Response to Jim Coady: Hey, Jim. Thanks for the comment. What were the dates of your stay on Vung Chua? Maybe we were there at the same time. Karlie.

For others making a comment, you might want to leave your email address for correspondence. Thanks, Karlie.

Questions from Jefferson H.S. Students - Cedar Rapids

Visited Chris Rolwes' history class at Jefferson High School. The AP students were very attentive and posted the following questions:

2 - You said something to the effect that the people of VN handled the war better than the citizens of the United States, could expand on this?

A: Good question, Corbin. When I was in country I observed that the Vietnamese went about their daily lives of making a living and raising a family without much attention to these foreign devils who would eventually leave after failing to alter their destiny of a unified, independent Vietnam. Their long history is punctuated by foreign invaders who tried, but they patiently passed down the importance of self-determination from generation to generation.

What is the opinion in VN regarding the war and did/do they view it was a victory?

A: It is a tremendous victory. There are many statues of brave men and women and Ho Chi Minh attesting to this. Also, there are several museums of US high-tech weaponry that eventually proved to be inadequate to subjugate a peoples' goal of independence.

When did u deside u wanted to go back to VN?

A: It was kind of a spur of the moment thing in January 2009 when I thought, huh, 40 years ago this month I was winging my way to Vietnam. I wonder how it's doing? When one is retired, these ideas pop into one's head - too much time to think, I guess.

Corbin Beastrom Hour 5 (Comment this)

How could the Vietnamese elections be so rigged? If they were inevitably going to be that lopsided, why hold them at all?

A: Great question, Amy. You read my blog! Way to go! Anyway, Thieu, et. al. knew they didn't have the backing of the vast majority of the Vietnamese people so no way would they have a real election. He had the money and backing from the United States and that's all he needed. To this corrupt government that we backed, perception was everything and substance nothing. They came from a tradition that never understood the democratic process. Power was all that mattered. They could say anything and it was so, just because they had the power. So, Thieu always won with 99% majority.

You mentioned the great deal of foreign investment in Vietnam today; why are they so eager to allow foreign interference today when it clearly did them no good in the war?

A: Vietnam does not consider it foreign interference. They are utilizing foreign technology and equipment which they do not have right now. Also, all these foreign businessmen are spending a lot of money in Vietnam when they come to develop projects as they wine and dine decision makers, etc.

Does the Vietnamese government struggle to trust the United States after everything we put them through? Amy S. Hour 6 (Comment this)

A: The government of Vietnam has established relations with the US. We have an embassy there now and several consulates. They officially trust the US as much as any other country, but are probably hesitant to engage in any kind of a military alliance. They do like US tourists and are encouraging people to travel there.

4 - What was the biggest difference you experienced upon your return?What was your intial emotion when you returned?Shaina L hour 6 (Comment this)

A: Vietnam has gained in population and it actually seemed more crowded with the cities teeming with motorbikes on every street. By the way, there is a law now that every motor scooter or motorbike operator must wear a helmet. 40 years ago nobody wore helmets. The other difference I saw were all the hotels that have been built as well as other high-rise apartments under construction. My initial emotion was sadness that American hubris led it to think it could make this country bend to our will and it cost 58,000 lives.

5 - What was your duty in Vietnam?Why did you join the military?Did you gain anything from your war experiences and your recent return to Vietnam?Sidney H hour 5 (Comment this)

A: My duty was light weapons infantry, at first. I kept my nose clean and did my duties and advanced eventually to sergeant in charge of a 81mm motor section. I didn't join the military. I was drafted. I gained the knowledge that I could adapt to a challenging disruption in my life. On my return a learned that Vietnam has done very well without our interventions and they have recovered nicely without obnoxious GIs everywhere.

