The truth about Viet Nam, and life there today.

Self Researched. | Oct 2002 | Exton

[Exton1]

The truth about Viet Nam, and life there today.

Exton

I have been to Viet Nam twice in the last two years. In fact I went with the son of someone who for a short period of time was the highest ranking representative of the South. The dirty truth is that we actually won the war MILITARILY and lost it due to politics and lies of the communist press here in the states. Walter Cronkite, a proclaimed communist, lied when he said after the “Tet Offensive” that we were in a quagmire. The truth is that we had just destroyed the Viet Cong. They spent several years and all they had at us, and we kicked their butts. In fact the communist were surprised that we did not declare victory then.

The US killed so many men during the war that women had to fight. Even today the ratio of women to men is about 5 to 1. (Many families sent their boys out of the country to work so they could send money home) In fact the country almost had mass starvation, due to the war and the stupidity of the Communist leadership. It was not until about 5 years ago that they have had enough rice and goods to export.

What happened is that the last leader of the South was a communist who basically gave the country to the North. The North Communist had estimated that it would take 3 to 5 years to take over the South. Because of the action of the South’s president, the Communists met little if any resistance and took the country in about 3 months. What is also not widely known is that Nixon’s Christmas bombing almost won the war. The communist leader in Hanoi, said that had the bombing continued for a day or two longer they WOULD HAVE GIVEN UP UNCONDITIONALLY.

In addition , the Wall Street Journal had an article about 8 years ago that talk brought up the “Domino Effect.” Because we fought the war for about 10 years, this gave surrounding countries the time they needed to become DEMOCRACIES. People in countries like Thailand, give us credit for wining the war and stopping the spread of communism.

The lesson of Viet Nam is that, you do not go to war with a country unless you plan to finish the job and win. Once we were committed we should have stayed and finished the job. And that we should always support our troops and explain to the public why we are fighting.

In addition, it has been pointed out that America ONLY spent about one or two hour total explaining to the GI’s why they were fighting. This compared to the Communist who spent nearly 4 hours a day, every day explaining to its solders why they were fighting. They told their soldiers that as poor as they were, the South was worse, because of US Imperialism the South did not even have bowls for their rice. That there was mass starvation and poverty. With stories like this many soldiers felt that their was great need to fight. So many were extremely surprised to find that it was all a lie, and that the South lived in luxury compared to them. Many said if they had known the truth they would have not fought or changed sides.

If you go to Viet Nam today you will find that the people love America and much of our culture. With the exception of the Government run War Museums, you will think the West won. Viet Nam has discos and night clubs where they sing American Songs, dress in American style clothes, and use cell phones. Although it always helps to be with someone who speaks the language, more people are learning English in Viet Nam then at any time in the past.

However, the county is very poor and change is slow because the old jungle fighters run the country, and they are extremely greedy. The average income is about $80.00 per month. When I was there I read a story about a family of four or five who got by on about $1,200 a year. The populace are fairly intelligent and realize that if they are to grow they have to get rid of Communist rule. Even though the government has repressed anti-government talk. It will only be a matter of time before even they ended up on the ash heap of history.

[sneakypete]

however, I don't remember any accounts or reports of the North's air power engaging our air power over Khe Sanh or anywhere else over the South.

The communists tried this earlier in the war,and kept losing all their airplanes. They even went so far as to use eastern European,Russian,and Cuban pilots. They got tired of losing their fighters,so they mostly stayed on the ground after that.

[sneakypete]

Makes it all worth 50,000 Americans dead, doesn't it?

Where are your priorities? It will surely have been all worth it if McClain's wife's father gets the contract to import and export alchol,the Gore's,Kennedy's,Bush's,and other elites get contracts to drill for oil offshore,and other elites get to buy beachfront property at a penny to a dollars worth of value so they have land to build their hotels on.

[Red Jones]

yes, that is curious how they apparently used Migs at khe sanh in late 67/early 68, but did not use them in the south afterwards. I think maybe because khesanh was in the far north of south vietnam. The Migs were new tothem. Maybe they didn't want to risk using them further south or maybe we shot them out of sky? Also, I'm sure those soldiers taking back Hue during the tet that began right as Khe sanh battle was ending would disagree with the assessment that khe sanh being largest battle. If I'd been a grunt I'd rather have been dug in at Khe sanh than fighting to take back Hue after the communists took it.

It was a real tough war for our soldiers. They performed so well. That is the main message everyone should know. Mel Gibson's recent movie was based on fact, it is not hollywood baloney. Also, believe it or not, John Wayne's movie from 68, was it called 'The Green Beret'?, that one portrayed events that were similar to some events that actually did occur also. They really did try to over-run camps just like that and they really did suffer the kinds of lopsided casualties shown in that movie.

[leadpenny]

I'm still unclear on whether or not there is any documented evidence that the North used any form of their air power over the South during the time the Americans were involved. I don't belive there is.

