The War in Vietnam

Purely personal. ( and from a European standpoint)

It was a prime example of why you should keep your nose out of other countries business. It cost over 100,000 allied lives and ruined so many more. In total over a million died and for what?

The old man I used to care for suffered PTSD all his life because of this conflict and he got zero help. I know many other veterans suffered the same way because once the leaders realised the total F..Mess they had made of it they tried to sweep it under the carpet and hide the damage it had done. Vets got no sympathy from the public because most ordinary men and women didnt support the war in the first place.



Was it worth it? IMO No.. The war failed in its efforts to stop communism and communism is not the worst thing in the world.  Vietnam itself is thriving we have a group of students each year who study here in Leeuwarden and I have been told its because they see our country as safe compared to the US..

So much for being the country's saviour!

I think it should be taught but only if the teachers are allowed to tell the vile whole disgusting truth and not some sanitised Saving private Ryan BS Hollywood version..

You are right , but there is no point being informed unless it's truthfully delivered and we have to learn...

So far that has been the problem and just like Vietnam the west still thinks it knows best and wants to charge in and ' save' the situation. But just like Vietnam that is not always in the best interests of the people on the ground.

I am surprised no usaers have entered this discussion?

Maybe because everybody already moved on, even Vietnam   Vietnam is now considered a lower middle-income country and flourishing more and more albeit being a socialist republic led under a Communist party. 

You want further discussion? Here's my piece: The sad thing, and what infuriates me, really,  is that the UN or those members of it that opposed the war did nothing to stop any of US (and its allies)/ NATO's illegal intervention or war against many countries. Vietnam, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Vietnam: fixed itself post war with the help of its neighbours (ASEAN).

Kosovo: still rebuilding its nation and currently with looming strife against Serbia.

Iraq: Mesopotamia. The cradle of civilisation. Oh, we know this. We all know this. Should I elaborate? I rather not. I won't stop if I start. But look at what the country is now. Broken. Broken. Broken. 

Afghanistan: Well, is there anything new here? Looks like a new Vietnam, isn't it? Invaded then left in tattered state. I don't know how it is going to recover. It is politically and geographically isolated. This country was already poor in all aspects pre-invasion. Invasion exacerbated its situation. They're in misery now. 

Going back to Vietnam, shall we? Has the colonialist and its ally publicly apologised for their actions? Let me know if there is any from the highest leader of the country who did. I'm dying to know. At least leaders from Japan and Germany apologised for their imperialism/colonialism. Bah, even Tony Blair was unapologetic in the UK part of invasion of Iraq. Nothing new really.

I am biting the bullet but here it is, my piece. 

My father is a Vietnam veteran.  He was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.  As many war vets, he never talked in detail about his time/experience there...only generalities.  They were the same generalities I've heard others talk about.  The returning soldiers were spat on and called baby killers, yet it was the VC who used children as soldiers/weapons.  It was either kill or be killed.  That is probably the worst dilemma anyone can face.

That's really terrible Crystal, I am sorry to hear that.  I hope your Dad is enjoying his life now.

Interesting, and it reminded me of a night out I had many years ago while I was dating my ex.

The night was made up of me, the ex, my fil, my ex's boss as he was scots, and my dad.

There were three perspectives on WWII.

My dad, and my ex's boss both were in the navy, and came under heavy fire.

Mine, which was purely from history books, or tv.

My fil's. He was a young boy during wwII, so he took in all the propaganda, and found it all very exciting.

The three completely different pov's were quite something.

I believe you are talking about South Korea, Taiwan and Japan. It's a both ways street, they are exploiting the cheap labor just when the Vietnamese need to boost employment and bring in more currency. I will not call that " help". These countries first exploited Taiwan, then China, then Thailand and now VN.

I am amazed that you have more knowledge about this country than most people. Most people only think about the war, but you do look into the economy as well. 

I have an elderly rather unfit patient who is a keen globetrotter. She says her favourite is always Vietnam, and that's despite her finding the heat oppressive, and the humidity unbearable.

I left when I was 8 and did not come back until 2004, for three days. My husband has been wanting to go there, I promise him " one of these days".

My BIL ( younger sister's husband) is there every two months, he is leveraging the engineering work force there for greater profit for his business He told my sister last week that he was thinking about buying a condo in Phu Quoc, a resort town so called Venice want to be. She was so mad, I told her to ask him if that would be for his mistress since she probably will only be  there a week every three to four years.

If I did go to Vietnam, I'd stick with an organized tourist group. I would NOT go backpacking on my lonesome. No: I would travel to the country with a tour group and stick to the tourist trails.

Travelling alone can be dangerous and I will never risk it.