Can the Lesson of Vietnam Be Applied to the Present?

Question

1. In 1964-65, President Johnson told the American people that a build up of US forces would shorten the war and bring victory. By early 1968, with over 500,000 US military personnel in the conflict there, the other side was still able to mount attacks throughout South Vietnam and even penetrated the US Embassy in Saigon. President Johnson then declined to run for re-election and retired to Texas.

2. In 1969, President Nixon told the nation that the new strategy will bring victory: to train the South Vietnamese armed forces to replace the US in the war. In 1975, the South Vietnames regime was defeated.

3. Both Johnson and Nixon declared if the other side took over Vietnam, there would be a masacre and Vietnam will become a springboard for the Communists to take over the rest of SE Asia. Nothing like that has happened. The former inmates from the re-education camps are allowed to come to the US and Vietnam is now a vibrant, peaceful and friendly country with a free-market economy.

Answer 1

The way it is going is a sure reenactment of Vietnam. But the leaders of America will pick no lessons from the past because they are unfortunately arrogant, deaf, dumb and blind (no insults meant). The difference will be that the negative aftermath of this to America will be more grievious and will stay for a long time to come.

Answer 2

it could be but we never learn.