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It is undoubtedly true that a country overtaken by war or imperialism will act much differently in dealing with its social, political, and economical matters than while at times of peace and self-control. It is rare, however, that these ways of dealing with war, both before and after, are compared between countries. Perhaps this is so because war seems to have the same basic effects on a country. However, in studying both pre and post war stories from two Asian societies, Vietnam and Singapore, one is able to discover that despite the fact that both faced periods of war and imperialism, the outcome of their lifestyles were greatly differentiated. There are clearly differences in the changes of values, morals, and ways of day-to-day living within these countries once they are free from war and foreign influence. There also remains several unique similarities in other aspects of the lives of the people in the stories, that connect these countries in an usual way.

A common idea within both Vietnamese and Singaporean stories is using an elderly person to represent both pre and post war periods within the country. This older person has lived through times of war and is now observing a new, self-government, post-war country. Often times, this elderly person is critical in his view on life and the decisions made by members of his family. In "The Personal History of an Island," a Singaporean tale, the speaker is constantly looking for advice to have his voice heard, specifically against the imperialists who overtook Singapore in his childhood. As he ages and the issues within Singapore continue to evolve, he discovers that his efforts never seem to become easier. When he is an older man with children of his own, and Singapore is now freed of foreign influence, "communism [has] died," and "enemies became friends" he is still upset with the state of his country. In fact, now that thing seem to be in a better way than ever he describes himself as being "truly afraid". For more visit us at http://www.managementthatworks.com

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