Although I was born in an air raid shelter and lost family members during the war, most of my memories of the war come from history books rather than personal experience.
Still, I remember the women in my village who never saw their husbands or sons return, children born with deformities, and friends killed or maimed by leftover landmines. But these are only the visible parts of the legacy. Beneath the surface lies a deeper kind of pain: silent, hidden and enduring.
The American War ended 50 years ago, but for many, it has never truly left their minds. We often think of war’s aftermath in terms of physical devastation: injured soldiers, destroyed villages, scorched forests. Yet the most enduring scars may be psychological, unseen and often ignored.
Our research, the Vietnam Health and Aging Study (VHAS), shows that many older adults who lived through the war still suffer from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as nightmares, flashbacks and avoidance, especially among those who experienced the most intense periods of conflict.
These symptoms often coexist with or worsen other conditions like depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue and insomnia. In Vietnamese culture, these signs are frequently overlooked or mistaken for normal aging or physical illness, even when they stem from potential trauma.
Forgotten victims
War always leaves wounds, but not all are visible, and not all victims are acknowledged. For decades, the psychological consequences of war have been viewed mostly through the lens of veterans, especially in Western contexts. But in the places where the wars actually occurred, the suffering of civilians has long remained in the shadows.
In Vietnam, an entire generation that endured bombings, displacement, and profound loss of loved ones and homes has received little recognition for their suffering. They were children forced to leave school, mothers raising families amid chaos, and elders who lost everything in an airstrike.
Now, as they enter the final chapter of their lives, they carry not only chronic illnesses but also emotional wounds that never fully healed.
Unlike most international studies that focus on veterans, the VHAS tells a different story. In many cases, civilians may have suffered even more than soldiers. With weaker health, no military training and lacking support networks, they were more exposed to long-term psychological impacts.
Therefore, their trauma ran deeper and their recovery has been slower. Yet despite being living witnesses to history, their pain remains largely overlooked.
When trauma never left
Those who came of age during the war were ready to sacrifice their lives for the country’s independence.
For many, love for family and strong ties to their communities were what kept them going. Amid relentless air raids and chaos, the instinct to survive, and the will to live, burned stronger than ever.
Both soldiers and civilians endured by choosing to forget the daily hardships they faced just to keep going. They clung to the fragile joy of simply being alive. But the pain they had pushed down never truly disappeared; it simmered beneath the surface, waiting to erupt.
In Quang Binh province, many elderly people broke down in tears as they recalled their wartime experiences. One man, the father of two children with disabilities linked to Agent Orange, struggled to speak as he recounted a haunting memory: the lifeless bodies of a young couple found in each other’s arms inside a collapsed bomb shelter where they had just reunited after years apart.
An aging veteran wept as he remembered the moment his comrade was decapitated by shrapnel right in front of him; 50 years on, the soldier’s remains are still missing. A woman, the sole survivor of her family, watched as the charred bodies of ten loved ones were pulled from the rubble of their bombed-out home.
No matter how much they try to forget, the scars remain. These memories resurface in sleepless nights, during moments meant for celebration and at reunions that should be filled with joy.
Forgiveness as prescription for healing
While war trauma is often unavoidable, its long-term effects can be eased with the right support. Our research shows that many older adults who lived through the war have demonstrated remarkable resilience. They’ve adapted, expressed gratitude for what remains, and focused on the future.
Social support, from family, friends or the broader community, is the foundation of healing. Those with strong family ties, intergenerational bonds, and a sense of belonging tend to cope better. Early detection of PTSD, combined with integrated physical and mental healthcare, offers the most effective path to recovery.
Fifty years on, many survivors have chosen to let go of the past, not to forget, but to forgive, even those once seen as enemies. Empathy doesn’t erase history; it acknowledges that war leaves scars on everyone, soldiers as well as civilians, from both sides.
When we accept that no one truly “wins” a war, we stop seeing one another as enemies and begin to recognize each other as fellow survivors. While we can’t change the past, we can choose how to move forward.
Healing begins with understanding and sharing each other’s pain, not only as individuals but as a nation.
Looking back to move forward
Half a century has passed, and the war’s survivors are now elderly. Yet their memories, and the emotional scars they carry, remain vivid.
If we fail to listen, acknowledge, and empathize with their pain today, we risk losing an irreplaceable part of our history, not just facts and dates, but the deeply human experiences of a tragic and turbulent time.
The 50th anniversary of the war’s end is not only a time to remember but also a chance to reflect, to learn and to grow in compassion. True closure can only happen when the invisible wounds of those who lived through the war are recognized and healed.
Only then can we truly move forward in peace and ensure that such painful chapters in history are never repeated.
Tran Khanh Toan is senior lecturer and researcher at Hanoi Medical University.
