I am reading a comprehensive book titled “Vietnam” by Max Hastings. He describes the reasons why the United States failed in the 12-year effort to help Vietnam.
The apparent largest reason was the one-year tour policy for the assigned Americans. If an individual was consciences. it took three months to learn his job. Then, after working six more months, he became a short-timer. As he got closer to going home, his interest in his job diminished. The Vietnamese saw a never-ending turn over in American personnel. That resulted in little accomplishment for their interest,
In World War II, many incompetent generals and high-ranking officers were relieved and sent home in disgrace. The attitude in Vietnam was: He will be completing his tour soon so why bother.
The big interest for the American leaders was Viet Cong (the enemy) body count. Every Vietnamese killed was automatically called a dead Viet Cong. Very often, those killed were the people the U.S. was there to support. That resulted in a lack of trust by the Vietnamese people. Many came to hate Americans when they saw friends and relatives killed.
The United States’ policies were flawed during the 12-year investment of 58,000 lives and untold billions of dollars.
In my opinion, the money would have been better spent supporting our elderly and the American poor.
Lou Barber
Ruston, La (former Bernardston resident)