What Was the War and What Is Vietnam Really Like?
Ever go to a sports event and read the next day’s newspaper account of the game, swim or track meet? Often it seems as though the sportswriter saw a different game than you did. Travel guides seem the same way. The authors don’t speak from personal knowledge: rather they seem to borrow heavily from older editions or books written by others, frequently while seated at a desk in Melbourne or New York. In Three Tastes of Nuoc Mam, Douglas Branson writes from personal experience. He fought in the Vietnam War and also traveled extensively throughout the country, first in 1995 and again in 2011. This book contains accurate descriptions, including criticisms and observations both favorable and unfavorable, well told.
I am reading your book and by and the large like it. I think it a shortcoming that in writing a fluffy version of your experiences to which you are entitled you do not stress that war is a horrible endeavor even in the case that 1/100th of those that serve actually experience the traumatic stress.
It seems to trivialize the immense sacrifices many have to make when a country enters a war without full debate of benefits (and to whom they accrue) and knowledge of the politics and geography involved.
That having been said your book was a pretty good read. I especially like the current view of the country.
Another glaring deficiency was in your overview of the causes. You completely miss the most important. The fact that corporate America had realized the huge profits amassed during war would not be forthcoming in a civilian economy. The hackneyed phrase of President Eisenhower is nonetheless true, the military industrial complex will prevail unless consciously checked. It was in full operation in the run up and engagement in Vietnam
This perhaps explains why then and today politicians are so blissfully ignorant of world politics, religion, and geography. A competent sixth grader could have put the current, previous, and Vietnam era politicians to shame on a test of knowledge of the above. They are not required to know anything as long as they carry out the corporate wishes. And they certainly do to stay in office and enjoy the perqs.
I grew up during the sixties and as a schoolchild I knew of the discord between the Soviet Union and China; China and Vietnam etc. The “Domino Theory” didn’t make sense when they created it. It was never meant to it was a veneer (“spin”) much as democracy for the Iraqis was.
You also seem blind to the historical hypocrisy of American history. Manifest Destiny was Imperialism cut and dried. All the following foreign incursions including but not limited to our invasion of Mexico, Spanish Florida, Chinese occupation, Spanish American war, Latin American meddling and invasions, Iran, Egypt (in the early 20th century as well as later), Occupation of the Philippines, etc. etc. These were never in any way shape or form intended to “export our benefits to less privileged…”. We have never offered democracy in any form. Whether it was the restructuring of Europe post WWII (Greece is a good example but there are many others) or setting up or pulling down regimes in other countries of the world we have always set up a puppet regime (and trained their secret police) to impose our wishes (read corporate interests) who was contrary to the general public’s wishes Chile, Iran, Batista in Cuba to name a few. Name me one stable enduring political system we have formed in another country that we have not benefited from. I would be prepared to argue the case of post war Japan but it is as close as we have come.
So we are mentally because of this hypocrisy prepared to accept these incursions where we extract what we wish from a country without paying full value for it.
I am not sure if a case could not be made for such action if it was blatant and not cloaked in such absurd hypocrisy as long as it benefited the most (remember that dictum of good government, “that which benefits most” is good……). If it is out in the open it can be argued pro and con and see if it is worth the costs in all the various forms. A logical course could be followed. When corp powers dictate policy and a corrupt political establishment fail in its mandate to debate and form good policy then we get into Vietnam, Cuba, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.
I am left wondering how many wars we would have if the following rules applied: All sitting politicians at the time of war would be replaced by voters and sent to the front lines (no rear echelons), ditto for all flag rank military officers, and most importantly–all corporations and companies would be restricted to a strictly supervised cost only system with salaries included to stop all “war profiteering”.
You also may not know of our funding through the World Bank (where McNamara picked up a cushy job after being dumped as Sec of defense) of the Chinese communists at the very time they were shipping war goods to North Vietnam. Corporate green knows no political boundaries!!
My brother did not enjoy a peaceful war such as yours. He was in the 4th division LRRPs and died in combat July 68, after seven long and continuous months of contact and stress.
Two clerical points: The Big Red One was the 1st Division not the Air Cavalry. The name coming from WWII. Walter Hickel governor and Nixons Interior Secretary is not spelled Hinkel as you have it.
I did enjoy your book. My comments are given in the hopes that if the real driving forces that cause us to needlessly go to war are given the light of reason and revealed to the public we might not keep doing the same thing. I would wish more people read in depth our past history and wouldn’t so easily swallow the political pablum they are fed by venal politicians.
In closing I have to say as much as Kerry disgusts me as a ‘ticket punching’ elite getting ahead he at least contrary to the disgusting Bush went to Vietnam! How Bush could get away with casting aspersions with his record during that period shows how useless the press is any more.
Yours, Douglas Thompson, Ketchikan, Alaska