"Societal viability includes, at a minimum, being able to survive one's enemies." By that measure, fine, yes, the US strategy in Vietnam failed, and it was bas

"Societal viability includes, at a minimum, being able to survive one's enemies." By that measure, fine, yes, the US strategy in Vietnam failed, and it was basically due to the fact they left. It had nothing to do with 'bad measures' like 'body count' and nothing to do with military failures or ventures. The misleading metric of 'body count' really didn't change the fact that the US wiped out the VC and destroyed most of the North's ability to fight. Militarily it was a definitive victory for the US. And then the US bailed and it fell apart. Let's not confuse the fact it was a terrible and ugly war, with way too many civilian casualties with things like 'bad measures'. The 'bad measures' of 'body count' did not create an existential problem for the US strategy, really.