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WWII had more casualties, and it had a higher draft enlistment rate. In fact, Vietnam had a higher share of voluntary enlistment.
The reason for the Vietnam anomaly was that in order to maintain a constant stream of manpower for General Marshall and Admiral King volunteers were not accepted after 1942, everybody was a drafted. Still the Normandy and hedgerow campaigns lost more manpower than expected so you had the widespread moving of men from other branches like, the clerk turned tank gunner in the movie Fury a couple of years ago, air defense units with the Luftwaffe smashed, Army Air Corp engineering battalions and men in educational deferment programs into the combat arms by the time of the Battle Of The Bulge
This is the first (and probably) the last time that Cape Cod Todd and I agree on something.
My stepgrandfather served in the Korean war . He passed away about 20 years ago. I regret not asking him more about his time over there.
Fewer American casualties in Korea than in Vietnam. Also, the war was over in three years. Vietnam dragged on for years. So there was no huge public protest over the war like there was over Vietnam. So for these reasons the Korean War seems to fly under the radar a bit.
Not huge protest, but President Truman left office much like President W. Bush would leave after Iraq. It was only much later with the one man show about him did his historical record shift from the immediate post Korean War political record.
We had it in WW2 because we were fighting for our national survival.
The Vietnam War had absolutely NOTHING to do with our survival as a nation. The United States will always win wars that are justified based on our national survival. We’ll always lose wars that are attempts to impose unwanted hegemony and imperialism on another nation or region. It’s why we can’t win in Iraq or Afghanistan and won’t win in Iran if we try the same crap there.
It’s why the United States needed a draft for Vietnam, but had lines around the block trying to sign up for WW2.
We will never win a bad war. We aren’t cut out for it.
Only in 1942, volunteers were not accepted later to insure a constant stream of manpower and not a big hit with enlistments running out as happened in previous American wars.
Only in 1942, volunteers were not accepted later to insure a constant stream of manpower and not a big hit with enlistments running out as happened in previous American wars.
Yep. The Army was facing a manpower shortage as volunteers preferred to enlist in the Army Air Force, Marines and Navy. And during Vietnam volunteers were in such short supply even the Navy accepted draftees.
WW II is called the "Good War" for reasons which need no elaboration. What takes some of the glow from the war is the fact that the world was reluctant to do anything about Hitler and Tojo until literally forced into action. And that was after "dispensable" countries such as Czechoslovakia, Austria and China either bit the dust or lost measurable territory. As for atrocities, Kristallnacht and the Rape of Nanking are examples of brutality that were well-known. See coverage in November 11, 1938 New York Times of Kristallnacht (link) and in December 19, 1937 Times of Nanking (link). Even when Poland was attacked, Western involvement was nominal. It was only after the total conquest of Norway, Denmark, the Netherland, Belgium and France, and the near-death experience of Great Britain did the West get serious.
Even when Poland was attacked, Western involvement was nominal. It was only after the total conquest of Norway, Denmark, the Netherland, Belgium and France, and the near-death experience of Great Britain did the West get serious.
This line is all I needed to realize that you know absolutely nothing about WWII.
Literally none of this is true. Nor most of the rest of your post for that matter.
WW II is called the "Good War" for reasons which need no elaboration. What takes some of the glow from the war is the fact that the world was reluctant to do anything about Hitler and Tojo until literally forced into action. And that was after "dispensable" countries such as Czechoslovakia, Austria and China either bit the dust or lost measurable territory. As for atrocities, Kristallnacht and the Rape of Nanking are examples of brutality that were well-known. See coverage in November 11, 1938 New York Times of Kristallnacht (link) and in December 19, 1937 Times of Nanking (link). Even when Poland was attacked, Western involvement was nominal. It was only after the total conquest of Norway, Denmark, the Netherland, Belgium and France, and the near-death experience of Great Britain did the West get serious.
The pacific front was a war of dominance for control of the pacific, and the US and Japan were headed down that path long before WW2.
They are all meatgrinders, none should be romanticized.
Can't agree more.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Winterfall8324
The pacific front was a war of dominance for control of the pacific, and the US and Japan were headed down that path long before WW2.
Exactly. Every major power in WWII was an imperialist power with the same basic objectives. There were no good guys. Nations do whatever is their national-interests. Nations do not have morality. They don't recognize good or evil as concepts, except insofar as they can use them to justify their actions.
Do Americans have any idea how and why Hawaii became a state? Do Americans have any understanding of how we "acquired" any of this vast continent? And if we bought it from someone else, where did they get it from? And on what conditions was it sold?
Do people have any idea why the United States fought the Spanish-American war? Or the Philippine-American war? Or any war really?
This collective-delusion about what America is, and why America does what it does, I don't know if I should blame it on the American education system, or just the fact that most Americans are literal blithering imbeciles. But I get tired of arguing with people who don't know anything, but who insist on giving me their idiotic opinions. And then for the other idiots to agree with them to the point that I feel constantly and vastly outnumbered
Dunning-Kruger effect is in full-swing in this thread.
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