Why was my generation's vets (Vietnam) treated as murderers while Gulf War vets are greeted as heroes?

Answer 1

My son was on the way home from Iraqi and like the commercial shows everyone stood up and started clapping and cheering offering him food and drink. He stands up on a table and says "Thanks, but here is my dad's phone number he is a disabled, decorated Viet Nam veteran and would love to have someone anyone say thank-you". No one did!

God Bless You and the Southern People.

Answer 2

Hey it took the dumb civilians a lesson of 50,000 military lives dead to wake up and realize we did not have a choice, many were drafted, and were only doing their duty.
You cannot blame the current generation although I feel your pain, they have nothing to do with it. I know I see all the adulation and praise in their direction and I think thank god they at least appreciate these folks, even if the war is wrong where were they when we needed them.It is just life and human nature, all screwed up.
Look it is no different than someone being a cop, when things are really bad and someone needs you, you are the greatest person in the world. If they don't need you than your a pain in the *** and they are a taxpayer and you better not forget it.
Look at this way all of us Vets appreciate each other thats all that counts

Answer 3

There is only one way ( with the exception of people like John Kerry ) that the public could know anything about Vietnam and that is by THE PRESS.

The American Press is the biggest Brain-Washer there is. It can make just about anything, that people can influence, happen.

So long as the Press tells the truth and only the truth, that is how long the people will know exactly what is happening.

BUT, when the Press starts publishing "influenced non-fiction' ( what the reporter thinks happened or worst still, what he wants to become famous about,) that's when people go off half-****** and become totally misled about things.

Vietnam Veterans got a lot of rotten publicity and that resulted in a lot of misinformed people hating them and treating them undeservedly.

A few rotten apples in the Press have been discovered, but there are more who are still getting away with it.

Answer 4

As usual, the responsibility of public relations for the Vietnam vets addressed by the government at that time. There is support for the troops now and I still do not understand the difference between the two wars, except that Iraq has the oil that Bush and Cheney want to get a piece of.

Answer 5

Korean and Nam vets are a reminder of wars lost. Had the Korean "conflict" lasted as long as Nam did, the returnees probably would not have been warmly welcomed. In fact, they weren't hailed as conquering heroes. There are no heroes for those on the losing side of a war- except for those who grieve in private for loved ones who failed to return - or worse.

The glorification of war stinks.........Most vets do what they had to do - and then shut up about it.

Answer 6

I wish I had a good answer for you. I'm currently serving in Afghanistan. When I went on R&R from Iraq it was hugged, kissed, hand shakes until my fingers went numb, patted on the back by so many strangers in DFW airport. It was amazing. My only answer is that many of the men and women who greeted and thanked me were from your generation or had fathers, mothers big brothers and sisters who served. I thank you for your service. You went and did your job and came home to an ungrateful nation. Lets pray it never happens again.

Answer 7

The media during the Vietnam war was very hostile to the US military intervention in Asia because it was suppression of the Vietnamese independence unlike in Iraq when the soldiers are treated as exterminators of terrorists that sowed violence in the US.

Answer 8

Maybe it is because the American people are ashamed of how the Vietnam vets were treated.

Answer 9

Liberals are not nearly in control of this country as much as they were back then. They don't dare try and portray our soldiers that way. Although they have been testing the waters. Kerry's recent comments about our troops' being stupid is one such example. People freaked out on him so he knows not to start comparing them to hordes of Ghengis Kahn again, like he did after Vietnam. Note that it is exactly the same people as before.

Answer 10

Because the media is very powerful . I think people really dont treat Vets badly , just a handful of people that got on CNN or Fox . They should be ashamed and beaten , or dropped in the middle of Iraq with the Marines and Army .