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on April 28, 2012
At the Paris Peace Talks, a North Vietnamese negotiator famously responded to an Army colonel who had observed our military had never lost a battle in Vietnam, "That's true, but irrelevant."
And he was right. The military had not only won all the battles but had won its war against the Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese Army (NVA), but the political will back home was shattered and victory was handed to the enemy. Even Lyndon Johnson believed the TV reporters claims that the VC had won the 1968 Tet Offensive, when in fact they had been Ramboed.
Had this book's clearly presented facts been better understood during those admittedly chaotic times, we could have achieved our goal...the preservation of the Republic of Vietnam so that it could mature as South Korea did after the Korean War.
The Viet Cong kamikazied during the Tet Offensive. Then the North Vietnamese were pummeled into submission by Nixon's bombing of their allegedly neutral sanctuaries in Cambodia as well as airstrikes against the North. Flanked by strengthened diplomatic ties to China and Russia, the result was a successful peace treaty.
But then everybody went home, Congress cut the funding for the war, and when the North Vietnamese openly rolled south, then our elected representatives in Congress, to our shame, reneged on its response with promised air and naval (not ground) support.
This is an excellent history of the Vietnam war, from its origins to its end. It's by an ex-military man, not by a politician trying to explain his failure or by some ex-demonstrator who decades later still expects collapse of the country and the Phoenix-like rise of the New Left. Of course, Vietnam is decades-past history and the politicians and the draft-dodgers are writing the textbooks.
It does raise questions, of course. Just how long a haul would we have been in for and at what level if Congress had not turned its back on the Vietnamese? Recovery worked for the South Koreans, but the circumstances involved the aftermath of a fairly conventional war. A guerrilla war doesn't have to go away. Given enough time, would the VC ever have recovered despite their massive personnel losses? Would occasional air support have been required over the decades since? With all that jungle to cover your movements, it's hard to imagine the two Vietnams engaged in a decades-long Israeli-style stalemate.
But we'll never know.
And he was right. The military had not only won all the battles but had won its war against the Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese Army (NVA), but the political will back home was shattered and victory was handed to the enemy. Even Lyndon Johnson believed the TV reporters claims that the VC had won the 1968 Tet Offensive, when in fact they had been Ramboed.
Had this book's clearly presented facts been better understood during those admittedly chaotic times, we could have achieved our goal...the preservation of the Republic of Vietnam so that it could mature as South Korea did after the Korean War.
The Viet Cong kamikazied during the Tet Offensive. Then the North Vietnamese were pummeled into submission by Nixon's bombing of their allegedly neutral sanctuaries in Cambodia as well as airstrikes against the North. Flanked by strengthened diplomatic ties to China and Russia, the result was a successful peace treaty.
But then everybody went home, Congress cut the funding for the war, and when the North Vietnamese openly rolled south, then our elected representatives in Congress, to our shame, reneged on its response with promised air and naval (not ground) support.
This is an excellent history of the Vietnam war, from its origins to its end. It's by an ex-military man, not by a politician trying to explain his failure or by some ex-demonstrator who decades later still expects collapse of the country and the Phoenix-like rise of the New Left. Of course, Vietnam is decades-past history and the politicians and the draft-dodgers are writing the textbooks.
It does raise questions, of course. Just how long a haul would we have been in for and at what level if Congress had not turned its back on the Vietnamese? Recovery worked for the South Koreans, but the circumstances involved the aftermath of a fairly conventional war. A guerrilla war doesn't have to go away. Given enough time, would the VC ever have recovered despite their massive personnel losses? Would occasional air support have been required over the decades since? With all that jungle to cover your movements, it's hard to imagine the two Vietnams engaged in a decades-long Israeli-style stalemate.
But we'll never know.
on June 14, 2013
Born in 65. Remember the body counts on the nightly news as a child. Most everything I know about the Vietnam war I learned from TV or the movies, very little was covered in my history classes in elementary, high school or college. I wanted to learn more after visiting the region last year.
This should be required reading. It's not what I thought I knew about the war but it is very convincing. It is interesting to think about what is written here in light of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. If you want to know about the war - why, what happened, what went wrong and what went right- this is worthwhile manageable read. I will be reading more but this was a great place to start.
