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 […]
The Vietnam War Revisited- Part IX – JFK’s Dilemma
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 […]
The Vietnam War Revisited- Part VIII – Backing a Losing Horse?
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 […]
The Vietnam War Revisited- Part VII – A War of Attrition
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 […]
Vietnam War Revisited – Part VI – Ignoring Expert Advice
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 […]
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part V -What If’s
Stalin died in March of 1953 opening a path to international settlement of war in Indochina at the Geneva conference in 1954. The new Russian premier, Malenkov, proposed “peaceful coexistence,” lessening Cold War tensions temporarily. But the Korean armistice freed Chinese troops to aid the Viet Minh in Vietnam, raising another serious concern to Eisenhower […]
