If you read my first blog with this title posted in January 2019, you have some understanding how that controversial war divided and polarized our society into political camps that persist over five decades later. We suffer a form of national PTSD as a consequence of the confusion and myths that Vietnam engendered. Negative societal effects linger to this day, three and four generations later.
Half of our population was not born in the sixties and have little or no knowledge of that war other than documentaries, many with a slanted bias to fit a narrative, others present mere revisionist history. Numerous others who lived through the turbulent period, 1961 to 1975, do not recall the events leading to our military involvement in SE Asia, the “Domino Theory” or recall the troublesome vicissitudes and vagaries of wartime decisions and conduct that led to a prolonged conflict of attrition resulting in over 58,000 casualties. However, most remember our flawed exit strategy, unfortunately. We suffered a national humiliation never experienced before and endured a shame that fractured civil discourse and framed our mindsets for over the next haft century.
It did not have to be that way. It was never the military’s fault. They fought with serious restrictions imposed on them by three different administrations, two Democratic, one Republican. A strategy to win never materialized because politicians “knew more than the Generals”. Their leadership failed lour troops.
Only 610,000 vets of the 2.8 million who served in country still survive, a sobering statistic. Shocked to learn I was one of those lucky guys, I wrote over forty blogs last year, on the fiftieth anniversary of the ‘68 Tet offensive.
I’m trying to educate the public about the Vietnam War before I pass on with my comrades. Vietnam offered many lessons, learned and unlearned, that we must heed so as not to repeat our mistakes. Our involvement in the Middle East suggests we are slow learners or have a mental block. I consider it my obligation to pass on what I’ve learned so that present generations may avoid the mistakes and errors of omission and commission of my generation.
Like many fellow Vietnam vets, I puzzled over that war for over fifty years – a war won militarily despite politically self-imposed restrictions and contrary opinions. Ask any vet, most will say the politicians and the media lost the war. The Tet ’68 offensive by North Vietnam and Viet Cong was the turning point that reinforces my opinion.
As a USAF flight surgeon, I air evacuated wounded and body bags over there. To say that left a lasting impression would be euphemistic. Recently I researched the subject for five years, reading over three dozen documentaries and books by “authorities.” Most enlightening, I discovered CIA Intelligence Estimates from that era declassified in the early ‘80’s. That was an “eye opener.” For the most part, the CIA got it right, but LBJ’s administration ignored their input as I pointed out in my historical narrative, RECALL published over a year ago.
Looking back, how do we sort out all the controversies, misunderstandings, confusion, and the myths?
Of all of the books on the Vietnam War subject I’ve read, Barbara Tuchman’s The March of Folly- From Troy to Vietnam, published in 1982, comes as close as any definitive version to explain the Vietnam War. The historian’s documentary is long and detailed. I highly recommend it if you have the time. I intend to summarize her cogent observations in a series of blogs to foster better understanding of how we became involved, conducted the war, and exited in humiliation. I agree with most of her observations and conclusions. I think you will find it informative.
The author’s opening paragraph frames her discussion of a recurring theme, folly. She traces the history dating from the Trojan War’s “wooden horse” trick by the Greeks in 1250 BC to her analysis of Vietnam’s misadventures. The book’s title suggests Vietnam followed the theme as another political “folly.” Her introductory quote sets the tone for the book.
“A phenomenon noticeable throughout history regardless of place or periods is the pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interests. Mankind, it seems, makes poorer performance of government than any other human activity. In this sphere, wisdom, which may be defined as the exercise of judgment acting on experience, common sense, and available information, is less operative and more frustrated than it should be. Why do holders of high office so often act contrary to the way reason points and enlightened self-interest suggests? Why does intelligent mental process seem so often not to function?”
I’ll leave you with that challenging thought.
In the interest of keeping my blogs succinct, I’ll elaborate on her observations in a series of short blogs and add my comments based on my independent research to hopefully help you understand that troubling, mismanaged war.
I encourage you to follow along and learn something of value. I’m a retired professor of surgery. I’ll never stop learning and teaching. It’s my thing – Life is a continuing education course.
You are welcome to comment on my posts, if civil. You are entitled to your opinions, but not your facts. I strive to be objective and factual, but admit I’m subject to confirmation bias based on my military experience in Vietnam.
In the meantime, you’ll find a lot of background information posted in my other blogs.
Stay posted/ R.Lawson
The “national humiliation” and shame you note seems sorely mis-attributed to me. I would assign those judgments to our entry into the civil war in Vietnam, not our exit. We never should have been there in the first place. So most vets will say the politicians and media lost the war? That doesn’t mean it’s true. I thank you for the tremendous service you provided as a USAF Flight Surgeon. We may have even crossed paths as I traveled the evacuation route to an Army hospital ((249th) in Japan with multiple fragment wounds from a mortar round.
Joe – If you read my entire series of Vietnam war blogs, I think you will understand where I’m coming from and discover our views are not too far apart. I’m trying to present the big picture as I see it. It’s a complex subject. If you missed any they are here on my website: RLawsonAuthor.com. Also, I published a historical narrative, RECALL, that is full of facts about that war. In over forty blogs and my book I make the case mismanagement by our politicians lost the war, not our military. I back this claim up with factual data. I hope you will take time to read RECALL and my forty plus blogs and get back to me with your opinion. Bet I convince you. If you read the current series of blogs, The Vietnam War Revisited , I make the case we should not have gotten involved in a “civil war”, but the collective Cold War mindset dictated the”Domino Theory” threat/ We must defeat monolithic Communism i.e. generally accepted ‘group thought’ at that time. Hope you take the time and get back to me.
