. The war began in 1955 in Vietnam, pitting North Vietnam’s communist government and its associates against the South Vietnamese government and its main associate, the United States. The United States joined the war because it was against communism spreading. Although I had received training as a Marine and experienced harsh conditions, I was shocked by what transpired in Vietnam. I remember witnessing so many people from both sides die on the battlefield. I lost so many people I knew personally, and watching some of them die are memories I cannot entirely obliterate from my mind. I had never experienced such a level of death before and much violence in the name of supporting allies and averting the spread of an ideology. According to my estimates, I believe that over 50,000 Americans and several hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese soldiers died. To this day, I still believe that America should not have participated in that war because I still cannot pinpoint the exact objective or mission of the country in the war. I also remember the devastating effects of the strong and lethal herbicide known as Agent Orange. The United States’ military used the agent to clear the forests that covered the Vietnamese troops (History.com Editors, 2019). Many soldiers were affected by this chemical as they developed severe skin problems and respiratory pains.
After the war was over, I revisited Vietnam, and almost developed severe depression after realizing the profound adverse effects Agent Orange had not only on the American servicemen but also on the Vietnamese people. I saw people who suffered from various forms of cancer, grave neurological and psychological complications, rashes, and severe congenital disabilities. It saddened me to see so many of the Vietnamese posterity suffer the devastating after-effects of the chemical. These shocking outcomes made me loathe the idea of our country going to war unless the war is directly and clearly in the country’s national interests. Even then, I would desire that all manner of strategies be first explored to resolve all issues that may engender conflict before launching into a full-scale war. All political leaders must avoid wandering into unimportant conflict and must attempt to resolve issues amicably before deciding to wage war against other countries.
Name A Historical Leader That You Admired Or That Changed Your View Of The World. Why?
The leader that I admire the most is South Africa’s Nelson Mandela. It still beats me to this day how a person could choose to suffer for so long just to secure freedom for his fellow countrymen. He was so dedicated to ending the racially segregating Apartheid system in fighting for the people it disadvantaged. It separated all races and mainly focused on denying non-white people any opportunities for advancement and also denied them their fundamental human rights. As such, the victims of the system, mainly Black South Africans, were denied any rights to move freely, acquire education, and even self-determination. Although any leader may fight to ensure that their people are treated fairly, not many would undergo the same struggles as willingly and as wholeheartedly as Mandela did. His stubbornness in negotiating the equality and liberation of his countrymen led to his detainment and imprisonment for 27 years. Even in incarceration, he continued protesting against the ill-treatment of his fellow prisoners, which would often see him punished through solitary isolation (Wooldridge, 2013). He even advocated for the prisoners to learn Afrikaans with the aim of understanding the culture and communication of the prison commanders to anticipate them and know how to accommodate them. This kind of thinking and outlook in life helped me understand the true nature of a leader. To date, I still use Mandela’s example to challenge myself to become a better human being by advocating for the rights of people without power and influence regardless of the potential consequences. I believe every leader should have such an attitude and level of patriotism towards his country and people.
Did You Live During Segregation? What Did You Think About It?
Yes I lived during segregation, which entailed separating essential services such as education and housing between whites and people of color. The wide belief that informed this movement was that white and black people could not coexist because of the erroneous perception that black people were defiled, dirty, and primitive. Segregation also barred people of color from sharing the same buses, washrooms, and eateries with white people. People of color could also not get enlisted in the army even as recently as the 1950s. Personally, I detest segregation because I believe that every human being is equal and that none should take away another’s right and especially because of assumed superiority. Having witnessed its impacts, I believe that it was a major reason for the sustained social problems and dire poverty among people of color, which has often engendered violence, crime, prostitution, and drug abuse among other suchlike vices in such segregated areas and populations. Further, segregation is a major problem for the slow development and prosperity of segregated populations and areas, which is also associated with slow increase in the value of property in these areas. I believe that great economic and social advancement can be realized without segregation, which sadly continues up to this day.