6 - Mrs K a long time ago told us a story of you on the top of a hill or small mountain and you were lookin down on the ocean on one side and intense fighting on the other... Could you refresh that story and go into deeper details about your experiences in the war... especially that part Nathan Kibby period 6 (Comment this)

A: Well, Nathan, thanks for your question. Yes, I could see the ocean off to the east and the west side of this fairly large mountain among many mountains had wild terrain with dense vegetation. There really wasn't intense fighting all the time at the west. The mountain top had a lot of radio communication equipment, such as microwave screens and VHF and UHF antennas, and we were encircled by wild country. My infantry unit's mission was to protect this communication capability. There were long periods of no action, but occasionally there was fighting. Although we fired off mortar rounds almost daily, it was often routine interdiction and practice defending our perimeter.

7 - What emotions did you experience during the war when you heard of all the violence and protest on the homefront?What do you believe was the most significant impact the war had on your life?What compelled you to return to Vietnam in the first place?Alicia Kramme APUSH 5 (Comment this)

A: The last question first: I felt compelled to see how Vietnam was doing after being part of an incursion into a country that just wanted to be left alone in their unification and independence. I wanted to return as an emissary of peace and good fellowship. My blog had an entry of meeting two former VC and shaking their hands in a gesture of good relations. As to the homefront protests, I thought they were braver than I was. I could have refused to go to Vietnam but it would have taken a lot of courage and conviction that the war was wrong.

8 - How did serving in the war affect your life when you came back? How has serving in the war affected your life still today?Ashley Freese Hour 5 (Comment this)

A: Serving in the war resulted in never trusting the government at face value again. Example: When Bush and Cheney were trying to build up reasons for going into Iraq, I thought, "Oh, no, not again. Please don't do this." I saw a savage tableau of maimed and killed young men and women and horrible destruction visited on the Iraqi people. Sad to say, it came true. As to long term effects on me, nothing can bother me, such as a power outage, flooded basement, or other misfortunes. I say to myself, "This still isn't as bad as watching a perimeter at 3:00 in the morning in the monsoon rains."

9 - What was your initial reaction when you learned you were going to Vietnam?Did going back to Vietnam affect how you viewed the war when you originally went there?Hannah ThomsenHour 5 (Comment this)

A: It was like OK, this is going to be a challenge. What are you going to do about it? You look at it as an adventure. When I got there I soon learned that the South Vietnamese army were a bunch of cowards. The VC and North Vietnamese army were brave and stoic fighters. We are really wrong to back this corrupt government of the South that didn't represent most of the Vietnamese people. Going back validated my feelings that Vietnam would have been better off if we had never been there. Sure it's communist, but there is a lot of entrepreneurship going on.

10 - What were your initial feelings when you returned home? Was it hard to melt back into society and get back to living your life normally? Rhiannon Coontz Hour 5 (Comment this)

A: I felt very uncool. The cool people were protesting the US involvement in Vietnam. I got back into society as quickly as possible, not telling people I was in Vietnam. I read every book I could get my hands on about the history of Vietnam, trying to understand how we ever got involved there. I had no time for people who tried to get attention and approval for having been there. Veterans of WWII were in the army for the duration, not just one year (the normal tour of duty in Vietnam) and they put their service behind them and didn't expect any special treatment.

Q and A from Jefferson H.S. Students - Cedar Rapids

1 - Instead of a war in vietnam what do you think the united states government should have done? A: We should have helped Ho Chi Minh negotiate an end to the French colonization of Vietnam. Ho could have been a strong ally to the US, as Ho admired its founding fathers, such as Thomas Jefferson. Vietnam under Ho's leadership could have been a buffer to any expansion tendencies China may have had.

Instead of a war in iraq what do you think the united states government should do or should have done? A: They should have left Iraq alone. The people of Iraq deserve any leader they have. In other words, if they wanted to put up with Saddam Hussein, that was their choice. Eventually, they would have overthrown that egomaniac without our help. Our incursion in Iraq made Iran stronger. What was the sense in that? It's just another case of a Bush misguided adventure as Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 and there were no weapons of mass destruction.

How much better off is vietnam now than it was during the war? A: Much better off. I saw a vibrant country in which many countries were making investments (see recent blog on this subject). Also, tourism is booming, although very few travelers from the US, but Australians were vacationing there a great deal. There were many first-rate hotels up and down the coast of Vietnam on their beautiful beaches.