I didn’t take a mortar frag like you did, but I air evac’ed a lot of Purple Heart guys like you and have a good idea of what you went through. We flew wounded mostly to Clark, PI, but sometimes to Japan and Okinawa. What impressed me most about you fellows that there was no pissing and moaning. Just glad to be alive and going home. Tough guys . I salute you, man.
I’m also writing several books but from a different perspective. Both books are fiction but within their pages, my main character, a returned Vietnam veteran, experiences the social stereotype and prejudices that welcomed him home and follows him through much of his life. Many of his experiences are those I actually experienced myself.
John – Please let me know when you publish your book, I’ll read it. In my historical narrative RECALL, published last year, the Vietnam War and its aftermath in the States is viewed through the experiences of four pals who played HS football together in the Fifties and end up in Vietnam together a decade later. I think you’d enjoy their story. When they returned home they experienced the discrimination and abuse you refer to in your story line. I hope you find time to read RECALL.
You make an excellent analysis of the Vietnam War effort. Unfortunately, the new college age generation has little if any knowledge of that epic war in our history. Additionally, they exhibit minimal, if any, interest when you discuss it with them. The progressive university professors have filled their heads with a socialist propaganda and their main focus seems to be changing the USA into a pseudo progressive socialistic type of society. Little do they realize, because most of them don’t study history, that this will result in a failed system such as we have witnessed in countries such as Cuba, Venezuela and even some of the Scandinavian countries.
It is important, nevertheless, that people like you focus on our military and political failures and failed policies in the books you write. Perhaps at least some of the younger generation will develop enough interest and initiative to read these and learn from our historical mistakes. I have certainly taken the time to educate my children, grandchildren and others in these matters. Perhaps some of this will eventually sink in.
Jerry- Your comments are spot on. Santayana warmed us that if we do not learn the lessons of history we will be condemned to repeat them. I’ve researched the Vietnam War subject extensively and now am posting a series of blogs to educate the general public about the Vietnam War and its society effects on our Nation’s politics. I published a historical narrative last year, RECALL, giving my perspective on that decisive war. Many of those contentious issues persist today. I hope you continue to to read my current series of blogs- The Vietnam War Revisited based on my critique of Barbara Tuchman’s The Folly of War- From Troy to Vietnam and my personal research and experience in Vietnam. In case you missed them, I’ve posted over forty blogs last year addressing controversial issues about Vietnam .
Thank you for your comments, I wish more people would teach their kids history lessons.
Loadmaster on c123s 69-70. Looking forward to your analysis
Bob- My series on The Vietnam War Revisited will cover beginning to the end with attribution to historian, Barbara Tuchman ,plus my comments based on my research, over forty blogs on controversial subjects and my historical narrative, RECALL, published last year. Hope you follow along and comment.
You Loadmasters were incredible in how fast you could reconfigure an A/C . Never flew om a Provider. mostly 130’s, 135’s & 141’s
My understanding is that the North Vietnamese had made plans to continue the war effort through 1995, and that they were not expecting it to end in 1975. This is not to say that they were winning on the battlefield, nor does it imply that they had some sort of genius ability to make military strategy. It simply implies that they were determined to carry on the war until the United States finally decided to withdraw.
Eric- Agree with your comments. Ho chi Minh would fight til the last man. I make this case in my blogs and historical narrative, RECALL. l hope you continue to read them. We seem to ignore the lessons of history. It did not have to turn out the way it did. The war fractured the fabric of our society, the effects persisting three or four generations til this day.
Maybe the Generals knew but they didn’t share. My unit (2/1 Amored Cav) went by boat in August of 1967. Our first AO included the Mang Yang pass. We didn’t know the history of that area or of the Ia Drang not far away.
Jim- I think the Generals cared, but their advice from the field ignored or “filtered” so DC got their “desired message.” Politicians mismanaged the war by severely limiting the rules of engagement. I make this clear in my blogs and historical narrative, RECALL. My blogs are intended to educate the public since only half our population was alive during the Sixties and many others do not recall the facts.
My big brother served in Viet Nam in the 199th Light Infantry Battalion from Nov 69 til Nov 70. He never talked about his experiences when he returned. While over there his letters to me included “Stay in school, you don’t want any part of this”. The 199th was one of the Battalions that went into Cambodia from May 1 thru June 30 of 1970. After returning he experienced PTSD before they named it. He could not sleep and “patrolled” his neighborhood at night. He finally got help from the VA after 40 some years and over came the PTSD. The VA then put him in a group counselling with Agent Orange victims. In Nov 2015 exactly 45 years from returning he did what 22 other Veterans do per day. He was a great guy and missed by many family members and friends. Being the oldest in our family he was the “Family Protector” for the entire family. Really miss him each and every day. He had a big heart and other platoon members remember him most as the dog protector while over there as the Viet Namese would kill and eat dogs.
Richard- That is a heartrending story all too familiar unfortunately. We need to get our Vets all the help they need to prevent these tragedies. I hope you follow my series of blogs on the Vietnam War and read my historical narrative, RECALL. I think you will connect with the story. RLawsonAuthor.com has all the information you need and more blogs.God bless your family.