Tell me, why are people so easy to put down the Vietnam War (even though we lost)?

Question

Well I want to hear your opinion, don't make it messy or else you'll probably upset some ppl. Just give me a honest to god reason like "my uncle died in the war...." "so much suffering...."

DON'T SAY "It was COMPLETELY useless." or "Because those stupid viets...."

Answer 1

This is because the Vietnam War didn't really achieve anything positive for the U.S.. The American intervention in Vietnam was because of wrong perception and conviction. America believed at the time that if Vietnam fell to the communists, the rest of Southeast Asia will be next to fall to communism. So America was embroiled in the war with this notion of containing communism.

Considering the events which followed, where the whole of Vietnam indeed eventually fell to the communists after the American troops pulled-out. Did the rest of Southeast Asia fell to communism after this?. No. Did Russia or China ruled over the Vietnamese afterwards?. No. The Vietnamese established their own self-styled communist government, and never allowed themselves to become Chinese or Russian puppets. The Vietnamese were able to co-exist peacefully with their non-communist neighbors without being perceived as a threat. Did a communist Vietnam attacked or threatened the U.S. or any of its interests?. No.

Many decades after the war, Vietnam managed to carry-out reforms and its economy improved. Just a few years ago, president G W Bush attended the Asian summit which was held and hosted in Vietnam. He was amazed to see the present-day Vietnam. He praised the Vietnamese president, "your country has become a small tiger economy".

Now, looking back at the Vietnam War in retrospect. How will you now judge that war?. Was it really worth sending American troops to fight that war?. Or was it another example of a foreign war where America fought under the guise of freedom and democracy, but whose real reasons were caused by faulty foreign policies and decisions?.

Although most Vietnam vets won't admit it, Vietnam today is very much better than it was, even compared to its state before the outbreak of that tragic war. The only painful fact that most Americans find hard to accept was that post-war Vietnam managed to evolve into a peaceful and prosperous nation, all of it accomplished without American help.

Answer 2

To begin with Vietnam was being accosted by insurgents and he North Vietnamese government. They were our allies so we were obligated to help these people. The Soviets and the Chinese were backing the NVA and we were backing the south. Despite what you may read, it was a noble cause. Communism was on the march in southeast asia and we were there to stop it. The northern leadership figured out a way to turn the media to their favor thus causing widespread strife in our own country-kind of like today over Iraq. The north was committed to victory no matter the cost. The congress voted to stop funding the war so the total effort was doomed. THe people in the south for the most part only wanted peace and to live their lives. But the north would have none it. Since South Vietnam was the bread basket for the entire region, the north went for the land grab and spreading of the communist ideology . I served there. There were many fine people in that country who desired freedom but our congress did not and would not listen to the cries of the innocents. Around 2,000,000 folks lost their lives in the killing fields of southeast asia once the communists were victorious. You won't see any reference to demonstrations against the mass murders perpetrated after we left. There weren't any. We were the kind of friends you don't really need-ever. We won most of the battles but America lost its stomach for the fight and ran home. We have been running away ever since. (See Somalia, Beiruit, Iraq etc) Your uncle laid down his life for others. There is no more noble gesture that I know of. Even the timidity of the American legislature and electorate cannot change that.The only ones who can defeat us is "us." We are in the process of doing that again. Watch and learn.

Answer 3

It was a war born of the naive belief that democracy is the only form of government that people will fight for. There are those that still have not realised that some countries are not prepared for nor in any way ready for democracy. Imagine China going democratic overnight.....

The Vietnam war was also one of the first to turn up big time on our TV screens. People did not like what they saw which, was in reality, not different from any other modern war....awful beyond description.

Reporters got bold and told us that the 'good guys' weren't as good as we believed them to be. We also learned that the 'bad guys' could be just as passionate in their beliefs as us.

The US had and still has an army, navy and air force to be proud of. Sadly its reputation lives or dies by the people that lead them.

Answer 4

I don't think you see that much it today. It was very rampant in the 70's and 80's but most people now honor those vets. The biggest put down now goes to the fact that we weren't allowed to do what it would take to win. Did you know that while there we never lost a major battle, not one, but the media began to make it seem that we were losing over there, kind of like today in Iraq, and the popularity for the war waned to the point that it was better to pull out.

Answer 5

you put it down yourself by saying we lost.not to be rude but you did.we didnt lose.we left.we were winning on the battlefield but lost here at HOME.and s.vietnam didnt get taken over by the north untill after our forces left.we only had a very,very small contingent there at the end in 75'. we were officially pulled out in 73' when the last remainder of our combat divisions left(101st airborne).it turned out that the domino theory didnt happen.but you cant tell the future if something will happen or not.its put down a lot in the u.s because people want to forget it.we lost over 53,000 there and we left.the north took the south over.thats why people say we lost.where in reality we didnt,it was at home we lost.besides it was a conflict not a war.2 different things even tho both contain combat

Answer 6

I served in Vietnam,and like the people serving now,we did not want to leave before our job was completed.

However the people back home demanded our return,and President Nixon got us out. we lost 90,000 People over there(only Americans) I could not guess how many all told.

Our goal was to protect the country of S.Vietnam from the country of N.Vietnam(backed by China)

When we pulled out,S.Vietnam fell right away. Americans felt nothing was done to warrant the loss of 90,000 American lives.
that's why so many hate that war.

I fear Iraq will end up the same way.

Answer 7

Mostly because they are ignorant.I did 2 tours in nam and it was not fun.The ******* politicians in Washington lost the war for us.Assholes like john(gutless)kerry and hanoi jane(*****)fonda helped.A new breed of yellow politician assholes are trying to do the same in iraq.war is serious business-the idea is to KILL your enemy and WIN! the people in the USA and the world don"t have a ******* clue that the islamist radicals want totake over the WORLD!

Answer 8

We never lost a battle there. It was an admin cluster- LBJ personally picked attack targets- held back generals- then we cut and ran leading to slaughter. Whole thing messy, but Libs use Vietnam as "the lesson" that all wars are bad.

Answer 9

Because the American people were lied to. They were told that US ships off the Vietnam coast had been attacked, or something like that, it's been a while since I had US history. In reality there were no attacks on American ships.

Answer 10

The military didn't lose the war, the politicians did. Ask them.