PANO - Marci Reaven is a historian and the Vice President for History Exhibitions at the New-York Historical Society (the US). The museum, where Marci Reaven has been working to organize events relating to the heart-rending historical subjects or other historical themes.

Founded in 1804, the New-York Historical Society is the oldest museum in New York city with the mission to explore the richly layered political, cultural and social history of the City, the State and the nation, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of the history.

At present, Marci Reaven has been in charge of organizing an exhibition on the Vietnam War from July 2016 to April 2017 at the museum. She shared that the Vietnam War is a “sensitive” topic that should be put forwards in an open discussion. Historians like her colleagues and she herself should take responsibility for this work.

Marci Reaven (forth from right) meeting with cadres of the National Museum of Vietnamese History. Photo: baotanglichsu.vn

This was the reason why Marci Reaven and her colleague Gerhard Schlanzky came to Vietnam in April 2015 to find and collect war-related items for their coming exhibition.

It was not easy for Marci Reaven as this is the first trip to a country, which had gone through many wars like Vietnam. Having no connections, before leaving, she had to ask for help from Prof. Robert Brigham from the Vassar College (the US), who is one of the co-authors a book “Argument Without End: In Search of Answers to the Vietnam Tragedy” besides former US Secretary of Defence McNamara.

Robert Brigham then introduced them to former Vietnamese Ambassador to Panama and Costa Rica, Hoang Cong Thuy, who also had been the Secretary General of the Vietnam-US Friendship Association for years.

What could be better for a Vietnamese man with a comprehension of the US to assist an American citizen to study the S-shaped country of Vietnam, especially when the work is related to the war caused by the US in Vietnam.

Obviously, Vietnam is not a new word for Marci Reaven and for many other Americans. The word "Vietnam" was glued up to a war that they wanted to completely forget. Someone said that the Vietnam War is an important piece of legacy with a sad sonority in the US history. Not a clause is needed to prove the above words because for nearly half a century since the end of the war, it has been mentioned in politicians’ and generals’ memoirs, in seminars and also exhibitions.

In Vietnam, the two Americans toured museums in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to find materials for their exhibition. They all expected to find more about the Vietnam War and the relations between Vietnam and US over the past 40 years through exhibits, apart from what they had known already. However, the most important goal for them after the visit to Vietnam is how to help the American visitors to their exhibition learn more about reasons why the US was involved in the war.

Marci Reaven held that their task is to relate what really happened through displayed items, witnesses, photos and the stories recalled by the insiders. The Vietnam War was the distructive one to the both sides, especially to Vietnam. Most of US visitors to the museum are born after the war, so that the exhibition would be a very meaningful and educational event.

The talk between the two American guests, Mr. Hoang Cong Thuy and reporters of the People’s Army Newspaper about the coming exhibition was interrupted by noise in the street. Thuy explained that life in big cities in Vietnam is eventful and in a hurry, and suggested they should familiarize themselves with sound from vehicle horns in the next trip to Vietnam. Marci Reaven might not be familiar with these sounds but Gerhard Schlanzky just smiled because he came to Vietnam to study the Vietnamese ethnic minority groups 13 years ago.

In stead of answering the PAN reporters’ question on his impression upon returning to Vietnam, Gerhard Schlanzky steered the conservation back to the exhibition. He said he had not participated in the Vietnam War and did not really want but the biggest topic concerning him at the moment is the Vietnam War – a longtime contemporary topic.

Gerhard Schlanzky recalled 13 years ago, someone suggested him not to mention Ho Chi Minh or display Vietnam’s national flag. However, everything has changed and now people are willing to welcome it.

He repeated again and again that one of the aims of their exhibition is to bring out the decisions allowing the US military involvement in Vietnam and their consequences in the war, as well as different reaction from the public. Before the exhibition, he wanted to find out how people acknowledge the same topic.

Marci Reaven also admitted that there still exists different views on the Vietnam War in her country but it is not too important anymore as for the majority of young Americans, the war is only the story of the past while the future relationship between the two sides is the present one.

Being asked about her opinion about the Vietnam War as an American citizen, Marci Reaven parried and said in American universities, lecturers have not much time to give lessons so that their students have not enough knowledge on the Vietnam War. They usually learn about the war through the American veterans’ stories, so that the war – an open topic – should be further studied and at the same time is the task of the exhibition.

In fact, no one wants to forget the glorious past and nobody wants to reminisce about the sorrowful past. Whether the US wants to reject “mistakes” or “drama” of the Vietnam War or not, the legacy of the war has become a hallmark in its history. As for Marci Reaven, much is left for her to study about the war.

Marci Reaven continued her talk about her visit to the Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi. Both Gerhard Schlanzky and her were very touched while touring the exhibited items. She joyfully said she had learnt new things during the tour such as the Ho Chi Minh trail.

Before the PAN reporters took leave, Marci Reaven asked them for other places where they could exploit more documents and materials on the Vietnam War. Without hesitation, former Ambassador Thuy suggested them to think about the humanitarian aspect, such as the search of remains of American soldiers who were killed or reported missing in action (MIA), as there remains many “live” documents.

Whether Marci Reaven and Gerhard Schlanzky could find some MIA documents during their two-week trip to Vietnam or not, the PAN reporters started thinking about the humanitarian works that Vietnam has been actively cooperating with the US so far.

Reported by Ngoc Ha - Lam Toan

Translated by Van Hieu

Part II: Journey of healing