Can an argument be made that the US won the Vietnam War?

Question

Can it be argued that by showing a willingness to sacrifice American soldiers in an obscure place like Vietnam, the Soviet Union was sent a clear message not to test American resolve in more strategically vital places around the globe?.

Answer 1

Yes, that argument can be made and proven through released KGB and Politburo documents.

Furthermore, one can look at the results of the battles which we won. One can point to the 'body count' heavily in our favor, well over 1 million enemy killed. One can point to the fact that we left 2 years before S. Viet Nam fell.

One can point to Congress de-funding our troops and our ally as the ONLY real reason S. Viet Nam fell.

Answer 2

Can an argument be made that the US won the Vietnam War?

NO!

Just ask a Vietnamese Refugee family. If they want to talk you will get long stories about family members who went to re-education camps and never came back.

Or you could try to visit Siagon... only it is called Ho Chi Mihn City now.

We won the COLD WAR. You are right that Vietnam was part of the Cold War, as was the Space Race, Arms Race, the Berlin Crisies, The Six Day War, Korea, Tiawan Straits, Cuban Missile Crisis, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Rhodesia, Angloa, Lebanon, Dominican Republic, Grenada, and virtually everything imporant that happened between 1944 and 1990 was.

We won some, we lost some, in the end we won the big one and the Berlin Wall came down.

But we lost Vietnam.

And if anything our pulling out of Vietnam showed the Soviets that our resolve was weak, and it encouraged them to test our resolve in many other places, like Rhodesia, Angola and Nicaragua and El Salvador, and by invading Afghanistan.

Vietnam was an important part of the Cold War. The men who fought there weren't fighting "the Vietnam War" as if it was somehow a separate and distinct event from what was going on in the rest of the planet, they were fighting the Cold War in Vietnam.

We won the Cold War, but we lost Vietnam.

Answer 3

Vietnam war was a fight between the Communists and the Democratic. After 20 years, the Communists won and took over the Democratic in the South. Not all wars are illegal. This one is illegal in my opinion, since South Vietnam was created ILLEGALLY, to defend itself from the Communists. Nice work there Democratics, but unfortunately that wasn't enough. I feel sorry for them though, because I'm a supporter of Democracy in Vietnam.

Answer 4

It is an argument, but first it was a"police action" and second try something like defend freedom in a remote part of the world like Vietnam. The satements are true, but we retreated, turned tail and ran, thats as close to loosing as it gets. The others are right if it wern't for polotics we would have won.

Answer 5

It would be a weak arugument at best.

Cuba is still on our doorstep and still communst. And South Vietnam free until right after we left. The Korean war ended in a stalemate. Not to mention the worlds fastest rising power (China) has a communist governemnt.

I think more than vietnam, the russian resolve was tested in afganistan.

but if just a guy speaking from the little i learn from history class in school and the history channel.

But a thoughtful question indeed.

Answer 6

You have made a good argument and another that I have come across is that we slowed the progression of communism and sent a clear message to any nation hell bent on domination and control.
These are good arguments and probably contain some truth - but the bottom line is that, despite winning every major battle fought, we left before the objective was met - in defeat.

Answer 7

If I've said it once I've said it a million times; America doesn't loose wars, we simply advance to the rear, assess the situation and make a withdrawel with the intent to return again.
'Nam wasn't a war, it was a battle in the Cold War, we won the cold war ipso facto, we won 'Nam.
Yaaah Capitilism, America, the stars, the stripes, porn, Ford, Toby Kieth, Budweiser, Democracy, Harley Davidson, the cotton gin, George Washington, Freedom, Celine Dion and everything else unique to America!!!

Answer 8

The politicians allowed us to get spanked and spanked hard! They tied our hands around our B- -ls and cut funding. Then turned it's back on the Vietnam Vets. I hope they don't do that to the Vets of OIF and the War on terrorism.


Vet-USAF 44MMS

Answer 9

Americans lost the Vietnam war in the 70's and Russia lost the Afghan war in the 80's,as simple as that.Currently there will be no winner in
Eyeraq.America win by the number of innocent people they have murderer in both wars Vietnam and Eyeraq.My opinion there are no winners in war ,only loosers because war is about destruction and devaluation of human life.We are all equal before God and death is the great equalizer of us all.War weakens everyone that participate in it.No victors only victims.Viva for peace!

Answer 10

The resolve was tested and America failed the test so it was hardly a warning to anyone.