If you could go back in time during the war what would you say to a vietnam soldier or leaders in the government? A: Keep your head down. Don't harm any innocents. Leaders, read the history of Vietnam. The truth will make you free.

Do you regret being a soldier, regardless of the fact that it was during the vietnam war?
A: No, I learned a lot about being dependable in a unit, and the history of Vietnam, and I saw a part of the world that I probably wouldn't have visited. Now, I love Vietnam and am glad to see it doing very well.

What advice would you give to men or women who want to fight in the war? A: Get involved with the Peace Corps and see the world and help others without being a cog in the military-industrial gear wheel. -Alex Young Hr. 6 (Comment this)

Home from Vietnam

Here's economy section of a jumbo jet.


American Embassy in Saigon. Very new. The old 30-story embassy from which pictures of helicopters on the roof were extracting the last Americans and their friends was torn down soon after Vietnam's reunification.

United flight from Hong Kong to Chicago takes 13 hours! You're lucky to have an aisle seat, but they get assigned rather quickly. United's movies leave a lot to be desired and the screen is difficult to see. Many other airlines now have individual viewing screens and more comfortable seats. This was told to me by a lady from Vietnam who was a boat child in 1978 who now practices medicine in Manhattan. I'm not complaining, though. I made it home safe and sound.

Tennis court in back of Tan Son Nhat Hotel.

Front of Tan Son Nhat Hotel where I spent my last night @ 33 USD. It had a very good restaurant, too.

Final thoughts: Vietnam was much better off after we left. Our presence there produced a misanthropic symbiotic relationship. They turned our boys into dopeheads. GI's could buy a pack of 20 cigarettes from which all the tobacco was taken out and replaced with high grade marijuana for one dollar! We turned many of their women into the oldest profession because of poverty and the corrupting influence of American servicemen with a lot of money. When I left the mountain to process home I had to stay at an Army post in Nha Trang. In the evening at the gate of said post, dozens of ladies sought to be picked to be allowed in for the evening. I was very surprised at the spectacle. This blatant debauchery was never reported, but must have gone on at all the large army posts towards the end of the war. We did not do this country any favors.

When the war wound down, all the corruption, guilt, and misguided efforts resulted in low morale in all the branches of the service. I felt unwelcomed when returning, but that did not bother me. I have never worn my service on my sleeve or made it a point to mention I was in Vietnam. I really have no time for anyone who thinks they deserve any special treatment for having served there. All I did was read a lot of books trying to get a handle on how we ever got involved and I took a class on the history of VN at the University of Iowa. My trip was to see how the country was doing after our ruinous expedition. It's doing just fine. Now, with a rejuvenation of perceptions about service in the military, whether warranted or not, when people say, "Thank you for your service," I just say thank you. What I'd like to say is that if I were brave, I would have burned my draft card or gone to Canada or joined with others to end that unfortunate military adventure. Karlie.

Investments

Lots of construction of high rises in Vietnam.

Coastal cities are developing a tourist trade.

Meandering rivers around Saigon.

Gas station for cars and tens of millions of motorbikes.

Every byway has little shops of food, drink, and motorbike repair - examples of individual entrepreneurship.

Elementary school in Qui Nhon.

Vietnam Air. Transportation and tourist trade is booming.

Rice growing is the main agrarian activity.


Vietnam has a good deal of foreign investors involved in internal development. I guess that’s why it’s called a developing country. When flying back from Qui Nhon to Saigon on Vietnam Airways for only $50, about the same distance from Cedar Rapids to Chicago, I saw what looked like a state-of-the-art dam holding back a huge reservoir north of Saigon. Water is a commodity of which they have plenty. (See picture of meandering rivers around Saigon).

The largest foreign investments come from Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea with 20 billion, 18 billion, 17 billion, and 16.5 billion USD, respectively, as of January 25, 2009. USA companies have invested about 8 billion USD in the last 40 years. These are just 5 of the list of 84 nations that have poured money into development ventures in Vietnam. China has had 628 projects undertaken to the tune of about 2 billion USD.

