Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Vietnam history you haven't heard
Christian Science Monitor ^ | 1/22/07 | Mark Moyar

Posted on 01/22/2007 10:39:42 AM PST by siddude

QUANTICO, VA. - With ever-increasing frequency, Americans are told that Iraq is another Vietnam, usually by those accusing the Bush administration of miring the United States in a hopeless war. For most who make this comparison, the Vietnam War was an act of hubris, fought for no good reason and in alliance with cowards. But new historical research shows this conventional interpretation of Vietnam to be deeply flawed. The analogy, therefore, must be rethought.

Three journalists handed down the standard version of the Vietnam War in three bestselling tomes. The first two, David Halberstam's "The Best and the Brightest" (1972) and Stanley Karnow's "Vietnam: A History," (1983) each sold more than 1 million copies, while the third, Neil Sheehan's "A Bright Shining Lie" (1988), received the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.

(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: vietnam
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041 next last
To: devolve; Interesting Times

Thanks for the ping IT


21 posted on 01/22/2007 2:41:20 PM PST by potlatch (Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: siddude

Thanks for posting!

I've just finished Moyar's book, 'Triumph Forsaken', and recommend it. Comparing the media establishment then to the crowd reporting Iraq now is an eye-opener.


22 posted on 01/22/2007 2:57:08 PM PST by tanuki
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thrownatbirth

Nobody seems to figure that out. We militarily won Viet Nam and the way we lost it was back here on college campuses and in Washington D. C.


23 posted on 01/22/2007 2:59:41 PM PST by JOE43270 (JV43270 God Bless America and ALL WHO HAVE and WILL DEFEND HER.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Redbob

Your remarks resemble as you say a "dullard"...although I regret my first time voting....for Johnson...he was anything but a dullard....rather a cunning POS....and the Bush's...both honest and brillant....and history will judge them....as for your comments.....dullard!!!


24 posted on 01/22/2007 5:33:17 PM PST by RVN Airplane Driver ("To be born into freedom is an accident; to die in freedom is an obligation..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: ASA Vet; BIGLOOK; ALOHA RONNIE; siddude; Interesting Times

Fyi. Thanks to the poster and various pingers.


25 posted on 01/22/2007 5:48:02 PM PST by Grampa Dave (GW has more Honor and Integrity in his little finger than ALL of the losers on the "hate Bush" band)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grampa Dave; Mr. K; ALOHA RONNIE; ASA Vet
I still have a small library of books on Viet Nam. A good beginning point is Hell in a Very Small Place andThe Viet Nam Reader by Bernard Fall. But probably the most revealing book was written not to long ago by General Vo Nguyen Giap, our old nemesis. I haven't laid hands on it yet but the gist of it is the US lost VN politically not on the battle field. This from the commander of the NVNA who realized defeat of his forces.
I have little doubt that Al Q'aeda and the jihadists hope to recreate the paradigm of Viet Nam in Iraq and throughout the Mid East.....with the aid of their 'useful idiots' in the press.

26 posted on 01/22/2007 6:49:13 PM PST by BIGLOOK (Keelhauling is a sensible solution to mutiny.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Interesting Times

Thanks for the ping. I am very glad to see factual efforts to set the record straight.


27 posted on 01/22/2007 7:07:43 PM PST by zot (GWB -- the most slandered man of this decade)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Grampa Dave; All

.

NEVER FORGET


The Words
http://www.Freerepublic.com/~ALOHARONNIE


The Pictures
http://www.RickRescorla.com/The%20Statue.htm


The Heroism
http://www.ArmchairGeneral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24361


NEVER FORGET

.


28 posted on 01/22/2007 7:24:19 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE ("ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer/Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965 http://www.lzxray.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: BIGLOOK; All

.

NEVER FORGET


For...

'WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE...& YOUNG'...4 FREEDOM

http://www.lzxray.com

http://www.Freerepublic.com/forum/a39626542519c.htm


"WE WERE SOLDIERS" - The Movie

http://www.WeWereSoldiers.com


"WE WERE SOLDIERS" - The Photos

http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm


NEVER FORGET


29 posted on 01/22/2007 7:42:00 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE ("ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer/Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965 http://www.lzxray.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: The Shrew
Thanks for the Heads Up, IP.

TS, I don't trust any of them, AP included.

But Reuters has quite a record, even got an Award

30 posted on 01/22/2007 7:51:05 PM PST by Syncro
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Interesting Times

Thanks for the ping, IT.

I forgot to ping you to my last post with that message.

Good article


31 posted on 01/22/2007 7:52:01 PM PST by Syncro
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: leadpenny

It's good to see the same message from different points of view. This Article is from a different source.


32 posted on 01/22/2007 7:53:52 PM PST by Syncro
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: All; siddude; zot; Mia T

.

NEVER FORGET

After Sen. TED KENNEDY pushed a post-WATERGATE Congress into cutting off funding for the then Free South Vietnamese to fight for their own Freedom with,

...just as the Communist Soviet Union gave $6 Billion to the Communist North Vietnamese for their 'Final Solution' planned for the South.

$6 Billion that translated into 600 Soviet tanks and 1,000's of mobile artillery pieces aimed at cutting South Vietnam in half at the Central Highlands and then dash to Victory in the Capitol Saigon.


Resulting in:

Pictures of a vietnamese Re-Education (SLAVE LABOR) Camp

http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1308949/posts


Sen. TED KENNEDY is now pushing Congress real hard to do the same to the Free People of Iraq, in a new time of war with our Freedom directly at stake here at home,

...with an Enemy that's now just around the corner and up your street.

To what result, I wonder..?

12 Million suddenly missing Iraqi purple Voting fingers..?

4-Sure, 4-Sure.

NEVER FORGET


33 posted on 01/22/2007 7:59:21 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE ("ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer/Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965 http://www.lzxray.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: ALOHA RONNIE

I will never forget.


34 posted on 01/22/2007 11:44:25 PM PST by zot (GWB -- the most slandered man of this decade)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Syncro

Looks like the same article from the same source.
What am I missing?


35 posted on 01/23/2007 12:26:16 AM PST by leadpenny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: BIGLOOK

"I have little doubt that Al Q'aeda and the jihadists hope to recreate the paradigm of Viet Nam in Iraq and throughout the Mid East.....with the aid of their 'useful idiots' in the press."

You are correct. Call them 'Useful Mediots'.


36 posted on 01/23/2007 7:48:19 AM PST by Grampa Dave (GW has more Honor and Integrity in his little finger than ALL of the losers on the "hate Bush" band)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: ALOHA RONNIE

Thanks Ron.

There are a lot of us who will never forget.

The problem we have is the lack of an honest media to tell the truth.


37 posted on 01/23/2007 7:49:30 AM PST by Grampa Dave (GW has more Honor and Integrity in his little finger than ALL of the losers on the "hate Bush" band)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: leadpenny
Oops sorry you are correct.

Moving too fast...

Mea maxima culpa
38 posted on 01/23/2007 9:10:46 AM PST by Syncro
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Syncro

None required, but thx.


39 posted on 01/23/2007 9:12:03 AM PST by leadpenny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: Vaquero

BUMP


40 posted on 01/25/2007 7:13:16 AM PST by Libertina (All Nations Under God and bless us, every one!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson