Twenty Four

Everyone found this acceptable and applauded. It was better to see peace again.

         It was really true. It was really a relieve to too many persons.  He spoke the minds of many persons who heard him. The guns had gone silent, and fortunate soldiers had gone home. Forests had been densed down to the ground and the rotten woods at the deep and heart of swamps had fallen and matched on. In the end, many country parts was reduced and practically made into desert. These men fought with extraordinary desperation. 

The whole country part was completely ravaged and not a single building was habitable without major repairs. And all the long in the heat of the sun, in the shadow of the trees, in the early night darkness, in the memory that never passed, these mourners stood at attention in their position like reprimanded soldiers and uttered no real sound. For these periods, years, times and seasons all had its own sadness, parting and coming together. Only crying. God! Close neighbors had been divided and for years resentment fosters among them.  There was every reason to believe that these men with blood soaked hands will remain sad and frustrated till the day they take their last breath for by their acts; they did not just shred documents, they destroyed the future of every man, woman and child in that part of Africa. The wound etched in these hearts for years went on festering.

The victor and vanquished paid a terrible prize even years after the war. But much had been lost—many fathers, husbands, and sons had left behind millions of grieving parents, wives, and orphans. This was the death-dealing crop of just one battle! Experiment and quest for power and supremacy. No one was ever ready for a bygone days and news. Everyone was really ready waiting for the better days promised because in war were details were hidden, it was difficult to know the truth.  At least it was safe to be that way than for the war to continue raging on and on. From the bush and many hidings, these soldiers came out and from paths and mountains to breath the fresh air of liberty again, they climbed up and down slowly , nights and days and from time to time feeling the earth on a perfect noiseless state again. It was good to feel the earth on their feet again with nothing to make them fear or tremble. On and on they trod and matched on the face of many fallen bodies and rotten flesh and bones. They approached many strategic places where many souls were lost in their numbers, places where the fighting was more cruel some and hazardous, yet they kept going. As they enroot home, they saw the impact of the damage that the war brought, the bombing raid that were always aired and the mighty building – all down to the ground.

At least it was better to go back home for a fresh restoration process and allow time to heal the wounds caused by the war.  The years afterward were declared to be a period of rehabilitation, reconstruction, and reconciliation. Many who were later discharged from the military after the war went through psychiatric tests and were later in and out of mental institutions. Many women who were engaged to be married, but whose fiancés were killed before the wedding took place. No state gives them any consideration, such as the pensions that widows receive. But they, in many cases, have to live their entire lives without the husband they would have had. The war also consigned many survivors to a wheel chair for the rest of their lives. Everyone who lived by this time of war was deeply traumatized each in his own way. Soldiers who were ones enemies shook hands and wished they had never fought and wished each other a good start of life and in their sentiment a deep apology for the many wrongs which could go right with time. There was tears flowing by the side of the eyes as that embraced and said goodbye. They looked more like men now – real men who knew it all – why the fight. The wounds that would take time to heal. The hot war was ending, but the Cold War had just begun. It was obvious. The war was a time worn litany of incident that almost every forthcoming generation would read from history and then recite. Yet to other, the worst agonies of the war were now beginning.

War!

Even when many guns had gone silent, there were still serious reports on violation of ceasefire.

This was the state of this country down to the early days of 1967, when there befell the first of that series of events which were to break so many hearts and losses so many lives. Like a mist, it appears and in time disappears.

         War!

We will never know how it feels to be born in a land not torn by war. The time for the healing of the wounds finally came and everyone took part heartily.

War! Better heard than experienced.