Secondly, I would venture that most of us left alive from Nam (about 800,000 maybe less) just don't care to relive it. Then there is that hatred that we had to live with for 20 years after we came back. It seems that the ultra left is ginning it up again. I've read articles that blame the Vietnam conflict all on the United States and our Imperial desires. Not even our opponents believed that. And of course giving honor to those that fought there is a no no too.
So here it is on wind again--atrocities--baby killers--killers--murders--genocide-- I don't really want to hear that again. I don't want to watch the parades knowing the most of those marching by who are supposedly Viet Vets are fakes and wanna be types. I don't want to listen to our newest vets referring to us as whiners and sponges consuming all the VA resources. And for god's sake shut up about Jane Fonda.
2 comments:
Commemoration will go ahead. Money will be made. Politicians will ponificate (remember Reagan at Normandy). Perhaps a few new books will be written. VN is a part of our history, almost a continuation of WWII in Asia: related to colonialism, communism and perceptions; the focus of several
administrations, the end of the
draft and the start of the careers of later generals. We still don't know if all that was good, bad or
made a difference. We do know that as in every other war, fighting men
were performing their miserable job, there was heroism and cowardice and learning, exhaustion and a sense of pride in doing the job...and the nature of a band of brothers who shared all that. History will continue to ponder and argue the causes, policies and grand schemes and the vets will
join the larger band-comrades in arms who fought in all our wars.
The cheap shots aren't limited to Vietnam. A friend just linked to a post about how the second Iraq war was all about Halliburton and KBR. It WAS stupid and criminal. But it was not that.
I remember the Cold War. I don't see why it's any mystery about why Vietnam happened. I;m inclined to think we shouldn't have fought it, with my 20/20 hindsight. But looking around the region I'd say there was also no reason for the other side to have fought after the French left. Thailand is not a colony, and better off than Laos, Vietnam, and especially Cambodia. What were THEY fighting for?
Hope all is well. TStockmannrim9988
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