Did you marry and have a family? Describe your family life
I met and married my wife in 1975 after I left Vietnam. I met her during a church service in which the pastor had asked people who had taken part in the war to stand up and wave to the crowd. Soon after church ended, I walked up to her and we began chatting about my experiences in the war and our childhood experiences. We went on several dates after which I introduced her to my parents and married her shortly after. We were blessed with 4 children, two boys and two girls, and I strived to nurture them in the same way our parents had nurtured us in our childhood. I shared my experiences with them and we actively brought them up and taught them to have good values and especially having a strong and disciplined work ethic. My wife is the pillar of my life and she helped me overcome the negative experiences I had during the Vietnam War that kept haunting me. She was very supportive and helped me when the memories overwhelmed me and pushed me to the verge of a mental breakdown. My children also played a big role in cheering me up and applauded me constantly for my patriotism and for bringing them up well. Without this solid support from my family, I strongly believe that I would not have healed as much as I have. Two of our children are successful business people and one is in the military while the other is a certified information technologist working for a highly reputable and world-renowned technology firm. I live at home with my wife and we are well-to-do as we acquired substantial property over the years.
What was your profession? What was your work life like?
After leaving Vietnam, I left active service almost immediately and ventured into business. I started developing my father’s farm and became a highly successful livestock farmer and launched my milk and yoghurt line. I also launched into cheese production and my business scaled up over the years. After meeting and settling down with my wife, we continued developing our businesses and currently own several successful high-end restaurants in Texas and still manage our father’s farm as my parents passed on. My work life has been one of discipline and vision, which has helped me build big businesses out of the small venture I began in my father’s farm.
Are you religious? How has this affected your life?
I have always been a religious person because my mother influenced me to understand and uphold the doctrines of Christianity. I value human life and seek to coexist peacefully with all people. I have a special regard for the poor, orphans and widows, and I lend out to several charities in my area. I have always lived by the code of loving my neighbor as I love myself, and this has helped me appreciate humanity and develop strong connections and lasting friendships.
What Is Your Political Affiliation? How Has This Affected Your Life?
I am a Republican because I love the party’s values and how they have always united different people and ideologies. The party has always been principled despite its diversity, and I relate its values to the values my father raised me up on. Such principles include patriotism, stability, honesty and structure. I have always respected the established institutions of my country and I would rather they are improved and not disparaged or assaulted. I also espouse the fundamental American tradition of personal freedom because it is the basis of every other individual right. Being a Republican has affected me positively because it has opened my eyes to the importance of the values I learned from my father and hence helped me love my country and its people.
What Do You Think About Modern America?
I appreciate the vast advancements I see in modern America and acknowledge the important role these developments are playing in empowering our citizens economically and socially. I love the extensive incorporation of technology in virtually all aspects of life in the United States. However, it still saddens me to see the police harass people of color and despite the need to curb crime and control immigration, I strongly believe that the immigration and justice system can adopt better approaches to dealing with these issues. I am convinced that every citizen must be given equal opportunities despite their political inclination, social class, religious affiliation, ethnic background, or economic status. From what I know, any kind of discrimination creates resentment that engenders other undesirable elements due to a lack of opportunities for advancement, leading to issue such as drug abuse, violent crime, prostitutions, political assassinations, and other kinds of unnecessary violence. With high levels of discrimination, I doubt whether any American citizen would genuinely fight for or even die for their country. However, I believe that if our political leaders created and promoted systems of fairness and equality in our varied political, economic, and social systems, our people will help develop our nation and create a solidarity that will promote our national interests favorably.
References
Department Of Defense. (2020). Marine Corps. https://www.todaysmilitary.com/ways-to-serve/service-branches/marine-corps
Governing. (2020). Military active-duty personnel, civilians by state. https://www.governing.com/gov-data/public-workforce-salaries/military-civilian-active-duty-employee-workforce-numbers-by-state.html
History.com Editors. (2019). Agent Orange. https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/agent-orange-1
HistoryExtra. (2019). The Second World War: a timeline. https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/timeline-important-dates-ww2-exact/
Ohio History Central. (2020). Gulf of Tonkin incident. http://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Gulf_of_Tonkin_Incident
PBS. (2014). Timeline of conscription (mandatory military enlistment) in the U.S. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/app/uploads/2014/03/Timeline-of-of-conscription.pdf
U.S. History. (2019). 52a. The Cold War erupts. https://www.ushistory.org/us/52a.asp
Wooldridge, M. (2013). Mandela death: How he survived 27 years in prison. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-23618727