Here are some deals that have been signed with foreign construction companies: The Bac Lieu Town People’s Committee has contracted with a company to build a new residential town with a population of 16,000 people along Highway 1A @ $17.64 million. The Danang Department of Transport has inked a deal with a construction company to build a new bridge on the Han River @ $67.64 million. The Binh Duong People’s Committee is having a new 28 kilometer (18 mile) road built to connect them to Ho Chi Minh City for $41.17 million. There are also hundreds of thousands of private entrepreneurs all over Vietnam. (See general scenes throughout VN)

You would never know that Vietnam is a communist country. All these deals could have been realized without having to make a down payment of 50,000 lives. It seems outrageous, doesn’t it? Why, oh why did we have to create a war in Vietnam? George Orwell's main message in 1984 was that in an oligarchy, which some say we have, that is a wealthy few at the top controlling events, wields power just for power's sake. We started a war in Vietnam because we had the military might to do so. Does this sound like George Bush and Iraq? Let's stop trying to throw our weight around in the world to feed a military-industrial complex. We must create jobs that do not support the cult of militarism.

Comment

To Troutbirder: I'll try this again after losing a previously penned response that disappeared somewhere between Vietnam and Google headquarters, wherever that may be. You mentioned that a relative had said that we could have won in Vietnam if we had just bombed more. Wars cannot be won by bombing, alone. We dropped more ordnance on Vietnam than we dropped on Japan and Germany combined during WWII. What did that accomplish? Not much, as we were still losing. There are vast forests in VN, easily hiding NVA forces. Bombing's effects are limited. There were regular army units of hardened North Vietnamese divisions having the run of the place all over the south, as well as popular front forces (Viet Cong) who could hit us at will. The ARVN (the Army of the Republic of Viet Nam), our allies, wouldn't fight with any effectiveness. They knew the so-called democratic government of South Vietnam was corrupt and didn't represent the the vast majority of the Vietnamese. I asked Mrs. Lam, the teacher across the hall from me who lived in Vietnam, if they ever thought the North would win. She said all the Vietnamese knew the North would win eventually, they just didn't know how soon. President Thieu of South Viet Nam had periodic elections to give the appearance of a democratically elected government, but they were bogus. I read where the U.S. ambassador suggested to Thieu that his elections would look more believable if he would just win by 65% or even 70%. But Thieu would have none of it - he always won by 99%. That war was unwinnable because it was started under false pretenses, we weren't backing the will of the people, and you can't make the people like us by killing them. We did some terrible things to this country. They just wanted peace and a unified country as any patriotic Vietnamese would. Your question alluded to betrayal. By whom, the press? They were just reporting the truth. Betrayal is oft used to explain losses, like Hitler often played that card saying Germany only lost WWI because they were betrayed by a panoply of conspiracies, none of which had any validity. Many Americans are humiliated by the picture of helicopters on the American Embassy roof in the ignominious withdrawal from Vietnam. We should be more humiliated by the choice made by our leaders to try and push Vietnam around under an ill-conceived, militaristic, colonial, can-do policy by the best and the brightest presidential advisors ever to grace the sacred halls of the White House.

40 Years Ago in Viet Nam

Here are some old pictures of when I was on Vung Chua Mountain. 1)John Doty of Olwein took this picture of two other guys and me when patroling around the mountain. 2) We had a poured concrete 81mm mortar base so we could really sight it in, permanently. It's right next to our tent, which is surrounded by 81mm mortar boxes filled with dirt and nailed together. Boxes originally came with 3 rounds that cost you $75 a piece back in 1969, part of the military-industrial complex. We probably fired off 500 to 800 rounds per month. Live rounds were stored in a sandbagged bunker near by. 3) Vietnamese person fishing near the Leprosarium. I couldn't find this spot again since there was so much new development. 4) Practicing sighting mortar. See aiming stakes in background used for starting point for determining deflection, that is direction.