AP: William Westmoreland dead

Associated Press | July 18, 2005

[JLO]

zarf

Take it back over to the DU would ya? NO ONE here gives a shit.

Especially all the VN veterans who served. Nor any of us who cared about them!

[John Filson]

Aloha Ronnie - thanks for the ping, and here's a bump right back.

[JLO]

Well I'm there too.


See you there.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

First, thank you Mr Rogers for your fathers sacrifice and service to our country. It's because of men like him (and women) that we live in the greatest nation on this earth. We will never take his sacrifice for granted.

He died fighting Communism. He died under the command of a great General. If General Westmoreland hadn't been micromanaged by Washington the war wouldn't have lasted as long as it did and many of our young hero's would have come home. Maybe even your Dad. Many know President Johnson was known to dictate troop battle plans. He wouldn't allow our Commanders in the field to do what they wanted to do. He was too worried about the politics of the war. It got a lot of our troops killed.

Had the good General been allowed to fight the war the way he wanted, the outcome would have been far different, the KIA's list a lot shorter and the war a lot shorter.

Our friend zarf would be served well to read up on the good General and the Vietnam war.

So, Rest in peace General. You deserve to stand down.

God Bless your father and your family Mr Rogers.

I don't get to come here much anymore. Too tired. But I saw that your father died in Nam and wanted to say that we honor his sacrifice. I also wanted to let zarf know that he/she doesn't understand how many of us who served feel. Even after giving a lot in terms of health, etc. We'd do it again. No regrets. Because we know it was important. It had purpose. You can't walk away from things when you see they are wrong. Because sooner or later they are knocking at your back door. Look at 9-11.

In the end, Vietnam was better off. Iraq will be too.

Just as things were after WWI and WWII.

All one has to do is imagine if those wars hadn't happened.

Ask yourself "what if they hadn't happened?" "Where would things be now?"

Imagine a world dominated by the likes of Hitler.

Imagine a world with Ho Chi Min wanna be's running it! No, we are better off without the Taliban, Saddam Hussien, al Queda, and terrorists, PERIOD!

We've sat back and let terrorism grow and flourish for a couple decades.

So hats off to men like your Dad Mr Rogers. Thank God we have people like him.

Here is a poem from one of the best Vietnam movies (in our opinions) that was ever made. I post it in honor of your Dad and the General. God Bless.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The Mansions of the Lord"

To fallen soldiers let us sing where no rockets fly nor bullets wing.

Our broken brothers let us bring to the mansions of the Lord.

No more bleeding, no more fight.

No prayers pleading through the night just divine embrace, eternal light in the mansions of the Lord.

Where no mothers cry and no children weep, We will stand and guard, while angels sleep.

All through the ages, we safely keep the mansions of the Lord.

Words by Randall Wallace, Producer, We Were Soldiers....

[leadpenny]

If you really want to honor veterans please don't attempt to speak for all of them.
If you are one, speak for yourself.


It appears you are trying to stifle free speech with your comments.

[MeekOneGOP]

Rest in peace, General Westmoreland.

[Mad Mammoth]

Well, well, well. 30 (make this 31) replies to your cowardly, communistic puking, and not ONE defending you.

"Can you hear us NOW?"

Next time, THINK before you spew.

[Fiddlstix]

Click the Pic

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

With all due respect, (and I am speaking only for myself and I am not a veteran), it isn't an issue of stiffling free speech.

I find it very innapropriate to be arguing the Viet Nam War on this thread. Most have come to pay respects.

Zarf can start another thread, he's free to do so and no one would challenge his right to speak on that thread. (Although it would be a fiery debate, I am sure).

IMHO, starting the debate about the merits of this Viet Nam War on this particular thread is the same as going to the funeral home arguing this issue in front of the casket.

But, that is just my opinion.

[George W. Bush]

In other news, Scotty is dead.

[George W. Bush]

There are theories out there that suggest that we got involved with Vietnam as an atonement for not aiding the French when they were attacked by the Germans in WWII...

I've also read another theory that our aid to Europe via the Marshall Plan wasn't enough to forestall domestic communism in Europe and the French were whining that they would succumb to communism entirely if we didn't help them to regain their colonial empire, especially Indochina. According to these accounts, we transported the entire original French expeditionary force to Indochina using our heavy transport ships and paid something like 80%-85% of their expenses there early in the war. And when they lost it all, they came running to us to ask us to nuke the Red military forces in Vietnam. When Ike (sensibly) refused to nuke Asians twice in a decade, France gave in and tried to really screw us in the peace talks after which Kennedy started ramping up military 'advisors'.

Anyway, I've never found that accounting of French failure and perfidy to America in their failed postbellum Indochina adventure to be entirely satisfactory but haven't found any better accounts yet.

I think the question of how we 'lost' Vietnam has a lot to do with how the French lost it and how we slowly slipped into a full land war there over the course of four presidencies. And I think the old who-lost-China question played a strong role in the minds of the policymakers of the time. Another interesting chapter is how Ho Chi Minh tried to see FDR and was turned away during one of the post-war planning conferences held in '43 and '44. Perhaps an opportunity was missed there.

[Smartass]

Gen. William Westmoreland

1914-2005
Graduated West Point 1936
Served with distinction in WWII
Superintendent West Point in 1960
Commander US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (COMUSMACV) 1964-1968.

General Westmoreland took command in Vietnam in June 1964 replacing Gen. Paul Harkins. He was instrumental in raising the level of US forces deployed in Vietnam and in developing the strategies implemented in the region. Westmoreland continuously requested for an increase in manpower in Vietnam and President Johnson, who had his own troubles at home, refused to send more troops and finally recalled Westmoreland after he successfully stopped the North Vietnamese Tet Offensive in 1968. He was replaced by General Creighton W. Abrams

Upon his return to the US, Westmoreland was appointed as Chief of Staff of the US Army. His biggest challenge was to withdraw the troops from Vietnam and ready them for duty in other regions of the world. He was successful in restructuring the Army at a difficult time, but his tactics in Vietnam had become unpopular with some groups in the US. He maintained for many years that the policy in Vietnam had been the right one. General Westmoreland retired in 1972.

 

[La Enchiladita]

Thank you for the poem. And Welcome Home to both of you. See you in Las Vegas on Veteran's Day..?

[leadpenny]

I hear you but everything about the Vietnam War is controversial. Quite frankly, if it hadn't been Zarf, someone else would have started a fire, inadvertent or otherwise. Westy probably knew his death would bring about further debate and I'm sure he wished a few other had preceded him. Wait until Robert Strange McNamara leaves the scene - should I be fortunate enough to be around and participate - it could get down right ugly.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

I had forgotten you were a vet. While you were serving I was in school. I humbly defer to your opinion.

One thing is for sure...there has to be a open, honest debate. Sooner or later this country has to talk about those years.

When McNamara leaves this world I will look forward to reading your comments.

[leadpenny]

Thank you. Of course one didn't have to serve in Nam to have an opinion about it. As for McNamara, you can read right now what I think about his character and role in the conduct of the war; two words: Not Much!

In the documentary, "The Fog of War," McNamara talked about serving two bosses, JFK and LBJ, who he himself said had different designs on employing American forces. At one point in the movie he says he loved and respected JFK, and later he says the same thing about LBJ. To be the SecDef and not have a position is outrageous. To not resign from one administration or the other is criminal. McNamara is a criminal in my book.

[luvie]

GENERAL WILLIAM WESTMORELAND

MAY HE REST IN PEACE.

[Smartass]

BU    MP

 

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank God for this hero and his loved ones!

[Smartass]

All Vietnam vets were heros...