"The Vietnam War was mis-reported by the Media, mis-recorded by the Historians, mis-taught in our schools and mis-applie (Mennonite, how much)

[ProudCapMarine]

Originally Posted by burdell

What is the mission statement of the foundation that sponsored this conference?

Examining the Myths of the Vietnam War
OPERATIONS ORDER



II. MISSION Viet Myths Conference

The pages that follow show a draft list of topics. This is a call to solicit papers from persons who would like to participate. The papers should summarize the testimony or research being offered as well as documentation to validate the presenter’s credentials. There will be a limited number of remote presenters (i.e., those who for reasons of health or other conflicts may not be able to come to Boston in person), so do not let your presentation go unrecorded because you cannot be there. Also, because of the problems of organizing such an event, and the need to validate all speakers' credentials, it is requested that if you want to make even a small statement you should submit the gist of that statement and your documentation in advance.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Anyone who thinks he understands the situation here simply does not know the facts."
Attributed to an early Ambassador to Laos, source unknown

[burdell]

Originally Posted by ProudCapMarine

Examining the Myths of the Vietnam War
OPERATIONS ORDER



II. MISSION Viet Myths Conference

The pages that follow show a draft list of topics. This is a call to solicit papers from persons who would like to participate. The papers should summarize the testimony or research being offered as well as documentation to validate the presenter’s credentials. There will be a limited number of remote presenters (i.e., those who for reasons of health or other conflicts may not be able to come to Boston in person), so do not let your presentation go unrecorded because you cannot be there. Also, because of the problems of organizing such an event, and the need to validate all speakers' credentials, it is requested that if you want to make even a small statement you should submit the gist of that statement and your documentation in advance.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Anyone who thinks he understands the situation here simply does not know the facts."
Attributed to an early Ambassador to Laos, source unknown

That's the purpose of the conference, I've been trying to find information about the Radix Foundation that sponsored the conference and so far no-joy. I always like to follow the $$$$ to se where information is coming from.

[ProudCapMarine]

Originally Posted by burdell

And is that really because the US left or because they won't fight for their freedom?

Who would support their fight for freedom...? Even forty years ago, the world had their eyes closed.

[burdell]

Originally Posted by ProudCapMarine

Who would support their fight for freedom...? Even forty years ago, the world had their eyes closed.

I think they (or anyone) else have to begin fighting their own battle before they can reasonably expect anyone else to jump in.

They waged a battle of liberation against the French and then their own civil war, I have yet to see anything that warranted US involvement.

[Bellinghamite]

Originally Posted by ParkTwain

Looks like at least one of the participants in that conference is in favor of an American Theocracy.

Admiral Denton
//
Top priority should be placed on an effort to recover our most fundamental founding belief that our national objectives, policies and laws should reflect obedience to the will of Almighty God. Our Declaration of Independence, our national Constitution and each of the states' constitutions stress that basic American national principle.

For about 200 years, the entire country, both parties and all branches of government understood that principle and tried to follow it, if imperfectly.

For some 50 years, our nation's opinion-makers, our courts and, gradually, our politicians have been abandoning our historical effort to be "one nation under God" in favor of becoming "one nation without God," with glaringly unfavorable results.
//

He must REALLY admire the present-day theocratic state of Iran.

I highly doubt that. The admiral lauds the heritage of America from the beginnings of the republic until half a century ago. America in those years hardly resembled the Islamic Republic of Iran. There was no official religion, no Sharia law, and no punishment for nonbelief. We had several Presidents who, while not atheists, had little use for organized religion (Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln). Some were unabashed Unitarians (Adams, Quincy Adams, Taft), while numerous others were not much interested in religion, not even in their own. When the Supreme Court remarked in 1896 that "this is a Christian nation," it was observing a cultural reality, not a political one. It is not a theocracy for which Admiral Denton is nostalgic.

Just the same, he exaggerates when he states that "our Declaration of Independence, our national Constitution and each of the states' constitutions stress that basic American national principle" that "our national objectives, policies and laws should reflect obedience to the will of Almighty God." The Declaration of Independence mentions a "Creator" and "Nature's God," but its perspective is utterly deistic and nowhere does it suggest that the god it mentions is "almighty." Only some of the constitutions of the several states mention a god, and the federal Constitution says nothing whatever about a deity.