BTW, I had two trips as a Huey Driver. On my second tour (nov69-nov70) I had many good opportunities to see the lay of the land in the Khe Sanh AO. Of Course, during the most of that time it was completely deserted.

As for movies. I've seen most of 'em. "Full Metal Jacket" was great until it jumped to Nam. Although never a beloved grunt, I thought the night firefight in "Platoon" had to be close to reality. The ambush and firefight in "Forrest Gump" took my breath away. And for an early film that has been mostly overlooked, I recommend "Go Tell the Spartans" with Burt Lancaster. Most of the rest of the stuff out of Hollywood is just too much Hollywood for me. I know the story of the Ia Drang. I flew into some of the same landing zones on my first tour about a year after the battle.

[Snowyman]

Thanks. I'm sitting here reading about how good Wayne's movie is and it really isn't ,thinking there was another movie ,better, that was good, but be damned if I could think of the name, It was a long time ago. "Go Tell the Spartans" , that's it.

[ghostrider]

Walter Cronkite, a proclaimed communist,....

I suspect that you are correct, that he was not a "proclaimed communist," but he was the head megaphone for the liberal, socialist propaganda ministry that took over the American newsmedia and so intensely bombarded us with anti-American values that the country was fractured beyond repair. (He also left us with satanic offspring such as Dan Rather.) Now, he is clearly a globalist supporter of the new world order of neo monarchs.

[LibKill]

During the seige of Khe San, 1 (that's ONE) C-130 was shot down and burned on the landing strip.

The communists at the big three networks ran film of that night after night, making it appear to the public that the commies were shooting down our whole air force.

[sneakypete]

I'm still unclear on whether or not there is any documented evidence that the North used any form of their air power over the South during the time the Americans were involved.

If you mean tac-air,it never happened. I'm not even sure the north HAD fighter-bombers. They did have fighters though,and they did scramble them early in the war to try and defend the north from bombing attacks. There are two SF guys I know who participated in the very first "Bright Light" insertion into North Viet Nam (within sight of the Hanoi lights)to try to rescue a shot-down pilot,and as they were inserting,one turned to the other and asked him,"What would you do if you saw a MIG now?" When the second one answered "Shit",the first one pointed out a MIG coming after them. The MIG saw their fighter escort though,and ran away.

There were also reports of Soviet helicopters seeing limited use in Laos and Cambodia. Mostly for ferrying advisors and NVA brass,though.

[leadpenny]

The scene where Lancaster is telling the Captain why he, after WWII, Korea and now Vietnam, is still a g-d'd Major is worth the price of a rental.

[leadpenny]

Thanks. That "Bright Light" story reminds me of a few seconds of terror I had. In early 70 I was flying the 24th Corps Arty CG in the tri-border area just south of Khe Sanh near the northern end of the Ashau Valley. He liked to personnaly survey things and this day we were looking at the overnight progress the NVA was making with a spur of the HCM Trail into the South. Later, 175 and 8" rounds would be arriving from places like FSB Barbara southwest of Quang Tri. Out of no where I spotted a 'fast mover' at about our altitude (1500-2000') near the Laotian border and a couple of miles away. The five or so seconds it took to determine it was an F4 tooling through the area made me almost wish I was wearing a diaper.

[leadpenny]

Note to self: Use spell check!

[norton]

11 and 12 are pretty much as I remember it as well.

As early as '69 we were looking at what would be left behind for the south to use in defending themselves.

And it was damn little even then.

'73 was when we finally pulled the plug and reflected it by cutting forces in the pacific to a degree that must have cheered Hanoi a great deal. That's also when we dumped the original plan to go after POW and MIA.

[norton]

"Gardens of Stone"

Still and always best telling of the whole picture - not just the fights, the questions, or the issues, but the feel.

[leadpenny]

Why I haven't seen that one I don't know. On your advice, I'm gonna get it today.

[per loin]

Even today the ratio of women to men is about 5 to 1.

Source of this stat?

[Straight Vermonter]

Here is the actial stat according to the CIA factbook:

Sex ratio:   
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female 
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)  

[rockfish59]

Excellent!
Watergate, shmottergate.....Nixon was THE MAN!!!

My brother (on the right) and fellow 'Wolfhounds' at Cu-Chi, 1966!

[RLK]

By that time, the U. S. military was forbidden to give the south Aid or supplies. And this even included things as basic as ammunition for their guns,and fuel to run their trucks and tanks. The Dims in the US Congress are the ones that won the war from the North Vietnamese,not their counterparts in NVN.

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Neither the North or South had a large enough economy to produce armaments. What existed was an incursion from the north with communist supplied armaments which required outside supply of armaments to the south for resistance. Whichever side first fails to continue receiving outside support, loses. The Commies knew that and were ready to move when we began weakening our support for the south..

[rockfish59]

You should change your screen name to 'Shrillbay'