There were other restrictions as well. We weren't allowed to destroy enemy aircraft on the ground or to destroy their runways, etc.-we had to give them a "sporting chance" to kill our guys as well in the air. The VietCong could shoot our guys and then run across the border into Cambodia or Loas and we were supposed to stop at the border. The Ho Chi Ming supply route was not in Vietnam itself, so we couldn't send troops there. We did bomb it but the VietCong just walked around the craters and went on their way.
In WWII, the Japanese had vowed to fight to the last man and the war only ended after we demonstrated to them that we were prepared to kill them down to that last man.
You're speaking my language. We won WWII with troops restrained only by their devout Christianity -- when our enemies were lucky -- incindiary bombs, napalm, phosphorous, and nuclear weapons. At the end, the politicians halted our best generals on the Elbe. And so it began. By the Korean war, MacArthur was removed from duty because he wanted to win. And so we called it a draw. By the time we entered Vietnam, the elites were fully in charge. And of course we were called off just as we started to win.
I think napalm is illegal now...
If you've learned how to succeed, don't mess with the formula. Do what it takes to win. We've got everything we need to clean this mess up now. Let's do what it takes and move on. The world may not love us, but at least we'll write the history books.
Lock and load!