U.S. foreign policy Archives - R. Lawson Author

America’s Longest War Over – Really?

R Lawson — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 21:15:17 +0000

This post was originally written in early September 2021, but I am now just getting a chance to post it. Newspapers’ headlines triumph fully paraded that announcement in large, bold letters last week at the top of the front page. However, our enemy, radical Islamic terrorism, has a vote in that boastful declaration. The war […]

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Kabul 2021 -A Saigon 1975 Redux?

R Lawson — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 21:07:45 +0000

Any surviving Vietnam veteran must be experiencing flashbacks of the hurried rooftop evacuations in Saigon as the North Vietnamese stormed that capitol city in 1975. Having served as USAF flight surgeon flying air evac’s in South Vietnam in the mid ‘60’s, I quickly saw the parallel, the significance of failed policy and strategic planning for […]

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The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XXVIII – The Ten Thousand Day War

R Lawson — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 22:51:58 +0000

The Vietnam War polarized American politics for many reasons, some warranted, others not. The rancor has persisted for three generations among the diehards, revisionist historians, and the actual veteran survivors. The conflict was poorly understood and reported back then and now. There was plenty of blame to go around including the lack of accurate accounts by the media. […]

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The Vietnam War Revisited- Part XII – Why Revisit?

R Lawson — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 17:00:47 +0000

A close friend, a Vietnam combat veteran, asked me why I was taking the time to “revisit” such a controversial war, one that divided our nation politically? Why spend time writing blogs about it? Why not just move on? Get it behind us? That reminded me of Richard M. Nixon’s famous quote. One thing he […]

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The Vietnam War Revisited- Part XI – Two Earthshaking Events

R Lawson — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 17:00:23 +0000

1963 – A pivotal year hallmarked by two earthshaking events affecting the outcome of the Vietnam War. Diem never enjoyed a popular mandate to govern South Vietnam. That background set the stage for the first event. The CIA operative, Edward Lansdale propped up his rule thoughout most of the Fifties. Diem’s presidency favored Catholics, not […]

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The Vietnam War Revisited- Part X – No Easy Answers

R Lawson — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 17:00:02 +0000

In my last blog I recounted JFK’s Vietnam dilemma in 1962 – How to get out of Vietnam without jeopardizing his chances of re-election one and a half years away? His options were limited to “fish or cut bait.” Buoyed by his confrontational victory over USSR’s Khrushchev in the Cuban missile crisis, his administration’s prestige […]

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The Vietnam War Revisited- Part IX – JFK’s Dilemma

R Lawson — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 19:29:30 +0000

In case you missed any of the previous blogs, here they are:The Vietnam War RevisitedThe Vietnam War Revisited – Part II – It Did Not Have to Be That WayThe Vietnam War Revisited – Part III – Misgovernment The Vietnam War Revisited – Part IV – Was It Worth It?The Vietnam War Revisited – Part […]

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The Vietnam War Revisited- Part VIII – Backing a Losing Horse?

R Lawson — Sun, 21 Jul 2019 22:09:54 +0000

In my last blog I discussed JFK’s decision to become involved militarily in South Vietnam in 1961. With attribution to noted historian, Barbara Tuchman and my historical narrative, RECALL, I pointed out the two traps his administration fell into- Quests to defeat the Soviet proclamation and support for “wars of liberation” in Algeria, Cuba, and […]

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The Vietnam War Revisited- Part VII – A War of Attrition

R Lawson — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 22:16:58 +0000

If you read my prior blogs addressing this subject you will understand where I’m going with my discussion of Barbara Tuchman’s analysis of the Vietnam War. My last blog in the series outlined the background leading up to the Vietnam War. This blog picks up as Kennedy takes office. Kennedy’s mindset was moving closer to […]

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Vietnam War Revisited – Part VI – Ignoring Expert Advice

R Lawson — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 14:36:57 +0000

In my last blog, I summarized the background leading up to American involvement in Vietnam despite serious warnings and reservations by the CIA and the military. In 1954, the South Vietnam political situation under the Diem government was best described as chaotic, lacking loyal and effective support. Commitment to the fight of communism was not […]

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