Looking Back: Was Vietnam "Worth It"?

Vietnam wouldn't have been a communist country if we hadn't sold out Ho Chi Mihn to restoring France's colonial empire right after WWII. That's what started us down that path.

 

And regarding the actual war, Vietnam was a lesson in why politicians should not be making decisions in regards to the daily execution of war. If politicians are going to be sending the military to war, give a clearly defined goal, set broad parameters, and then get out of the way and let the military commanders do their job and get it over with as soon as possible.

Rules like . . .
Don't shoot unless they shoot first. If an enemy is repositioning, don't watch and wait for them to shoot first, kill them when you can. If they surrender, take them prisoner.
Don't attack the enemy's greatest war fighting assets. The rules against bombing North Vietnam were just plain idiotic.
. . . just lead to a long drawn-out war.

Sending the US military to fight limited wars only leads to the military - rather than diplomatic - option being utilized more than necessary. Sending the military and then hamstringing them only leads to bigger problems in the long run. :angry:

 

Same mistakes as today. We can't even define what "victory" consists of, so how can we achieve it? No exit strategy. Stupid counterproductive posturing and rhetoric. Un-American attacks on those who protest. Suspension of civil rights. Same lying about enemy casualties. Same lying about pretense for war.

Deja Vu all over again. But the Bushies are too ignorant to see this, so they make the same mistakes over again. But WE pay, not those idiots.

 

Not worth it. make a poll

 

As I said in another thread, if you can't get almost unanimous support for a war you shouldn't be in it. War is SERIOUS business, and it should be obvious to virtually everyone why you're fighting and what you are fighting for. If it isn't, its the wrong war and the outcome won't be "worth it".

That was the case in Vietnam and its the case in Iraq. The internal strife alone makes it not worth it, nevermind the death, destruction, and political outfall in the aftermath.

For your consideration, I propose that the above is a general "truth" that warrants consideration regardless of your personal point of view. In other words, you may think that a particular war is/was a good idea, but if you can't get virtually everyone to agree with you, you are probably wrong.

 

I was too young to know what was going on during this war. I do not know how the politics played out during the war. I think that there was concern that if Vietnam became communist it would start a domino effect that could bring the whole world to communism and destroy our way of life.

I was in Vietnam 2 years ago. The people are very poor, but so is the rest of the region. I was very impressed with the Vietnamese. Many talked about the war but have seemed to move on. (they call it the American War)

They do not have the civil rights that we do. Many in this country seem willing to give up these rights for security. I felt safe in Vietnam but am not yet ready to give up my civil rights.

I arrived the day after a national election. The Viet Nam News (the national English language daily) had stories about the 99% voter turnout (including all 207 people left homeless by a fire on the night before the election). I thought it was funny though that no election results were given.

Interestingly it seems that capitalism is alive and well in the markets. Vietnam is also trying to market itself to the West.

I would like to see the people of Vietnam be given the rights that we enjoy here but I'm not sure it was worth all the lives lost on both sides. I believe that the Vietnamese people will eventually get these rights even without our interference.

In the end the USA didn't fall to the supposed domino effect.

 

hey, i got an idea: let's not fight any war, until enemy soldiers land upon our shores, and/or a missle nails some target within our borders.

 

I do believe that there is a time to fight for what I believe in. I believe that we have a right and a reponsibility to defend ourselves when attacked. I also believe that there are things worth fighting for.

However, I do not believe that we need to be the world police. Some countries don't acually want our way of life forced on them.

 

Was Vietnam worth it? The Simple Answer: No. <_<
Was/Is/Will Iraq be worth it? The Simple Answer: No. <_<

As someone who has a brother and several friends serving second and third tours in Iraq, you wouldn't believe the stuff I hear about that does not make the news...

 

very little was acomplished in the vietnam war. one thing that may have been averted was the amount of personal crimes that would have been commited by the north on the south would have been greater without the war... but only because there would have been more south vietnamese living since they would not have been killed by the millions in the war.

