SwiftVets.com

[jalexson]

The presidential candidacy of Sen. John Kerry has resulted in occasional repetition of the myth that “Vietnam is the only war that American lost.” Those who repeat this myth either don’t understand what the word “lost” means or are unfamiliar with the history of Vietnam.

Four wars were fought in Vietnam in the mid-20th Century.

The first was World War II. In this war the Japanese forced the French to give up control of their Vietnam colony. This war ended outside Vietnam with the surrender of Japan that ended the war.

The second war was an attempt by France to regain control of its former Vietnam colony. Two groups opposed French efforts to treat Vietnam as a colony. A loosely knit group nominally had the Vietnamese emperor Bao Dai as a leader. Ho Chi Minh tightly controlled the other group and formed an army called the Viet Minh to fight French troops. The Bao Dai group allied itself with the French in the fighting, but wanted the French to eventually leave.

The second war ended in 1954 with the French agreeing to leave and the two groups agreeing to divide the country along the 17th parallel. The Ho Chi Minh group was given control of the northern area with a capital in Hanoi. Ngo Dinh Diem became the leader of the southern government with a capital in Saigon.

The third war began gradually after Ho Chi Minh had General Vo Nguyen Giap begin a guerrilla war in the south. The increasingly repressive nature of the Diem regime helped these guerrillas, the Viet Cong, gain support. The United States entered this war gradually beginning with a small number of advisors, including a Captain Colin Powell. After the overthrow of the Diem regime, which had been okayed by President John F. Kennedy, the situation rapidly deteriorated with a series of coups.

President Lyndon Johnson felt the instability that followed required the introduction of U.S. ground combat forces. The conflict then escalated into a full scale war. Over 500,000 American troops were in Vietnam when President Richard Nixon began withdrawing them in late 1969. By this time regular North Vietnamese army units were also operating in South Vietnam. The South Vietnamese army gradually took over the fighting from American troops.

This third war ended in January, 1973, with a peace agreement signed by the United States, the Republic of Vietnam(south), the Viet Cong/National Liberation Front and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam(north). This agreement left the Republic of Vietnam in power and in control of the southern half. Both sides pledged to abide by the agreement.

Considering that the United States had entered the conflict to prevent the northern conquest of South Vietnam, the agreement meant that the United States won the war. The United States had never stated a goal of changing the government of North Vietnam. The United States accomplished the only thing it attempted to do which should qualify as a victory. North Vietnam had failed to accomplish its goal of gaining control of the south. Thus North Vietnam obviously could not have won the war.

Two years later the fourth Vietnam war began with a full scale North Vietnamese invasion of the south. The United States did not become involved in this conflict which meant that the United States could not have won or lost the fourth war. The war was fought exclusively between the north and south Vietnamese governments and could only have been won or lost by them. The South’s reliance on generals who held their positions because of political influence rather than military ability made it relatively easy for the North Vietnamese army to conquer the south.

Perhaps the United States could have changed the outcome by entering the war, but it did not. Perhaps the United States in the 1940's could have prevented a communist takeover of China, but the United States didn’t enter that war either. If the United States “lost the Vietnam War” because the North Vietnamese army defeated our ally, then the United States must also have “lost the China War” because our ally was defeated there.

If the United States can be said to have “lost the war” because a subsequent war resulted in conquest of South Vietnam, then the United States must also have “lost World War II” because some of the European countries we had sought to free from foreign control were subsequently conquered by Germany’s former ally the Soviet Union.

In baseball, a pitcher who leaves the game with his team in the lead cannot be charged with the loss if the other team takes the lead and wins the game in later innings. The same rule should apply to war. A nation cannot lose, or win, a war it doesn’t participate in.

This essay may be reprinted on other web sites provided I(Jalexson) am listed as author, it is noted that it was originally published at
http://www.mediard.com
and a link is included to my web site:

http://reasonmclucus.tripod.com/US1RVN.html

Or you might want to just provide the link.
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"That awful power, the public opinion of a nation, is created in America by a horde of ignorant, self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditching and shoe making and fetched up in journalism on their way to the poor house."
-- Mark Twain

[Doc Jerry]

Great piece Jal. In addition, it was scum like Ted "swim for your life; hell with the gal" Kennedy who withheld critical funds so the South could get the supplies they needed to defeat the North.

[Morto]

Thanks Jal,

For 35 years the useless fools convinced me we lost. You've made my day.

A really interesting and historically accurate perspective on the Vietnam war that the press and left wing academics and historians keep telling the world that we lost. I'll think I'll adopt this as my response to the fools that said we lost. It is exactly what happened. We also won the first Gulf War in 100 hours which led to a truce just as in Nam. Now we've had to go back and win it again. If the American people and their Congress had been behind us in '75 we would have gone back an won that one again too; at least I would have!

In memory of our fallen brothers and with total gratitude to us and our surviving brothers. Reflect today on the positive contribution we made to peace and pray that Americans have the courage again to do what we did 35 years ago. God Bless you my Brothers.

