Not every G.I. in Vietnam
ate C-rations or was lucky enough to have a mess hall. Some of us were
given extra pay, and told to go live "on the economy"! Life
on the local economy in Vietnam was an experience quite different than
what we were used to back home in the United States. "Shopping" in the
market square was a daily duty as there was no electricity or refrigeration
to keep meat, or fish, fresh (or to keep the beer cold)! Always comparing
to our lifestyle in the U.S., it was easy to have compassion for
the Vietnamese people and their primitive lifestyle.
"We
never knew who the enemy really was."
Beggar in the Market
Humanity and Geography
of a Nation at War
|