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[Varche]

Good programme on how the Vietnam war came about and progressed. Accounts from both sides.

Two episodes avaiable on bbc iplayer.

[TheBoy]

Was that the BBC4 one from other night.

Being a bit naïve on that conflict, I found it interesting, as I'd always assumed it was the Shermans v the locals...

[Shackeng]

Two of the best books I read on this war are A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam,  https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51sbxvnM26L._AC_US327_QL65_.jpg
and Chickenhawk
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51KC1ARALbL._SX319_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Both superb books, the first in particular shows how the lies were sold to the American public as the war ground on.
I was in Subic Bay O club drinking with an American Admiral and an Air force Colonel in '71 towards the end when no-one back home supported the war, yet the Services were still expected to prosecute it to the fullest of their ability. These guys were practically crying in their beer!

[Lizzie Zoom]

Two of the best books I read on this war are A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam,  https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51sbxvnM26L._AC_US327_QL65_.jpg
and Chickenhawk
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51KC1ARALbL._SX319_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Both superb books, the first in particular shows how the lies were sold to the American public as the war ground on.
I was in Subic Bay O club drinking with an American Admiral and an Air force Colonel in '71 towards the end when no-one back home supported the war, yet the Services were still expected to prosecute it to the fullest of their ability. These guys were practically crying in their beer!

Indeed.  Two of my male American friends were retired US military, one a Lietenant Colonel instructing on B52's and the other flying Hueys helicopters during the Nam conflict.  The latter would never enter into a conversation about the war; the former said he always flew above it, but again said little.

When I was at university I studied the Vietnam War and, in addition to what I already knew about it having been a teenager during the war's latter years, I read exactly why few Americans want to know anything about it!  I studied in particular the possibility that JFK was about to pull America out of Vietnam in 1963, the only evidence however being NSAM 263 dated 11th October 1963.  JFK was going to, it is believed by a few historians, to pull out 3,000 military advisors, but of course he was assisinated on 22nd November of that year. Now all we know for certain is that President LB Johnson after JFK's death pushed on and dramatically increased the USA military involvement in Vietnam with boots on the ground and mass B52 bombing.  What a mess it all became and the embarrassment I witnessed in the retired military of that time.

[Rods2]

Classic dangers of getting sucked into a conflict with no clear realizable aims and no clear exit strategy. The same has happened to the Russians and now the US and allies in Afghanistan which is another unwinnable war and I suspect the same also applies to Iraq and Syria.

A hard lesson in life is that reinforcing failure rarely works.

[Varche]

Two of the best books I read on this war are A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam,  https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51sbxvnM26L._AC_US327_QL65_.jpg
and Chickenhawk
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51KC1ARALbL._SX319_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Both superb books, the first in particular shows how the lies were sold to the American public as the war ground on.
I was in Subic Bay O club drinking with an American Admiral and an Air force Colonel in '71 towards the end when no-one back home supported the war, yet the Services were still expected to prosecute it to the fullest of their ability. These guys were practically crying in their beer!

Indeed.  Two of my male American friends were retired US military, one a Lietenant Colonel instructing on B52's and the other flying Hueys helicopters during the Nam conflict.  The latter would never enter into a conversation about the war; the former said he always flew above it, but again said little.

When I was at university I studied the Vietnam War and, in addition to what I already knew about it having been a teenager during the war's latter years, I read exactly why few Americans want to know anything about it!  I studied in particular the possibility that JFK was about to pull America out of Vietnam in 1963, the only evidence however being NSAM 263 dated 11th October 1963.  JFK was going to, it is believed by a few historians, to pull out 3,000 military advisors, but of course he was assisinated on 22nd November of that year. Now all we know for certain is that President LB Johnson after JFK's death pushed on and dramatically increased the USA military involvement in Vietnam with boots on the ground and mass B52 bombing.  What a mess it all became and the embarrassment I witnessed in the retired military of that time.

Second programme covered that memo. The decision to support the coup in South Vietnam was made by a junior member of staff. Kennedy was aware of thecontent but was on holiday. He was murdered 18 days later.