Veterans' Day Reflection on the Vietnam War

Yesterday was Veteran's Day and a day off from work. I spent it much like I spend other days off of work...running errands, doing laundry, catching up on yard work, etc. I also spent some time on Facebook looking at friends' posts thanking veterans and passing along posters honoring veterans.

But that wasn't all I did. I also spent a large portion of my afternoon with Carson watching a documentary on the Vietnam War. The documentary was put together using actual footage from the war...no reenactments. Soldiers' memories were shared either through their own voice or with a voice over. Family members were also interviewed and shared their memories of that time. I thought that of all the documentaries I have seen produced by the History Channel, this one seemed to be the most neutral politically-speaking. Although I am not sure that it is possible to produce a completely politically-neutral piece about the Vietnam War.

At the conclusion of the documentary I had these thoughts:

• I now understand why these men and women came back so broken from Vietnam. The definition of success changed from how much territory was won (a definition that had been used in both world wars) to how many people were destroyed. Matter of fact, that is what their missions were called "search and destroy" and a high body count was the measure of success. Those who fought in Vietnam had no choice but to totally dehumanize everyone and thing, otherwise there would have been no way they could have carried out their orders. Unfortunately, this also meant that many times all Vietnamese were viewed as the enemy and not to be trusted. If they weren't trusted, they should be destroyed. What a destructive mind-set for the human psyche and soul.

• The Vietnam War initially was not about spreading American ideals or imperialism. It was about protecting a free people who couldn't protect themselves from the oppressive, destructive communist regime that was trying to take over their country. As Americans we will always have a responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves. However, careful consideration must be given to continuing in the engagement when the majority of those we are called to protect would just as soon aid the enemy as they would you. In Vietnam it appeared that the majority of the Vietnamese people who lived in the villages lived in such fear of the VC, that for pure self-preservation they agreed to aid and abet the enemy, thus setting up the United States for failure no matter what we did. When it became apparent that Vietnamese citizens were not able to see past their immediate self-preservation and look forward to the future free of the communist regime, the United States should have pulled out. But we didn't leave and the cost in American lives was high.

• I am in awe of those soldiers (and when I say soldiers I mean all those who serve in the armed forces) who followed orders and went when they were called. I am grateful that my father-in-law and uncle-in-law, who were serving at this time, were kept safe. I am not sure how or why my dad wasn't drafted, but I'm glad he wasn't. I was born in 1971 and since the last troops didn't leave until 1973, if he had been drafted there is a chance that he might not have come home to raise me.

• I also do not judge those who, when late in the war, burned their draft cards. It seems that by time the draft occurred it should have been apparent that our initial mission had failed and we were only sending soldiers over because we were unwilling to admit defeat. I cannot be sure, but I think I might have been one of those ones out protesting the war. But then again, maybe not. I did not participate in protestations when the US went into Iraq and Afghanistan. And I'm not sure how you  protest military action without it being a slap in the face to those military members who follow orders and go where they are sent.

I'm sure there are many things that I do not understand about the US involvement in Vietnam. And I am sure I have oversimplified many things. I can't be certain that I have expressed my thoughts in the best way, but they are my thoughts and writing them down gives me a record and something to review and reflect on at a later time.