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Personal Narrative: My First Vietnam War

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Something strange happens to me whenever I fly into Beirut airport, which I have done several times in the past twenty years. My heart beats faster and I get butterflies in my stomach. I begin to recall Lebanon’s history and the horrific events that took place. Lebanon, a country that has suffered from civil wars as well as invasional wars, continues to overcome and recover from all the past scars left behind. One particular war in which Beirut and several other cities were affected is the 1982 war with Israel, also known as Operation Peace for Galilee. This war has been of interest to me since I was young because my mother would not stop talking about it every now and then. She describes her startled feelings as a young girl experiencing a violent and disastrous war.
Thirty-five years ago, …show more content…

In what year did the war occur and what caused it?
The war as I remember started in 1982 early summer, the exact cause I do not know but the reason from what I heard was to drive the armed palestinians away from Beirut and the Southern part of the country towards the North.
How old were you?
I was 15 years old.
What was it like living in lebanon during the war?
It was unlike what we have experienced during our civil war that started in 1975. During the 1982 invasion, bombs fell from above; from the planes in the sky. There was nowhere to hide. Complete buildings collapsed in seconds. It was extremely scary. I used to dread the sounds of the planes flying above because that indicated that a bomb or or more will be dropped.
Did you encounter any intruders?
No but we would see from our windows and balconies some Lebanese forces accompanied by Israelis defence army (IDA) entering buildings in search for hidden weapons.
Were the IDA only in search for hidden weapons?
Hidden weapons or any members of the Palestinian Liberation Army hiding in buildings.
Did you have to evacuate from your

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