 

Truthfully, no one can answer this question with any sort of definitive yes or no. Maybe only with certain res ects(my keyboard is messed, but not within any large scale beyond. Had the Communists sim ly rolled on through, there is an almost infinite array of otential outcomes. I tend to think it was worth it, for at the very least, a message was sent to the Communists that they will not be una osed. This is one of those to ics you could write a two thousand age onion leaf tome on...

When looking at situations as such, remember, how the government o erates, is NOT all that different from the mob. There are are lots of showing of force, vengence, etc. etc. etc.

 

Conversely, I believe we do. No one is saying we should force our way of life u on them, while at the same time, you dont sit around and wait for those bent on destroying us heathens to develo wea ons\army that actually threaten us.

Do YOU want to live in the same neighborhood with a guy that hates you all, and s ends his time tinkering in his windowless basement, witthout kee ing an eye on him, and de ending u on your neighbors to do the same

i think a lot of eo le here fail to understand, com rehend, the view oint there are those out there, who would have no trouble destroying us the second we let our guard down. Do you really think you would be safe if all of a sudden there was no such thing as law enforcement in you town absolutely not, only a matter of time before someone tries to take advantage or kill you for any number of reasons. Contrary to what many libs believe there ARE folks out there for which NO reasoning is ossible. This is reality. heck, just read any one of the numerous olitical threads on this site, can ANYONE actually be reasoned with lololololol

 

Same approach to the "war or no war" question as to the death penalty issue.

I wouldn't ask or require anyone to do anything I wouldn't do myself. I think killing another person is the most dreadful thing you can require of someone. The act of killing can destroy a soul.

If I'm willing to personally flip the switch and execute someone, then yes, the death penalty should stand.

If I'd be willing to "place myself into harm's way", only then I can ask someone else to do that for me.

If I had been willing to fight in Vietnam, then it would have been right to send kids over there and expect them to kill someone and take the chance of being killed.

The Vietnam war happened while I was a young 'un but if I had been asked to fight I would have fled to Canada. I might have been willing to fight during WWII but perhaps not.

Can't say the Vietnam war, or any war, is worth the loss of a single life. War should be something that we're forced into. Certainly shouldn't be eagerly picked up and waved around like some party favor.

Wish all politicians would think the same way but we aren't careful enough when picking our leaders.

 

See, this is the issue I m talking about. There are those out there who would have no trouble, wouldnt even think twice, about killing you sim ly because you are an American.

We are damned if we do, damned if we dont. We dont want to force our way of life, yet at the same time, there is the very real issue they cant be reasoned with, and left of fester, suddenly theres this huge contingency we may someday not be able to control, hell bent on destroying our way of life.

unfortunately, this country has gotten so full of itself, we actually think we can solve all issues through sitting down and having a chat because we are oh so su erior, and when the time comes to get our hands dirty, eo le start screaming what a monster Bush is... Makes me wonder if we are not better off diving the country into two, that way, its more likely one contingency doesnt drag the other down the toilet, as i currently the case...

 

Yes I believe that we need law enforcement though I am not as pessamistic about human nature as you are.

The point is they are my communities police officers, placed by my community enforcing my communities laws. I would not care for it if another country came in and forced their ways on my community.

 

i guess the interesting question is would you be willing to bet your life on that theory....

it s two thousand and six, and genocide, senseless hate, senseless murder, is alive and well in the world. i wonder if it will ever lessen, increase, or stay the same.... hmmmmm

 

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As a firefighter/paramedic I have seen the worst of what man can do to one another. I have worked in the worst parts of my community and been placed in some "interesting" situations. But I can also tell you many stories of people that have come to the assistance of complete strangers. I actually believe that most people are good.

 

Thats an old onion leaf!

 

well, i guess then our core hiloso hies are a bit different. you o en the door to your house for strangers with a smile and friendly hello, and i do the same, with the exce tion of a .45 i m acking under my shirt!

:lol:

of course, as a side note, your ex erience is based u on life in the US i would imagine... not sure what it might be like on a global scale...