protesters

[inhonurofswa]

Do you guys believe that American protesters during Vietnam had any effect on the war?

Taylor

[Packo]

Yes, because of the protesters more Americans were killed and maimed in Vietnam. The protestesters called our POW's liars and fascists, called us murderers, baby killers, threw dog feces on us, sent food and medical supplies to our enemy, flew enemy flags at protests, caused spineless politicians to not make a full effort to defeat the enemy, rooted for our enemy, ("Ho, Ho, Ho Chi Minh, the Viet Cong are gonna win"), and gave them a will to continue even though we were kicking their asses knowing that with all the dissent at home, we would leave. It was their right to do all these dispicaple things, it was the jellyfish politicians that listened to them.

Pack

[b3196]

Well said Pack...The one good thing about the protesters was....It came back to bite them right square on the ass during the last presidential election.
Bob K

[39mto39g]

protesters were never a factor in the war, It was the people that ran the war.
In any two week period the US military could have been in Hanoi sitting in North Vietnam's Presidential plaice. But the people that ran the war, For what ever reason, chose not to let our military do that. The protesters voiced there opinions and the Media ran the stories but that should have had no effect on how the war was run. Maybe it did? Maybe the protesters was all that our government payed any attention to. I would like to think NOT.
Just like Jane Fonda Going to North Vietnam and telling North Vietnam officials to "hold out" that The protests of the Vietnam War would make our government get out, should have had no effect, I'm afraid that the protesters and the media and the movie starts and the EX service people all had a role to play in the prolonging of the war and the result of that prolonging was that More American lives were lost. The last 5-10 thousand troops that died in Vietnam can be directly linked to the people I named above, And as a Vietnam Vet, all I can say is , Thanks a lot.

Ron

[Robert Ryan]

I think that the protestes gave the enemy a way to see how unpopular the war was, and they used it to their advantage with just waiting out our pull out. Ron also makes a valid point the politicans who stuck their damn noses where it didn't belong also can be blamed. In a war you let the professionals who are paid to wage war conduct war and let them win it. Politicans seemed to get involved in war and how it is fought in Korea from then on it has been the same, and is continuing now.

[Packo]

Ron, I'm not sure what your saying. You begin with "protesters never a factor in the war" then end with 'I'm afraid that the protesters and the media and movie starts, (stars?), and the EX service people all had a role to play in prolonging of the war and the result of that prolonging was that More American lives were lost". That contradicts your opening statement.

I agree and mentioned about the spineless politictions not doing what they should have done. The protesters most certainly had an effect on them and their conducting the war, thus the protesters had an effect. Since they also had an effect on the enemy....which they are ALSO DOING TODAY, they most certainly had an effect on the war.

Pack

[b3196]

Packo
I was told you were the most contradictory person in America...
Is that true?
bOOger

[Packo]

No, it's not true.

Pack

[b3196]

Oh, I see, So you're not the most contadictory man in America....

bOOger

[39mto39g]

Pac
It's the duality of man. Like the guys that wore a peace sign on there helmet.
It wasn't a factor, Buuuuuuuut, the media, and the stars were outspoken and the people that run the war were taken in by the media and the protesters and the stars and probably had in influence on them. So the combination of all of it was a factor but not the protesters as a individual thing. But then, I was in VN, so I have no Idea.

Ron