Most likely Denton is simply lamenting the implicit contempt for Christian morality that has become increasingly commonplace in society and in the halls of government since the 1950s. He rightly recognizes that the primary impetus for this change has come from the top down, from persons in positions of great influence and/or authority. Consequently, he looks at positions of authority as the source from which a return to the values he cherishes ought to come. It's a simple matter of logic.

[ProudCapMarine]

Originally Posted by burdell

I think they (or anyone) else have to begin fighting their own battle before they can reasonably expect anyone else to jump in.

They waged a battle of liberation against the French and then their own civil war, I have yet to see anything that warranted US involvement.

Today's Vietnamese People are not looking for a military invasion of support. They are just looking for support in through peaceful wide-world pressure.

AMERICA'S FORGOTTEN ALLY...
Vietnam’s Montagnards Still Under Communist Fire; UNHCR Failing

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by ProudCapMarine

Do you know what is going on in Vietnam today? The Vietnamese lost their freedoms because, America left Vietnam. The Vietnamese People do not even have freedom of religion, speech, press...

Is this the SAME South Vietnamese government we were fighting for that was... ya know, a corrupt and brutal dictatorship?

Let's not pretend that the South Vietnamese had this glowing, American style democracy that we were desperately trying to defend from the Communists. We fought the communist dictators because they were communists fighting proxy wars for the Soviets and Chinese....not because we cared about the style or freedoms of government in South Vietnam!

[ProudCapMarine]

There were a number of larger communist massacres in Vietnam. TET 1968, Hue City had thousands of innocent Vietnamese civilians killed because did not follow communism's way of thought.

A big puzzle-piece of the Vietnam War is largely unknown. It is the Massacre of the Duc Duc Refugee Village in the end of March 1971.
I served and lived (24/7) in the village, under the Marine Corps' Combined Action Program (CAP) and was on the last CAP Team in the village. We left in August 1970, about eight months before the communists burned the 2,000 home village to ashes. Having lived and served (24/7) in the village for five months, I personally feel that the Duc Duc Refugee Village was massacred, because the communists wanted to punish the peasants living there. The reason for this punishment was because for years, the peasants supported the Americans serving in the area. You can read some articles about the massacre at: TERRORISTS TURN 2,000 HOME VILLAGE INTO AN ASHTRAY

What makes this massacre a nice, Vietnam War puzzle-piece is its timing.

These are the two biggest news stories at the time of the Duc Duc Resettlement Village Massacre.

March 29 - William Calley is found guilty of 22 murders in My Lai massacre and sentenced to life in prison. He is later pardoned.

March 29 - A Los Angeles, California jury recommends the death penalty for Charles Manson and three female followers.

It was also the period, when John Kerry was appearing on television and radio news shows condemning American men and women, who were fighting for the freedom of the Vietnamese People. At the time, the American News Media was portraying America's military as village burners and much worse... (Under this cover, the village was massacred.)

The Massacre of the Duc Duc village was in the American evening news six (6) times. CBS, NBC and ABC each had it on twice. (It was never mentioned on evening news again.) In contrast, the My Lai massacre has been in the news hundreds of times over the years. (I have proof of this at: DUC DUC REFUGEE VILLAGE MASSACRE )

I'm hoping that the story of the Duc Duc Massacre gets picked up by today's American News Media. The massacre fits more today than any other day since the massacre...

I had many Vietnamese friends in the village. I want them remembered. And I want the Americans, who died trying to protect all Vietnamese, remembered.
Sincerely,
Jack Cunningham

---------------------

DUC DUC REFUGEE VILLAGE MASSACRE

CBC Evening News for Wednesday, Mar 31, 1971 - REPORTER: Walter Cronkite
Saigon announces North Vietnam attacked Duc Duc, South Vietnam, last Sunday; killed 200 civilians.

NBC Evening News for Wednesday, Mar 31, 1971 - REPORTER: Frank Mcgee
North Vietnam attacks Duc Duc, South Vietnam, killing or wounding over 200.

ABC Evening News for Wednesday, Mar 31, 1971 - REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
North Vietnam forces attack Duc Duc, South Vietnam, killing 100 civilians.
CBS Evening News for Friday, Apr 02, 1971 Headline: South Vietnam / Duc Duc
(Duc Duc, South Vietnam) Film shows destroyed village, civilians digging through rubble; 107 known dead, 135 evacuated for treatment; villagers feel South Vietnam didn't help enough to prevent North Vietnam attack.

