Forty years have passed since his time there and he is still haunted by what he did and saw, and the feeling that it was all for nothing ...
My immediate response was to say that it WAS for something. It was to oppose the spread of communism, it was to honor our protection commitment to SEATO (the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) of which both the U.S. and South Vietnam were members. It was part of a larger battle against communism which eventually we won - even though we did not conduct and conclude the effort in Vietnam as we should have.
And then I continued to read and low and behold you said essentially the same thing - only much more eloquently.
I experienced the Vietnam conflict first hand - three times - near the beginning, the middle and the end. At first we were very successful with small units protecting the countryside from the Vietcong terrorists. Then it became more conventional and the costs started to rise. Then it became prolonged and we eventually had to leave with the job not done. I will always remember the statement from General Giap, commander of the communist North Vietnam forces saying that he could never have won without the help of the protesters back in the United States. That was not the only reason for our failure, of course, but it certainly gave help and comfort to our enemy.
Anyway, great article. Thanks.
Forty years have passed since his time there and he is still haunted by what he did and saw, and the feeling that it was all for nothing ...My immediate response was to say that it WAS for something.
. . . And then I continued to read and low and behold you said essentially the same thing - only much more eloquently.
Somebody must have a military ping list . . .