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Are you suggesting that the US government was right to indiscriminantly bomb a small nation halfway around the world for self-determining into a style of govern

Are you suggesting that the US government was right to indiscriminantly bomb a small nation halfway around the world for self-determining into a style of governance disliked by the US? Or are you suggesting the North Vietnamese were a tool of the Chinese or Russians? In which case - like Robert McNamara - you would be told by the former foreign minister of Vietnam that you should read a history book[0], because you have no knowledge of the region's history. The Vietnam war was a disgrace waged for no valid reasons, accomplishing nothing except ending the lives of millions of Vietnamese people. To defend it in this day, with all the benefit of hindsight, is utterly beyond the pale and should rightfully be compared to supporting other historical atrocities such as the genocide of Native Americans. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHdMeHxDg90&t=2m8s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHdMeHxDg90&t=2m8s

mc32 7y ago
I suggest you talk to members of the first generation of the Vietnamese diaspora living in the US and see what they think about the war. No war however done is good to have. Some wars are necessary and come with great loss. It’s unavoidable. There were many mistakes in Vietnam-the whole war, but it wasn’t pointless. The middle eastern wars we went into are pointless. Those are local conflicts and we should let them settle their own scores. The Vietnam war was more than about Vietnam. Kennedy knew that.
- ahelwer 7y ago
  Thankfully I live in Seattle, so there are quite a few Vietnamese people. Generally once you get to know them they'll open up about how the war was (to repeat) a disgrace waged for no valid reasons, accomplishing nothing except ending the lives of millions of Vietnamese people. Of course, if some random American comes up to them demanding their thoughts on the Vietnam war they might have a different answer. You should consider re-examining your belief in domino theory.
  - ioufjiosufisd 7y ago
    The largest Vietnamese communities in America (i.e. in Southern and Northen California) still universally fly the South Vietnam flag. You can often see this flag flown with the American flag.
ioufjiosufisd 7y ago
Using your argument, how exactly do you know better than the Vietnamese in the South (minus the Viet Cong) who wanted the US's help to combat the North's aggression? They literally fought alongside the US.
- dondawest 7y ago
  Why do you assume that the aforementioned “small nation halfway around the world indiscriminately bombed by the US government” is Vietnam and not Cambodia? Do you think the US was right to carpet-bomb Cambodia?
- ahelwer 7y ago
  It was a civil war, they weren't going to turn down military assistance.

mc32 7y ago

I suggest you talk to members of the first generation of the Vietnamese diaspora living in the US and see what they think about the war. No war however done is good to have. Some wars are necessary and come with great loss. It’s unavoidable. There were many mistakes in Vietnam-the whole war, but it wasn’t pointless. The middle eastern wars we went into are pointless. Those are local conflicts and we should let them settle their own scores. The Vietnam war was more than about Vietnam. Kennedy knew that.

ahelwer 7y ago
Thankfully I live in Seattle, so there are quite a few Vietnamese people. Generally once you get to know them they'll open up about how the war was (to repeat) a disgrace waged for no valid reasons, accomplishing nothing except ending the lives of millions of Vietnamese people. Of course, if some random American comes up to them demanding their thoughts on the Vietnam war they might have a different answer. You should consider re-examining your belief in domino theory.
- ioufjiosufisd 7y ago
  The largest Vietnamese communities in America (i.e. in Southern and Northen California) still universally fly the South Vietnam flag. You can often see this flag flown with the American flag.

ioufjiosufisd 7y ago

Using your argument, how exactly do you know better than the Vietnamese in the South (minus the Viet Cong) who wanted the US's help to combat the North's aggression? They literally fought alongside the US.

dondawest 7y ago
Why do you assume that the aforementioned “small nation halfway around the world indiscriminately bombed by the US government” is Vietnam and not Cambodia? Do you think the US was right to carpet-bomb Cambodia?
ahelwer 7y ago
It was a civil war, they weren't going to turn down military assistance.