With the part about Viet Nam... History, politicians, Viet Nam scholars and the news media that were there, all of the seem to get pats of the war either left out or mixed up. Our soldiers never lost a battle in that war. Khe Sanh showed what the Marines were made of. The Green Berets that were there were kind of stuck there. The war was an example of what can happen when the political and news media get involved. That war was won. No question.
Historical views on the Vietnam War
- Thread starter Right Guard
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Wow, I'm actually agreeing with you for once.
The Tet 'Offensive' was the most decisive victories we had, the NVA was slaughtered, the Vietcong were wiped out and... We surrendered.
Wow, I'm actually agreeing with you for once.
The Tet 'Offensive' was the most decisive victories we had, the NVA was slaughtered, the Vietcong were wiped out and... We surrendered.
Ya, we surrendered. All those troops lost for nothing. Many, Many were my friends. Or just guys that greeted me when I came back in. It made me sick. all those people that depended on us, the small villages that were cought up in between and the people that helped us. Gone. You won't have to look far to see this happening again. Just down the road.
Wow, I'm actually agreeing with you for once.
The Tet 'Offensive' was the most decisive victories we had, the NVA was slaughtered, the Vietcong were wiped out and... We surrendered.
The part about the NVA being slaughtered. I remember, it was 65 My second tour, we were hunkered in on a good sized hill. We were told that the valley and side hill below us was going to get carpet bombed. OK so, I have never been close to a bombing run of any kind. Then they came, only seven B52s. So high up. That was enough. The ground shook so, I came off the ground about a foot with every impact.The target was supposed to be supply trails and storage areas and maybe a regiment of NVA regulars. All under the dence canopy. Well when it was over, there was no canopy. Just a bunch of sticks. Nothing lived either. They were caught there without any knowledge of the giants comeing. Then they were gone. I will never forget what I saw that day. It was a slaughter alright.
Now granted, I think we were on the wrong side of that war, fighting a democratic gov't (that even asked us for help) in order to save a dictatorial 1 over stupid Cold War politics but really, surrendering after winning the war? And then spitting, beating and otherwise dishonoring our boys when they came home after doing their jobs?
I may be a leftist but what the American Left did during that time was as bad as McCarthyism. Really, what did the hippies give America but a decade of anarchy and a low key civil war?
Worst part? We're all buddy buddy with Vietnam now. The whole gad dammed war wasn't only politicking with lives but pointless to boot.
I may be a leftist but what the American Left did during that time was as bad as McCarthyism. Really, what did the hippies give America but a decade of anarchy and a low key civil war?
Worst part? We're all buddy buddy with Vietnam now. The whole gad dammed war wasn't only politicking with lives but pointless to boot.
Isn't all of life like that any way? At one stage the US was buddies with Saddam Hussein, and then after the Kuwait War, things changed drastically. Nothing stands still, everything changes all the time. Today you are in love, tomorrow you wonder how you could have been? Maybe one just has to embrace what is, and work as best as we can with it.Now granted, I think we were on the wrong side of that war, fighting a democratic gov't (that even asked us for help) in order to save a dictatorial 1 over stupid Cold War politics but really, surrendering after winning the war? And then spitting, beating and otherwise dishonoring our boys when they came home after doing their jobs?
I may be a leftist but what the American Left did during that time was as bad as McCarthyism. Really, what did the hippies give America but a decade of anarchy and a low key civil war?
Worst part? We're all buddy buddy with Vietnam now. The whole gad dammed war wasn't only politicking with lives but pointless to boot.
10,000s of 1,000 of people didn't die fighting Saddam only to find themselves in bed with him after the dust settled. Apples and oranges.
Well not American lives anyway... Besides, we helped both sides.
Now granted, I think we were on the wrong side of that war, fighting a democratic gov't (that even asked us for help) in order to save a dictatorial 1 over stupid Cold War politics but really, surrendering after winning the war? And then spitting, beating and otherwise dishonoring our boys when they came home after doing their jobs?
I may be a leftist but what the American Left did during that time was as bad as McCarthyism. Really, what did the hippies give America but a decade of anarchy and a low key civil war?
Worst part? We're all buddy buddy with Vietnam now. The whole gad dammed war wasn't only politicking with lives but pointless to boot.
I remember just hateing LBJ to the point of screeming. Him and his buddies made money. They mishandled the war. How does a politician direct a war when even his advisers don't know what their talking about. It was a corupt war from the top to the bottom. Blackmarket etc. I had no respect for wessmoreland either. Now you talk about the scum that met us at Grand central station on more than one occasion... Well four of us went to jail on one occasion for protecting ourselves. We broke arms legs, jaws and noses. They were lucky we din't use combat skills on them. Nobody spits on my uniform. Name calling didn't bother me and you could throw back anything they threw. There were 12 of them, 6 girls and 6 guys. the guys were no problem and a Buddy of mine just pulled down the girls panties. They didn't know what to do. It was a bad time. Our country didn't do their part.
And look what's happening now. We got rid of the Taliban for what, a gov't filled with equally brutal people and drug addicts? What was the point, a gov't like that will just attack us or an ally later.
So maybe you can tell me what this news cartoon means? I couldn't figure it out, but it looked quite meaningful.
We fought in Vietnam to protect a brutal dictatorship, it lasted years and in the end we 'lost'. It's making the false comparison.
Afghanistan isn't Vietnam. The casualties are ridiculously low, we're crying over 8 KIA for crying out loud! And that's a major battle! We're fighting an even worse group (North Vietnam was a liberal democracy) then what we're currently supporting and the war hasn't lasted nearly as long. That and Afghanistan is our war unlike Vietnam.
Afghanistan isn't Vietnam. The casualties are ridiculously low, we're crying over 8 KIA for crying out loud! And that's a major battle! We're fighting an even worse group (North Vietnam was a liberal democracy) then what we're currently supporting and the war hasn't lasted nearly as long. That and Afghanistan is our war unlike Vietnam.
Might i mention here that Karzhai is bringing back the Warlords?
Incidentally, not only did the US bomb North Vietnam, what they neglect to mention is that the US also bombed South Vietnam. Though i suspect you guys know that, just thought i'd pop it into the conversation.
And Cambodia, a neutral nation in that war. Fun times.
And after the war the whole 'domino affect' argument went out the window when the Vietnamese overthrew Pol Pot. Funny how reality works.
North Vietnam was off limits to attack. Most all the war was fought in South Vietnam. This was the way the democrats wanted to fight the war. We went over there as observers and consultants at first. The object was to help stop the flow of insurgents (communists ) into South Vietnam. It was very different in South Vietnam in 1963 than it was in 1968 etc. Almost everyone there was special forces Geen Berets. It was an unorganized effort at first. When I came back in late 64 it was a different ball game and later I thougt it was odd that a war could be won by not attacking the enemys home.
Liberal as in politics, not economics. It may have been socialist economically but it was a liberal democracy/democratic republic politicly. Still is.
Totally agreed. There is no comparison. Also, the military is much better organized than it was in Vietnam, it has learned to assess its terrain better, and to use small companies, instead of large formations. Its gathering of intelligence is also much more improved. I really hope that Obama will vote for more troops for Afghanistan. Does anyone know whether progress has been made with regard to his decision? Did McCrystal convince him?
Very good point, although the Taliban seems to have a way of coercing the local population to join them. Since there are no jobs around, the military and the drug trade (which seems to be funding the Taliban in a large measure) seem to be a good source of jobs for the Afgahnistanis, but right, they aren't "family" of the Taliban.
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