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It is interesting that Americans won their independence in pretty much in the same manner as the Vietnamese did, sans Cronkite of course.
Exactly!
We won the war and then we actually adopted many of the British common laws, units of measure, language, and business practices. Does that mean the British won? To suggest they did insults the intelligence of the person holding that opinion.
If you see Viet Nam any differently then you judgment more likely than not is clouded by delusions of American Exceptionalism.
Perhaps you missed the fact that the people in South Viet Nam did not support their own corrupt government. Perhaps you missed the fact there has been no dispute amongst the Vietnamese people when they united North and South Vietnam.
Perhaps you missed the fact it took military conquest to take over the south...and that as a result 65,000 were executed, over 1 million people were imprisoned without trial and 165,000 died in 'reeducation camps'...as well as over 1,200,000 people fleeing.
We won the war and then we actually adopted many of the British common laws, units of measure, language, and business practices. Does that mean the British won?
Doesn't that have more to do with Americans at that time being related to Britain culturally? Americans(white)of that time weren't far removed from their British immigrant cousins.
The South Vietnamese troops were the pawns of a corrupt government that did not have the needs of the population of South Viet Nam as its primary interest. They were propped up by the United States. As soon as the U.S left and U.S aid dried up they fell like axed tree in a forest.
Rule #1 in a counterinsurgency war. If you don't have the support of the people you can't win.
It is interesting that Americans won their independence in pretty much in the same manner as the Vietnamese did, sans Cronkite of course.
They both won primarily due to the fact that neither the British in the late 1700's nor the Americans in the 1960's were interested in actually winning their wars.
Both the Brits and the Americans knew that they didn't have the support of the home front.
They both won primarily due to the fact that neither the British in the late 1700's nor the Americans in the 1960's were interested in actually winning their wars.
Both the Brits and the Americans knew that they didn't have the support of the home front.
Not really true. Most Brits had no knowledge of what was going on during the American revolution. The Brits lost because they did not have the logistics or the leadership to fight a war thousands of miles away against a hostile population.
The subsequent economic transformation of Vietnam shows that our capitalist system is more powerful than our military ability to subdue and transform a country.
Not really true. Most Brits had no knowledge of what was going on during the American revolution. The Brits lost because they did not have the logistics or the leadership to fight a war thousands of miles away against a hostile population.
The subsequent economic transformation of Vietnam shows that our capitalist system is more powerful than our military ability to subdue and transform a country.
200 British soldiers fell in 1 hour at Bunker Hill. When news got back to England, the populace was horrified.
The Brits were also tired of the "American Problem" and knew that independence was only a matter of time.
200 British soldiers fell in 1 hour at Bunker Hill. When news got back to England, the populace was horrified.
The Brits were also tired of the "American Problem" and knew that independence was only a matter of time.
But you are certainly correct.
The populace didn't have a say in those days. Neither was 200 soldiers in an hour a big deal in terms of 18th century warfare.
The South Vietnamese troops were the pawns of a corrupt government that did not have the needs of the population of South Viet Nam as its primary interest. They were propped up by the United States. As soon as the U.S left and U.S aid dried up they fell like axed tree in a forest.
Rule #1 in a counterinsurgency war. If you don't have the support of the people you can't win.
Be that as it may, without "foreign influence," the "will of the people" (north) would not have been able to meet its objectives, and indeed, the will to fight might not have been as "deep."
The Soviet Union and China were using the north as pawns in much the same way. Trade colonial rule to be a client state for the communist powers.
Maybe you should follow your own advice. It states clearly in section detailing events from 1955-1963 indicate that Diem either rigged the election or the election results were highly questionable. Therefore in the minds of many South Vietnamese the government in power WAS NOT LEGITIMATE.
Diem was deposed due to his oppressive policies and killed in a military coup in 1963. The military dissolved the National Assembly and the Constitution. The military installed a new government and Constitution. THERE WAS NEVER ANY CIVILIAN ELECTION INVOLVED.
Again the great part of the civilian population NEVER supported the South Vietnamese government in Saigon. The military had a vested interested in fighting the Viet Cong to stay in power. Corruption was also RAMPANT in the South Vietnamese army. The South Vietnamese governemnt was propped up by the United States with money and military aid and later direct military intervention as soon as the U.S. involvement lessened it turned the tide in the war. It should be noted that thoughout the war the morale of South Vietnamese troops was notoriously bad despite the fact in many cases they were better equipped than the North Vietnamese or Viet Cong troops. Why? THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY WERE FIGHTING IN IT WAS JUST A PAYCHECK.
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