[ Eyewritness to the attack: Major Franklin TRAPNELL - says heard news of Calley conviction at same time enemy killing civilians at Duc Duc; says this another My Lai perpetuated by enemy this time, with more killed for far less reason; hopes will have some impact on public.] US providing supplies to rebuild village.
REPORTER: Jeff Williams

[ProudCapMarine]

Originally Posted by ProudCapMarine

The War in Iraq compared to the War in Vietnam. Will history follow the same route...


"The Vietnam War was mis-reported by the Media, mis-recorded by the Historians, mis-taught in our schools and mis-applied in addressing policy decisions..." Viet Myths Conference

Stephen Sherman


1 0900-1045 26 Jul Keynote Address Denton (video)
2 1100-1245 26 Jul Hollywood and the Vietnam War Lanning
3 1330-1515 26 Jul Winter Soldier Investigation Swett
4 1530-1715 26 Jul The Real Vietnam Veteran Burkett
5 1800-2100 26 Jul From Vietnam to Iraq Sherman
6 0830-1015 27 Jul War Stories I – The View from the Field Sherman
7 1030-1215 27 Jul War Stories II – The View from HQ McLeroy et al
8 1315-1500 27 Jul The So-called “Anti-War” Movement Friedman
9 1515-1700 27 Jul PTSD, Agent Orange, and Race Hopewell/Spey
10 1800-2100 27 Jul Teach In -- 2004 Taylor
11 0830-1015 28 Jul The Aftermath in SE Asia Turner
12 1030-1215 28 Jul The Culpability of the Media Droge/Willey
13 1315-1500 28 Jul Teaching the Vietnam War Laurie et al
14 1515-1700 28 Jul POW/MIA issue – Fact, Fiction and Spin Bell/Veith
15 1800-2100 28 Jul The Vietnamese Point of View SE Asian Community
16 0830-1015 29 Jul The Legacy of the Vietnam War Lomperis
17 1030-1215 29 Jul The Myth of the Returning Warrior Sherman

Here's information about the Vietnam War from the Vietnamese-American committee.
NCVA - Some Vietnam War Issues Revisited: The Role Played by ARVN

[ProudCapMarine]

Originally Posted by ProudCapMarine

The War in Iraq compared to the War in Vietnam. Will history follow the same route...


"The Vietnam War was mis-reported by the Media, mis-recorded by the Historians, mis-taught in our schools and mis-applied in addressing policy decisions..." Viet Myths Conference

Stephen Sherman


1 0900-1045 26 Jul Keynote Address Denton (video)
2 1100-1245 26 Jul Hollywood and the Vietnam War Lanning
3 1330-1515 26 Jul Winter Soldier Investigation Swett
4 1530-1715 26 Jul The Real Vietnam Veteran Burkett
5 1800-2100 26 Jul From Vietnam to Iraq Sherman
6 0830-1015 27 Jul War Stories I – The View from the Field Sherman
7 1030-1215 27 Jul War Stories II – The View from HQ McLeroy et al
8 1315-1500 27 Jul The So-called “Anti-War” Movement Friedman
9 1515-1700 27 Jul PTSD, Agent Orange, and Race Hopewell/Spey
10 1800-2100 27 Jul Teach In -- 2004 Taylor
11 0830-1015 28 Jul The Aftermath in SE Asia Turner
12 1030-1215 28 Jul The Culpability of the Media Droge/Willey
13 1315-1500 28 Jul Teaching the Vietnam War Laurie et al
14 1515-1700 28 Jul POW/MIA issue – Fact, Fiction and Spin Bell/Veith
15 1800-2100 28 Jul The Vietnamese Point of View SE Asian Community
16 0830-1015 29 Jul The Legacy of the Vietnam War Lomperis
17 1030-1215 29 Jul The Myth of the Returning Warrior Sherman

By understanding the Vietnam of Today gives a great understanding why Americans were fighting for the freedoms of the Vietnamese People.

This is older information but still representative of
'events' under Hanoi's iron heel:

Reports on abuses of the Mennonite Six in Vietnam (broken link)