From: knguyen@emr1.emr.ca (Kim Nguyen)
Subject: Re: Stockdale is a Bumbling Idiot
Organization: Energy, Mines, and Resources, Ottawa
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 15:27:31 GMT

In article <1992Nov6.093945.23354@Princeton.EDU> niepornt@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Marc Nieporent) writes:
>In article <1992Nov5.204935.29624@oracle.us.oracle.com> mfriedma@uucp (Michael Friedman) writes:
>>In article <1992Oct31.142450.12037@athena.mit.edu> wdstarr@athena.mit.edu (William December Starr) writes:
>>>In article <1992Oct30.022004.342@rational.com> msmiller@Rational.COM (Mark Miller) said:
>
>>>> Your fight is with the politicians who created the war, NOT with the
>>>> people who fought and died in it. Stockdale survived 7.5 years worth
>>>> of something you wouldn't have lasted 7.5 minutes worth of.  If
>>>> nothing else, he deserves more respect than you have shown.
>
>>>I think that your first sentence may reflect much of what people are
>>>complaining about Stockdale about.  ("Syntax meltdown decloaking off
>>>the starboard bow, Captain!" :-)  Stockdale, in some recent comments
>>>about the Vietnam antiwar protests, at least appears to be blaming the
>>>protestors for his captivity, rather than the politicians who got him
>>>into, and prolonged, that mess in the first place.  To me, this
>>>doesn't necessarily brand Stockdale as a hypocrite, but he sure does
>>>give the impression of being someone who just doesn't get it.
>
>>Excuse me, but if the North Vietnamese were taunting US POWs with news
>>about anti-war protests back home and stating that the US anti-war
>>movement convinced them that if they could just hold out long enough
>>they could win they you're the one who just doesn't get it whereas
>>Stockdale had his nose rubbed in it for seven and a half years.
>
>And why, exactly, should he believe them?  Are captors often in the
>business of telling POWs what their leadership's policy decisions are
>based on?
>
>And this is silly, anyway.  Anyone who had studied the history there
>would have noticed that the Vietnamese had been fighting for decades
>when there was no anti-war protests in their enemy's countries.  They
>weren't likely to surrender simply because there were no anti-war
>protests in the US.
>
>And Stockdale *still* doesn't seem to get the idea that if our
>government had LISTENED to the anti-war protestors, the war would have
>ended sooner, with less people getting killed or taken prisoner, and he
>would have been home sooner.
>
-------------


I think there is some misconception in history here. The war has
been escalated by the involvement of North Vietnam Army and comunist world.
After the attack of 36 SVN provincial capitals and 5 major cities
failed, National Liberation Army suffered heavy loss (33,000 killed) in
Tet Offensive 1968; the ranks of Viet Cong evaporated. As result,
"MOST OF INSURGENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM WERE ACTUALLY NORTH VIETNAMESE
SOLDIERS".

This bold invasion was hidden continuously under NLA umbrella and it showed 
that that war was not a simple civil war like US public has thought. China
had sent group of military engineers to help repair of bridges damaged
by bombming; Soviets sent advisers; both transported armaments, foods,
medicine... to help NVM for an total attack.

US stood  behind South Vietnam just because of that. But, your
Administration was so ahead of its public; this made a disarray of
unifying in a just goal; they failed in psychological warfare although
they were and are the superpower. Instead of explaining more, they 
kept to much secrets.

The Tet Offensive failed because there was no support from the populace
of South Vietnam; it meant that NLF burnt all their own men. Instead of
seeing things behind this event; peace activists told lie to the public
that it was an immoral war because it was a civil war. When being mentioned 
about this, the public started backing up; their conscience was not
behind a "immoral war".

So, on one side of the continent, SVN and US armies were fighting a big
invasion and at the same time, we had explanations to the other side
of the continent. The communist sympathizers and peace activists manipulated
the public and made it beleive that this war must be fought by theselfves; so, 
they said that the public should leave VN alone ! (it meant that let NVN
did what they want and communist world had more territory). From 1967 on, 
part-time peace activists organized PEACE MARCHES, DEMONSTRATIONS and stood 
behind any incidents of CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE. They were watching and waiting for 
this strategic effect to grow. It did.

At last, by skillful and big effort of these activists, growing numbers of
politicians and ordinary citizens began believe that our war is immoral
and unjustifiable and bla bla bla. Peace activists smiled when their effort
bore fruit; yes they made public opinion shifting to anti-war which was
different from the stand the latter got before. So, American public opinion, 
in 
1968, favored "de-escalation of the confilct". The verdict of death to South 
Vietnam had been declared. The situation after the peace movement occurred
as they predicted. HOW COULD YOU CONFRONT WITH HUGE ARMY AND COLOSSAL 
SUPPORT FROM COMMUNIST WORLD ? That is flaw.
          
The public saw that we, South Vietnamese, tried and died in
vain. US servicemen fell in the same fate. The latter felt abandoned when
coming back. This is also as consequences of crafty works by those 
part-time peace lovers. Imagine how bad the crime was. Do you see my 
point ? 

So, I did not condemn anyone except communist sympathizers, part-time 
peace activists, naive activists who failed the public's trust. They, 
activists, in turn, were 
manipulated by Soviets. I did not debate about this just for fun, but for
justice and for conscience.

At last, Soviets through peace movement succeeded in psychological warfare.
So, that is a story of deceit.

So, try only once reviewing those events in my viewpoint, you will see all. 
If you agree with my posting, reach out your hand to any Viets vets at your 
place or send an anonymous card in healing campaign, will you ?
 
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