What should the American public and the US government learn from the Vietnam war?

Question

Also, what should the the president, soldiers, or military decision-makers learn? --> answers that explain every part win best answer.

Answer 1

The American public should learn that American Foreign policy was flawed in Vietnam, the French were not able to stop the Vietnamese, neither were the Americans. The American politicians led the public and the military into this quagmire, yet today they try to blame the the media for the political failure instead. I speak of the "Domino Theory" and the flawed attempt by the U.S. to divide Vietnam into "North" and South", and then support a corrupt dictatorship in the "South." Even the way the U.S. entered the conflict under the flimsy "Gulf of Tonkin Resolution" is something everyone needs to learn, or else they will find themslves in another foreign policy quagmire. Did I say Iraq?

Answer 2

Go to war to win and don't let the radical left wing media influence your battleplan. Our objective in Vietnam was not so much to win ourelves but prevent the North Vietnamese from winning. This was flawed from day one. We were actually winning many of the battles but the whining bleeding heart newsmen like Dan Rathger and Tom Brokaw as well as D List celebrities like "Hanoi Jane" Fonda wanted us to pull out just like in Iraq right now. So we left with the job half done and got many of our soldiers killed for nothing.

Answer 3

Everyday is not Sunday
War is not a Game