Now for another glass of American (not French) wine!
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"History tells us that appeasement does not lead to peace. It invites an aggressor to test the will of a nation unprepared to meet that test." --Ronald Reagan

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

The shame of that war was never the soldiers' shame. The war began with a noble purpose and those men and women went off and did what their country asked them to do.

The shame belonged to the politicians who wanted to micromanage every bombing run from Washington, D.C., instead of listening to our military leaders.

The shame belonged to the managers who tied the hands of the military and set it up with unreasonable conditions and rules.

The shame belonged to "we, the people" - who listened to the KGB anti-war propaganda and believed eventually that it was an unwinnable war - and lost the will to try.

The shame belonged to those who treated our soldiers as if the "failure" was theirs.

But the soldiers - those who actually had cause for shame were few and far between.

Lt. Calley was one of the most notable.

LT Kerry was another.
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~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[Morto]

Echo Juliet,

The problem is that the press is doing the same thing to America right now. Fortunately, as far as I can determine, the administration is not trying to micromanage this war. It's just not Bush's style and Rummie is experienced enough not to.

My frustration is that the American people are being propagandized by the effete elite media into voting for a pacifistic liberal wearing "war hero" clothes who will sell our future for a bottle of French wine and a few more votes.

I really fear for America and western culture. This reminds me of everthing I've read of the "Chamberlain Years" in the mid-30's. The only thing thing that's different now is that it's not just Hitler and Tojo--it's the puritanical wing of the world's second largest religion. I pray a lot these days and I don't even believe in organized religion!

Morto
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"History tells us that appeasement does not lead to peace. It invites an aggressor to test the will of a nation unprepared to meet that test." --Ronald Reagan

[LewWaters]

Please note also, the ardent opposers to the war, the ones defending the poor Vietnamese women and children that were be slaughtered by the droves on daily basis, went strangely silent after America's involvement ended and they knew they wouldn't be called upon to go, even though the war lasted another two years.

Where were the all protests during that 2 year period?

[Greenhat]

They were also strangely silent in the 5 years after the fall of Saigon while the Vietnamese Government and its proxies killed millions in SE Asia in acts of wholesale genocide.
It isn't the protestors who have helped relocate the Dega people, numerous Khymer and Vietnamese. It has been (and continues to be) those who made commitments and stuck to them, despite the actions of the US Congress.
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De Oppresso Liber

[keefer fm MD]

The press and the left are creating another Vietnam right now--in Iraq. I find it reprehensible that this conflict and Vietnam can be compared; they are two different wars. From what I can remember of the Vietnam war--I was 13 years old in 1969--we were handed so much ******** by the press and by the left that we were convinced that we were losing. I know better, having grown up, joined the military, and researched the Vietnam War.

And now they're trying to do the same in the Middle East. I don't think it's gonna work, but there are plenty of mind-numb people in the U.S. who believe anything Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, and the New York Times says. What in the hell does this country--well, some of this country--have against defeating evil people?

BTW: I hope I'm welcome in this blog; while I'm not a Vietnam vet, I did serve in the USAF for 20 years, 1976-1996. I don't wish to intrude, but I feel I could learn a lot from some of you, and I always appreciate being around veterans, especially those who've faced real hardships while serving. Thanks.
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Any day above ground is a good day...

[Morto]

[jalexson]

[War Dog]

jalexson, an excellent essy, and one that brings forth much thought on this subject!

Bravo!

Woof!
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"When people are in trouble, they call the cops.

When cops need help, they call the K-9 unit."

[keefer fm MD]

Ditto War Dog's comments, excellent essay. If only more people, especially uninformed civilians that the left preys on, understood what the mission entailed.

Uninformed Americans are impatient; they expect results. War produces results, but progress takes time. I think, with the planned 30 June transfer of power, we're making rapid progress. That is, if all goes relatively smoothly.

At least President Bush doesn't sugarcoat the process; he said to expect more violence. I think our guys can handle it. God bless all who paid the ultimate price to bring freedom to strangers; and God bless all veterans.
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Any day above ground is a good day...

[Hueygunner]

Many Americans only remember the fall of Saigon. The tragic photos of desperate Vietnamese fighting to get aboard a departing Huey helicopter is stuck in America's collective memory.

I vividly recall the news footage of a helicopter being pushed overboard because the ship was too crowded. Being a doorgunner, that was unthinkable because I loved my Huey like it was my own. After watching South Vietnam fall, I went into a depression that lasted at least two weeks.

I read the Paris Peace Accords of 1973. The U.S. promised to come to the aid of South Vietnam if attacked and North Vietnam promised not to attack South Vietnam. So much for the promises of politicians.

[LewWaters]

Huey, I was still in and sitting in Ft. Bragg, all packed with the rest of the unit, waiting on the order that never came. Sort of made me feel as if everything we did over there was a total waste.
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Clark County Conservative

[searcher]

Paris Peace Accords 1973

http://www.aiipowmia.com/sea/ppa1973.html

1954 Geneva Conference

http://vassun.vassar.edu/~robrigha/
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Steve.