I resisted Vietnam/Draft From a purely self-preservation angle, it was a no-brainer. But people have to understand something about Vietnam...and I'm paraphrasing a Vietnam veteran...."A mercenary (the US) will never be willing to die a patriot's (Vietnamese) death". And guess what...we're going to learn that truth in Afghanistan too.
The defense of the S. Vietnamese people who Wanted freedom was a heroic thing. Some major problems were you had were V people who Didn't want that freedom or who were not willing to die for it. You also had the Republic of Vietnam .Gov that were corrupt as well.
@@garybiggs9010 Whether fighting for the S. Vietnamese people was "heroic" is neither here or there. As far as Americans....it should have been on a volunteer basis. No Draft or compulsory service enforced by the US Government. Vietnam was more a story of nationalism than a fight against Communism. Vietnam had decades on foreign control by French and Japanese. For many, the US appeared as an "extension" of colonialism. The US apparently could have had a peaceful relationship with Ho Chi Minh in a unified Vietnam. Many Vietnamese will say this.
@@topgeardel I agree with you on all that. I did some research on the history of the US draft and we even had a draft during WW2. Even though we were directly attacked by Japan, the US could still not get enough volunteers to join. And WW2 was about the only foreign war that we had skin in the game.
@@garybiggs9010 My dad was drafted right after the war started, but was rejected for medical reasons. I am sure if I was drafted during WW2 I would have complied. Vietnam and WW2 are 2 different "animals"
@@topgeardel I very much agree. WW1, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan were fought for treaty and not because We were directly attacked. Just thought it odd that WW2 needed a draft. And there were draft resistors for WW2 too. And then there were men who killed themselves because they were unable to join. Which was a waste as the country need more people to support the troops than actual troops at the front.
I was a grunt in Vietnam 1971. I was up near the DMZ and also SW of DaNang during my tour. It was a very intense year.
God bless you. Welcome home.
Few months after this all hell broke loose
I resisted Vietnam/Draft From a purely self-preservation angle, it was a no-brainer. But people have to understand something about Vietnam...and I'm paraphrasing a Vietnam veteran...."A mercenary (the US) will never be willing to die a patriot's (Vietnamese) death".
And guess what...we're going to learn that truth in Afghanistan too.
The defense of the S. Vietnamese people who Wanted freedom was a heroic thing. Some major problems were you had were V people who Didn't want that freedom or who were not willing to die for it. You also had the Republic of Vietnam .Gov that were corrupt as well.
@@garybiggs9010 Whether fighting for the S. Vietnamese people was "heroic" is neither here or there. As far as Americans....it should have been on a volunteer basis. No Draft or compulsory service enforced by the US Government. Vietnam was more a story of nationalism than a fight against Communism. Vietnam had decades on foreign control by French and Japanese. For many, the US appeared as an "extension" of colonialism. The US apparently could have had a peaceful relationship with Ho Chi Minh in a unified Vietnam. Many Vietnamese will say this.
@@topgeardel I agree with you on all that. I did some research on the history of the US draft and we even had a draft during WW2. Even though we were directly attacked by Japan, the US could still not get enough volunteers to join. And WW2 was about the only foreign war that we had skin in the game.
@@garybiggs9010 My dad was drafted right after the war started, but was rejected for medical reasons. I am sure if I was drafted during WW2 I would have complied. Vietnam and WW2 are 2 different "animals"
@@topgeardel I very much agree. WW1, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan were fought for treaty and not because We were directly attacked. Just thought it odd that WW2 needed a draft. And there were draft resistors for WW2 too. And then there were men who killed themselves because they were unable to join. Which was a waste as the country need more people to support the troops than actual troops at the front.