The Face of My Enemy

[Bill Farnie]

Most of the actions my unit were involved in during my tour were with the NVA. Primarily the 6th, 9th and 29th Regiments. They very well may have been farmers at some point but these units were professional soldiers, well trained and well armed. Remember, a great number of American soldiers were farmers also. There has always been "two sides to a story" Them vs. Us and so on and so on. I'll get the book but just because it puts "a face" on the enemy (humanizes) it doesn't make their cause a just one.

[revwardoc]

Its kinda funny how history repeats itself. During the American Revolution, the British and Hessian troops had little respect for Americans, also calling them farmers, and they were essentially correct since America was primarily an agrarian society. Despite the success of April 19, 1775, the "moral" victory at Breed's Hill (a phyrric victory for the Brits), and driving the Brits out of Boston, when the "farmers" were faced with the professional armies of Great Britain and the German duchies, the inadequately trained American farmers were driven out of New York rather easily. It wasn't until the Continental Army decided to enlist men for the duration rather than the 30-day to 6 month enlistments that it all came together and they became a cohesive fighting force. With the proper training and supplies it didn't take long for America to have a professional army that was able to hold its own against Europe's finest. Besides, they were fighting for a cause. One man with a cause is as good as 5 fighting out of confused misgivings.

[Seascamp]

Me too, I?m ten toes over the line sweet Jeasus, ten toes over the line. But I don?t recall un oathing as a 7th Fleet Sailor and have danced this dance before. Sometimes missing the opportunity to keep my mouth shut is not necessarily the best course of action. And yes, objective research is painful and ya draw fire, but f_ck it, it don?t mean nuthin and there it is.

Bill, (VN Commo name Possum or Panama)
Former PO1, USN
7th fleet, CRUSEDESPAC
Operation Market Time
RVN 66-68.
Possum out, over.

[Arrow]

It don?t mean nuthin and there it is.

What Scamp said...


Don't you know I'm just-a waitin' on the train that goes home Sweet Mary, Hopin' that the train is on time...

Arrow>>>>>>>

[chilidog]

"Voices from S-21"

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"A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" Would that be "And A Hard Rain Fell" by John Ketwig?

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Another Vietnam : Pictures of the War from the Other Side

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Chilidog

[exlrrp]

Originally posted by 39mto39g Well James. as long as you respect my right to think the Vietnames people SUCK, then well get along.
I always thought we (The US) were on the wrong side, and we should have used bigger bullits, 10 mega ton would have worked.

Ron

Ron
theproblemIseeis / tht/ you/ were / colling/ in// b52s
/ withh/ tht/ ottitude
hving/ problems/ with/ my/ computer/ more/ lter

jmes

[Seascamp]

Another book that some may find interesting is entitled ?Victory in Vietnam?
This is the official VN Government history of the Peoples Army of Vietnam covering the years 1954-1975 and was translated by Merle L. Pribbenow and the forward is by William J. Duiker. The source material is first hand accounts, narratives and letters. Everything matches up well with first hand accounts and narratives from various US military authors. There doesn?t appear to be any hype, propaganda or myth making going on so it?s a real good read about how things looked from the PAVN side. The original book was published by The Military History Institute of Vietnam. I found the book at Barnes and Noble.

Scamp

P.S. Chillidog,"And a hard rain fell" is the book title and the author is John Ketwig.

[39mto39g]

Computer problems or not, I never asked anyone to belive anything I ever said, I took more time for you and explained exactly what happened on the calling in of the B-52s, I hardly ever explain myself to anyone and you can belive it or not.

Im gona go have a beer.

ron

[Packo]

Chillibeane!

Thanks to you and Scamp. It is John Ketwig's book. Thanks you two.

Packo

[exlrrp]

Originally posted by 39mto39g Computer problems or not, I never asked anyone to belive anything I ever said, I took more time for you and explained exactly what happened on the calling in of the B-52s, I hardly ever explain myself to anyone and you can belive it or not.

Im gona go have a beer.
n

Ron, you are taking me all wrong here, you are one of the few people whose stories I believ almost verbatim. I think you are one of the most honest people here--you write exactly what you feel with no iota of political correctness--and you write your feelings down exactly as they are. Thank you!!! I say this sincerely!!!Please only keep writing your honesty in the future
The reason is is that you prove so well what I guess I finally have to shed my denial about: We really did hate the vietnamese as a people and we carried on our war against them unmercifully (is despise or Think they suck easier to say? go ahead) We blew the living crap out of them whenever we felt liike it and we felt like it a lot. I wanted to deny this for decades--against the evidence of all my experience but the truth keeps slamming me in the face--its not just you at all Ron, I am amazed at how many line up to say it: We thought the Vietnamese sucked, at least the ones on our side. It defeats the whole purpose of the war from our side--why should we fight for their freedom when we didn't give a sht about them? Wasn't that REALLY the thought on the l6ne??SOnsabitches, they didn't draft their 19year olds and we did!!
We did despise them-- There it is, no doubt about it, repeated over and over and its only my denial that denies it, the part that still wants to see myself as the good guy.
I think its no stretch of the imagination at all to think that someone who thought the Vietnamese sucked would wreak all the damage he could on them, its only a matter of connecting the dots. I have no doubt of this, I saw this and participated in it fully so I am absolutely not blaming you for this at all--as a matter of fact you only hold ideas I held myself for a long long time. You are only being honest about the feelings that I'd bet the farm almost EVERY ONE of us Americans had the same feelings--and acted on them.
This was the "corporate culture" that we were all part of. We were so superior to the Vietnamese. We had the better way. They were chickenshit. We couldn't trust a one of them.
And most of all: We respected the other side more than we respected our allies. In 35 years of listening to Vietnam Vets that is the most common saying I have heard. And do you think the Vietnamese didn't know all about it?
Think about our rumors--kids with grenades and baby-with explosives flinging grandma's--you think people who believe this stuff are going to be good to these people?
But if you really thought so, wasn't the right thing to do to tell the government about it? I thought so then and still do