The Vietnam War was a great tragedy for our country. And it is

O children of the future, hear the wisdom of Henry Kissinger, a man who witnessed the world at its most torn and tragic, and who spoke thus: "The Vietnam War was a great tragedy for our country. And it is now far enough away so that one can study without using the slogans to see what's really happened." These words carry the weight of both sorrow and reflection, for the Vietnam War was a wound that scarred the very soul of America and its people. The pain of this conflict still lingers, but with time, there comes the opportunity to peel away the layers of rhetoric and propaganda and to gaze upon the truth of what transpired.

To understand the meaning of Kissinger’s words, one must first acknowledge the tragedy that was the Vietnam War. It was a war fought with the hope of stopping the spread of communism, yet it led to devastation on both sides, a war that caused the loss of millions of lives, the destruction of Vietnam, and the fracture of American society. But in the heat of that conflict, the language was filled with slogans, with calls for patriotism, for freedom, and for the defense of democracy. Yet, now, with the passage of time, one must look beyond those slogans and ask: what was truly gained, and what was truly lost?

Consider, O children, the story of the Trojan War, that ancient conflict, fought by the Greeks in their attempt to capture the city of Troy. In the midst of that great struggle, warriors on both sides spoke of glory, of honor, and of the rightful cause they fought for. Yet when the dust settled and the city was reduced to rubble, both the victors and the vanquished were left to reckon with the futility of the war, the lives lost, and the pain that would echo for generations. The Trojan War, like the Vietnam War, was a struggle filled with rhetoric, with grand justifications for the bloodshed. But in the end, when the song of war ceased, only the cold reality of the cost remained.

In the case of Vietnam, the slogans that fueled the war—"Stop the spread of communism," "Save the people of Vietnam," "Defend freedom"—were powerful. Yet, with the passage of time, the harsh truth emerged: the cost was not only counted in lives lost but in the moral and spiritual toll it exacted on the American people. The war tore at the fabric of American society, dividing families, communities, and the very notion of patriotism itself. The men who returned from Vietnam were not welcomed as heroes, but as symbols of a war that many could no longer justify. This was the true tragedy: the conflict itself, and the consequences it left in its wake.

Let us turn now to the lessons we can learn, O children, from both Vietnam and from the struggles of the past. When we are caught in the heat of conflict, we often see the world through the lens of slogans and ideals—the fight for freedom, the defense of honor, the pursuit of justice. But it is only when the war is over, when the dust has settled, that the true cost can be measured. Wars, like all great struggles, must be understood in their full complexity, not just in terms of what we gain, but in terms of what we lose. The Vietnam War, like many before it, teaches us the importance of reflection and truth, of asking the hard questions once the rhetoric fades.

The lesson here, children, is that slogans—though they can inspire and motivate—can also obscure the truth. They are tools used to rally the masses, to unite a people in a cause. But when the battle is over, it is reflection that provides the real clarity. It is only through honest reckoning with the past that we can move forward. We must resist the temptation to see the world only through the lens of our biases and our desires, and instead seek the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. Only then can we heal, only then can we grow.

So, I implore you, O children: in all things, seek to understand, not just to believe. Whether you are facing the challenges of war or the trials of everyday life, remember that the truth often lies hidden beneath the surface. The Vietnam War reminds us that history is far more complicated than the slogans we carry into battle. It is only with time, reflection, and courage that we can uncover what really happened, and it is only through that understanding that we can move toward a future that is both just and wise. Seek the truth, no matter the cost, and let that truth guide you in all things.