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I am researching it more since other than some brief history in grad school, most events regarding Vietnam were rarely researched unless one delved into literary specific genres.
Any opinions on the massacres, what it was like to grow up during that era...etc? I am really interested beceause ther seems to be a dearth of information, expecially regarding soldiers and how they were affected. Thanks for any thoughts and constructive opinions.
The problem is most of what you will read is politically motivated, or colored by over-the-top melodrama like a few posts at the begginning. Just nonsense. For soldiers that were fighting it - war is and always has been terrible. There are many narrative accounts out there in the book stores. Stillkit's accounts here are as good and accurate as it gets, no melodrama.
You have to remember though, in Vietnam, for every troop in the bush there were 100 used as support (In WW2 that ratio was 1 in 10). That means when you talk to someone that says "I was in the 'Nam, in the middle of the sh*t", chances are he was serving his tour of duty in some air conditioned base repairing jeeps and never heard a shot fired in anger in his life. That is not reflecting to anyone here.
Now, for the background of the war, the political and social effects, you have to look long and hard for non-biased material. Unfortunetly I can't recommend any single book. Your statement "any opinion on the massacres" troubles me, as I assume you are under the beleif there were many massacres and attrocities committed by US troops. If that's the case, then you already have a misguided view of the Vietnam War and everything you know is wrong. There were instances, particularly the Mai Lai massacre, but those are few and far between and happen in any war. By all accounts, US forces were well disciplined, professional, and followed the humanitarian rules of warfare such as they are. There were far more massacres performed by VietCong and NVA forces.
The History is repeated Iraq...blah blah blah....Dangerously for America.
I will give you a clue why you are being ignored in this thread (well, except for me, trying to give you some helpful advice) - OFF TOPIC.
You keep on doing that and you get a ticket to banned camp and a message that says "not a member" under your name. If you have a political agenda, I would suggest the politics forum.
There were instances, particularly the Mai Lai massacre, but those are few and far between and happen in any war.
We were set up by the ROKs when we took that sector over from them. They had an issue of some sort with My Lai hamlet (protection money?) and identified it as a VC village to US intel when we came in. That set the stage for what then happened.
There have, however, been some since, like Desert Storm, Afghanistan, Iraq, which I also have participated in, that are very different from Vietnam.
Every war is different by degree. Terrain, tactics, enemy, weapons, strategies; they are rarely the same, but for the guy on the ground it never changes.
I am researching it more since other than some brief history in grad school, most events regarding Vietnam were rarely researched unless one delved into literary specific genres.
Any opinions on the massacres, what it was like to grow up during that era...etc? I am really interested beceause ther seems to be a dearth of information, expecially regarding soldiers and how they were affected. Thanks for any thoughts and constructive opinions.
I didn't "go to Vietnam" but it came to me. I graduated from HS in '68 and lived in the PNW and in a city with a VA hospital that I volunteered at and later worked as nurse after I graduated. It was a horrific time, my classmates, friends and family that didn't come home in a box, often returned with horrific mental and physical problems. We knew nothing about brain trauma injuries, PTSD didn't become a recognized diagnosis until 1980, agent orange was ignored, the dreaded draft. The list was long, the young men and woman returning were not supported and often times were considered slackers of some sort. Then of course there was the drug addiction issues, they could get heroin, opium and hash like candy while over there and returned with full blown addictions.
I went to too many funerals, not just during the war but after, from health issues and suicide. I had too many friends that were so traumatized they just never really came back even though their bodies were here.
I finally had to leave the VA, I just couldn't take it because it wasn't just at work it was all around me 24/7; friends, family and classmates that had returned. I still to this day can't watch movies like the Deer Hunter and Coming Home, they give me nightmares and flashbacks.
My female gyno doc was an army nurse in a MASH unit during that time and she came back and got her DO. Over the years we've had plenty of discussions about how the US involvment in Vietnam has effected us all. When the the invasion of Iraq started we both agreed -shades of Vietnam.
Every war is different by degree. Terrain, tactics, enemy, weapons, strategies; they are rarely the same, but for the guy on the ground it never changes.
I REALLY don't agree.
The major differences between Gulf Wars I and II came from the fact that Gulf War I was led by Generals Colin Powell and Norman Schwartzkopf. Both were multi-tour infantry officers in Vietnam. Both had first-hand experience with the clusterf**k that was Vietnam, and both swore not to have anyone under their commands repeat that experience. In fact, the extremely effective Powell Doctrine came about as a direct result of Powell's Vietnam experience.
Gulf War II, on the other hand, was largely led by people who had little to no real experience in major combat operations, with distressingly predictable results.
Gulf War I -- 184 Combat Deaths
Gulf War II -- 3,510 Combat Deaths, and still counting...
The History is repeated Iraq = Vietnam.
Dangerously for America.
Actually, it`s Afghanistan = Vietnam. And another liberal President up to his armpits in a quagmire.
But this time, the partisan left-wing media staunchly refuses to criticize him. Plus there`s no draft, so no college kids and their profs need to worry.
Does history repeat itself if the media purposely doesn`t notice? I guess we`ll find out.
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