How come we lost Vietnam when I was told we were winning?

Question

In 1969 I was told by my Government we will win in Vietnam and we will taste victory. Well We ran like scared dogs in April of 1975 so why did the USA Government tell me we would win? I had to eat crow and suck shame.

Answer 1

I was in Vietnam, but almost 9 years prior to the fall!

We had North Korea on it's knees in Hanoi when Nixon stopped the bombing and went into negotiations in Paris!

Who stopped the war were probably the students, especially the 4 killed by the National Guard at Kent State. In addition, it was pretty common knowledge that the Tonkin incident happened because we were there, illegally, involved militarily in the war that we had committed no combat troops! LBJ used a lie regarding the incident to get the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed and combat troops committed!

We lost because that was the platform the Republicans ran on! And Tricky Dickey was having enough issues here with Watergate!

Well, we did lose battles, though insignificant. We never lost a major battle, including Tet!

John, it was the REPUBLICANS PLATFORM to end the war, and it was a REPUBLICAN that ended it, Richard Milhouse Nixon! It was also the REPUBLICANS who had the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution rescended because they didn't want there names on it!

Answer 2

I can't believe all this talk about running, quiting, losing, winning and just plain "What?" Man, what are you all smoking? Do all of you learn about the government and the military on computer games?
For **** sake, The United States Government is responsible for killing over a million Vietnamese. That is not a trip to MacDonald's or a quick game of strategy. That was real men woman and children. And just why did we murder these people?

When the US was finally convinced to leave Vietnam, the world did not end. Communism did not spread all over the world and finally take over America. We have not been attacked by communism, so what was the Vietnam War all about?

Why did tens of thousands of American troops suffer the wounds of war because of Vietnam? Why did 60 thousand American Troops die in Vietnam? When you can answer these questions than you have your answer to why we lost that war.

But, let me make it clear for you. We lost because the Vietnamese were tougher and smarter and better people than we were. They were willing to die for their Country. Americans where not fighting for their Country. America was not being attacked. (Period) What is so hard to understand?

Answer 3

Khe San, 1968, we fought are asses off, We kicked the hell out of them, We didn't lose the War over there, we lost it at home thanks to the press and people like Jane Fonda, Just like they want you to believe we are losing the war in Iraq, we are not losing but the liberal press wants you to believe that.And by the way. WE (the Marines that were there) did not run like scared dogs! How do I know you might ask, I was there.MGSGT Woodall USMC(retired) You had to eat crow and suck shame? Oh poor you! How do you think we felt when we came back to the "World". I can tell you have never been in the military by the ignorance of your question. But I'm sorry you had it so tough.

Answer 4

Wasn't alive then but from what I have read and seen on T.V. you weren't allowed to win! Like I have have said wasn't alive then but I know we had the military power to win that war. All politics, didn't want to piss off the Russians or Chinese, afraid they would enter the war. I feel sorry for the vets of the vietnamese war, know we could have won it!!!! Don't hang your head, if your a vet, in my eyes you guys won that war, your government let you down!! And just so you know I am about as patriotic as you can get! Not somebody who thinks war is inevitable, you guys were sent there to stop the spread of communism, where is communism today? DYEING, just like Castro!

Answer 5

Americans combatants in Vietnam need feel no shame whatsoever - soldiers cannot question orders of their government - they just have to obey. There is honor, character in people who serve the nation. My admiration and respect goes to all the armed forces of the United States of America - not the ones who run to Canada and elswhere to escape the draft - shirking responsibility when the country needs them is cowardism. I also cannot respect the Hanoi Janes in America - they should be ashamed of themselves.

I'm not an American

Answer 6

because the anti war left caused such ab uproar in the streets,it gave hope,and aid and comfort to the enemy.and after we left in 1975 the communists not only took over vietnam,but all of s e asia,and in the next 18 months slaughtered 3 1/2-4 million people.good thing those libs got their way.

Answer 7

We did not loose..America has never lost a war..

America started out by just aiding S. Nam (Giving them Weapons and Supplies), but then things started to escalate and we started getting pulled into a war that we didnt want to enter..

We NEVER lost a SINGLE battle in Nam, and for every 1 American that died, 20 Communist died, If you go through a war not loosing a battle and killing 20 times as many enemies than your troops i concider that a great victory..

The ONLY reason we left is because the Democrats (Using the Media) made it looks like we were loosing very badly. Even though it wasnt our fight we were still kicking @ss and wouldnt and left if it wasnt for the Democrats brainwashing American Citizens into thinking that we were getting slaughtered. W/ It not being our fight and w/ most of America thinking we were loosing, we pulled out of a war that we never wanted to be appart of in the first place..

Does killing 20x more men than your loosing, and never loosing a battle and ONLY having to leave because your country doesnt think its their fight sound like a loss to you? It doesnt to me

Answer 8

The war ended in 75 when the US congress would not allow troops to return becuse the North Vietnamese lied .

Answer 9

Politics.

Answer 10

because you were lied to, and the war you were fighting lacked any true moral authority on the part of the US.

the fact of the matter, in my opinion is that US wars are fought not so much to "win" per se - but to drive your economy and bolster your economic interests.. boots (ie infantry grunts) are expendable..meanwhile Macdoanld Dettweiler, Boeing and the assorted "players" made out like bandits on the blood of Vietnamese and Americans..