SwiftVets.com

mjanay · Ensign Joined: 20 Aug 2004 Posts: 51 Location: NY NY

on another forum I post, I got this response:

mtboone · Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 9:18 pm Post subject:

In 1969 the troop strength was at its highest, around 543,000, at the end of 1970 it was 334,000 and at the end of 1971 is was down to 155,000. All the US Navy boats, PBR and Swifts had been turned over to the South Vietnames. We were leaving VN when Kerry talked before the Commission in 1971. so he is not responsible for saving any lives. He may have endangered more by his actions. I know the POWs received some harsher treatment because of jfk.
_________________
Terry Boone PCF 90
Qui Nhon 68-69

Daniel J. Hutchison · Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 12:22 am Post subject: End of Vietnam War

In 1969 the draw down of troops had been started by President Nixon with an offer of early release from active duty for individuals extending 6 months (for a total of 18 months in country). For my part the army flight school classes were largest for those of us starting flight school in early 1969 and completing training in late 1969. After November of 1969 the army flight school class size was reduced sharply. By the end of 1970 this was changed to a release from active duty upon completion of 12 months in country. A large scale rift was avoided because many were glad to get back to work or school and did not want to sit around a state side post with little to do waiting for the rift. By July of 1971 many of the indivuduals in army flight school were out of teh South Vietnam Army.

As far a I am concerned the protests only contrubuted to the massive death toll after the take over of South Vietnam by the North and may have extended the US losses in the war as the North thought they could get a better deal because of the loss of the American commitment to defending South Vietnam. Henry Kissinger would be the only one who could tell exactly how much harder it was to end the war because of the damage done by Kerry and the other protesters.

SBD · Admiral Joined: 19 Aug 2004 Posts: 1022

ocsparky101 · Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 5:39 am Post subject:

General Giap was the Commander of the NVA troops in Vietnam. General Giap said in his memoirs that had it not been for the VVAW and Walter Cronkite that the NVA Army was ready to give up in 1968 after the Tet Offensive. The Tet offensive was a massive build up and attack by the NVA Army and the Viet Cong. There were many American Casulaties but they did not come near the casulaties of the enemy. In fact after the Tet Offinsive there was not much left of the Viet Cong in fighting the war. Walter Cronkite on his News Report on CBS stated that the Tet offinsive was evidence that we were losing in Vietnam. TRhe year before that is when the VVAW began their demonstrations on college campuses. So the bottom line is that as early as 1968 we could have been substantially out of Vietnam at least not have had the battles that occured after the tet offensive. In 1970 and 1971 alone when John Kerry was doing all his testifying and flag urinating and burning there were 6901 American Heros that died in Vietnam. I suppose that with the fact the in 1968 the war could have ended in Victory and surrender of the enemy the VVAW, John Kerry, Jane Fonda, and Walter Cronkite can and should take the responsibility of each and every heroes name on the "Wall".

Al_Hawaii · Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 6:22 am Post subject:

In Tet 68 the Viet Cong were destroyed. It was Cronkite that turned it around. Even in the early 70s the South still had the capability to win. We had left the South enough artillery to defeat anything the North did, but we didn't teach them how to fight against a conventional force. Ultimately it was a conventional force that overcame the South and murdered thousands of our allies. It was the protestors here in America that caused that. Kerry is one of those responsible!