The Fall of Saigon: 50 years later

[BitterYoungMatador2]

This country should probably learn the difference between patriotism and jingoism one day. I won’t hold my breath.

 

[I Should Coco]

The troops coming home thing has always hit me the wrong way.

It was a war that became unpopular and was one we didn't "win".

Troops returning from un-won wars aren't given ticker-tape parades. German soldiers going home after WWI didn't march in thank you parades in Essen or Bremen.

This "lets worship the troops" thing developed in the 80s and has taken on almost religious adherence since and it helped create the myth of the abused Vietnam veteran. Part of our addiction to misplaced patriotism generally.

If only one of those incompetent cops had taken out Rambo in “First Blood,” we wouldn’t have this problem.

Or at the very least, some restaurant could have denied him a free breakfast on Veterans Day!

 

[maumann]

My experience was much like Mr._Graybeard. It wasn't truly an unpopular war until Walter Cronkite reported from the field in 1968. But the notion that soldiers coming back were universally disrespected is very much a myth created in hindsight by a lot of fictional novels and movies. Honestly, the biggest issue for vets was trying to regain some semblance of a normal life after Viet Nam, particularly when you think about the decade-long economic slump the country was in following Watergate/Oil Crisis/Stagflation.

The anti-war protests I witnessed in 1969-72 were about the nation's involvement in a conflict halfway around the globe that sent millions of our young men to fight and hundreds of thousands to die needlessly. We protested the stupidity of the decisions being made in Washington, not the men who were forced to carry them out. It was still common to treat soldiers in uniform with respect, although I can't discount individual instances.

I was extremely lucky that the war -- and draft -- ended before I turned 18 and never had to register for Selective Service. But I know guys who had older brothers or cousins who served, and they had a difficult time adjusting to a world where the dreams of the 60s came crashing down hard in the 70s.

You'd think Viet Nam would have taught politicians and the military complex some major lessons. But Afghanistan and Iraq go to show our country's leaders don't pay attention to history. We've always had morons in charge.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Then there's the fact that returning Vietnam vets were technically children in most of the States if they were under 21. They couldn't vote, couldn't drink, couldn't get a bank loan. What would it be like if you fought for your life and country for a year, then came home and you couldn't buy a beer?

I think a lot of vets didn't return to abuse so much as neglect.

I can imagine even worse. Imagine you were an African-American who was a World War I and World War II soldier who came back to their home in the South and were told that the freedom and democracy that they were fighting for didn’t actually apply to them.

Heck, there were some black soldiers after WWI were actually lynched for having the audacity to wear their military uniforms in the South.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

My experience was much like Mr._Graybeard. It wasn't truly an unpopular war until Walter Cronkite reported from the field in 1968. But the notion that soldiers coming back were universally disrespected is very much a myth created in hindsight by a lot of fictional novels and movies. Honestly, the biggest issue for vets was trying to regain some semblance of a normal life after Viet Nam, particularly when you think about the decade-long economic slump the country was in following Watergate/Oil Crisis/Stagflation.

The anti-war protests I witnessed in 1969-72 were about the nation's involvement in a conflict halfway around the globe that sent millions of our young men to fight and hundreds of thousands to die needlessly. We protested the stupidity of the decisions being made in Washington, not the men who were forced to carry them out. It was still common to treat soldiers in uniform with respect, although I can't discount individual instances.

I was extremely lucky that the war -- and draft -- ended before I turned 18 and never had to register for Selective Service. But I know guys who had older brothers or cousins who served, and they had a difficult time adjusting to a world where the dreams of the 60s came crashing down hard in the 70s.

You'd think Viet Nam would have taught politicians and the military complex some major lessons. But Afghanistan and Iraq go to show our country's leaders don't pay attention to history. We've always had morons in charge.

The privileged -- those destined to run the country, the "fortunate sons" -- didn't have to go. So they didn't share the experience.

I struggled early in college, so I was not in school when I turned 19 in early 1973. I remember laughing when I got my 1A classification notice a few weeks after the draft ended. Whew!

 

[Brooklyn Bridge]

I can imagine even worse. Imagine you were an African-American who was a World War I and World War II soldier who came back to their home in the South and were told that the freedom and democracy that they were fighting for didn't actually apply to them.

Heck, there were some black soldiers after WWI were actually lynched for having the audacity to wear their military uniforms in the South.

Some Black soldiers moved to, or stayed in the UK after WWII, to avoid the racism in America.

 

[Brooklyn Bridge]

When my dad got drafted, he was 22. He graduated high school in 1957 and came home from work one day in 1961 to a letter in the mailbox: "Report here next Tuesday. You've just won a free physical and trip to Germany!"

My dad was 20. He said they made you sign your will on the plane ride over there.

 

[Driftwood]

My dad was 20. He said they made you sign your will on the plane ride over there.

That's not unusual. I had to do a will and sign life insurance papers in 1989. I was 17.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Some Black soldiers moved to, or stayed in the UK after WWII, to avoid the racism in America.

The great bluesman Willie Dixon refused to serve. He went to prison instead.