In an earlier post, someone was asking about Vietnamese General Vo Njuyen Giap's statement that North Vietnam would have lost the war had it not been for Jane Fonda's and John Kerry's anti-war activities.
Does anyone know who posted that questions?
The Wall Street Journal, August 3, 1995 has an article about the subject where Bui Tin stated the same thing and I think referred to General Giap.
You must be a subscriber to search the Journal's archives, I am not a subscriber. Need help posting that article.
Thanks
I'm not a subscriber to the Wall Street Journal, but I know the quote you're referring to. Giap has been quoted as saying comething to the effect that if the U.S. had continued saturation bombing and continued push toward the North into 1974 that the NVA would likely have surrendered. I will try to find the article and get back to you.
I think this is what you're looking for:
http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Camp/7624/Generals/giap.htm
Gen. Giap planned and directed the military operations against the French that culminated in their defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954. During the 1960's Giap controlled guerrilla operations against South Vietnam and the United States and planned the Tet Offensive of 1968.
In his book, Giap clearly indicated that NVA troops were without sufficient supplies, and had been continually defeated time and again.
By 1968, NVA morale was at it's lowest point ever. The plans for "Tet" '68 was their last desperate attempt to achieve a success, in an effort to boost the NVA morale. When it was over, General Giap and the NVA viewed the Tet '68 offensive as a failure, they were on their knees and had prepared to negotiate a surrender.
At that time, there were fewer than 10,000 U.S. casualties, the Vietnam War was about to end, as the NVA was prepared to accept their defeat. Then, they heard Walter Cronkite (former CBS News anchor and correspondent) on TV proclaiming the success of the Tet '68 offensive by the communist NVA. They were completely and totally amazed at hearing that the US Embassy had been overrun. In reality, The NVA had not gained access to the Embassy--there were some VC who had been killed on the grassy lawn, but they hadn't gained access. Further reports indicated the riots and protesting on the streets of America.
According to Giap, these distorted reports were inspirational to the NVA. They changed their plans from a negotiated surrender and decided instead, they only needed to persevere for one more hour, day, week, month, eventually the protesters in American would help them to achieve a victory they knew they could not win on the battlefield. Remember, this decision was made at a time when the U.S. casualties were fewer than 10,000, at the end of 1967, beginning of 1968.
This quote from Col Bui Tin... member of the General Staff of the NVA ...man who received SV's surrender at the end of the war...may be of interest:
"Support for the war from our rear was completely secure while the American rear was vulnerable. Every day our leadership would listen to world news over the radio at 9AM to follow the growth of the antiwar movement. Visits to Hanoi by Jane Fonda and former Attorney General Ramsey Clark and ministers gave us confidence that we should hold on in the face of battlefield reverses. We were elated when Jane Fonda, wearing a red Vietnamese dress, said at a press conference that she was ashamed of American actions in the war and would struggle along with us .... those people represented the conscience of America .... part of it's war- making capability, and we turning that power in our favor." Bui Tin