This should be required reading. It's not what I thought I knew about the war but it is very convincing. It is interesting to think about what is written here in light of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. If you want to know about the war - why, what happened, what went wrong and what went right- this is worthwhile manageable read. I will be reading more but this was a great place to start.
on November 26, 2016
This is a book presents an interesting case for an alternate narrative about the Vietnam War, the "We were winning When I left" take on the war. It follows in the same vein as "Unheralded Victory" by Mark Woodruff and is valuable as a different perspective on a hot button topic. The reader will appreciate Jennings' detail and careful research..
on April 4, 2011
We know the government lies, and the media bends the truth as they see reality, which isn't always objective and in the best interests of the American people, or the world for that matter. The media ranks right down in the pits with lawyers as far as perceived integrity and truthfulness by society; thus we received a very biased opinion of what happening in Vietnam and the military services. Even President Nixon got much of his news from the TV. This gem of the book makes us think and reconsider some of the major points. It's good to know that our returning troops have been honorably received and respected by the folks back on the home front. Jennings lets us know that we never really lost, and the military wasn't allowed to win, and that the political Left was more of a problem than the Viet Cong. I liked Sun Tzu's quote: "To put a rein on an able general (Westmoreland) while at the same time asking him to suppress a cunning enemy is like tying up the Black Hound of Han and then ordering him to catch elusive hares..."
on March 27, 2016
This is the sixth book that I have read to try and understand Viet Nam. I was assigned to the 218th CC&S in Long Bin in 1968 and found that this book not only confirmed what I had read in two of the previous books but it conveyed my feelings. The first book I read on this journey was "We are Soldiers Still" by Lt.Gen. Moore. His view that we could have never won the war didn't set well with me and I didn't think he was right. Then I read "Blacklisted by History" by Stanton Evans. This book seems unrelated to the subject except that it shows the power of the press to deceive the public and change a nations view of history. Next I read Mark Moyar's great book "Triumph Forsaken". This book really started me on a journey to learn all I could about Viet Nam. I even read "Triumph Revisited" which was a small book put together to try to discredit Mark's book, written by left wing educated with left wing agenda, it failed. Then I read "The Lost Mandate of Heaven" by Geoffrey Shaw, another great book that agrees with the facts in "Triumph Forsaken". I have just finished "The P.I.G. to the Vietnam War" by Phillip Jennings. This book not only agrees with "Triumph Forsaken" and "The Lost Mandate of Heaven" but it conveys my feelings and attitude towards the war and Viet Nam veterans. I have always felt that the press had both the war and veterans wrong. I find it hard to believe that the negative reviewers even read the book. I also enjoyed the humor that Mr. Jennings adds to the book, it makes the reading of facts more enjoyable. The one very big problem I have with Mr. Jennings is that he has made me add to my wish list 15 more books on top of the three that were already there. This problem is better understood if one agrees with my wife who thinks my 1250 books are too many. By the way I didn't start reading books till I got to Viet Nam and thanks to Mr. Jennings book I will forever spell Viet Nam as two words. A reader will find out we didn't loose this war but congress let North Viet Nam take over the South. It reminds me of the way we won in Iraq and Obama pulled us out to fast and now he is using LBJ's text book on how to fight a war in Syria. Those who don't know their history are bound to repeat it.
on March 22, 2015
This is the second book by Mr Jennings that I have read and I loved it! Like the author, I enlisted in the military and served in Viet Nam. I went to college on the GI bill and was subjected to left wing dribble from my professors especially in regards to the war. This is one of few books I have read about Viet Nam that I completely agree with. This book should be required reading for all history students. I recommend this book to anyone who would like a different view in regards to the U.S. involvement in Viet Nam from what the media has portrayed. I want to thank the author, not only for his service to our country, but also for writing this book.
on August 15, 2012
There is not a lot for me to add as most of the reviewers have said it all. Viet Nam was In my time of youth, 25 yrs, some of my high school friends didn't make it back. I never accepted the defeatists & or the apologists who continue to dribble their nonsense.
Thanks ' LT ' for bibliography & footnotes.
AF17591040 - Laos - Thailand
Thanks ' LT ' for bibliography & footnotes.
AF17591040 - Laos - Thailand
on May 8, 2011
I purchased this wonderful book a few months ago, and have used the information within to debate those who repeat the standard myths and anti war protester sentiments. As a Viet Nam era veteran (U.S.A.F. TAC 69-73) I feel it is incumbent upon me, and other veterans to set this record straight for future generations and for the memory of the 58,212 Killed in Vietnam, the 153,452 wounded and the 1,711 missing and abandon there. A salute to Mr. Jennings and a heart felt thank you.
on August 30, 2013
It tells the truth about the Vietnam conflict. An outstanding book about the factual information of a War which was won, A Peace With Honor which was a lie. We promised support to our Vietnamese Brothers in Arms. Congress cut off all funding which was promised to them. How can you defend a country without any logostical support. North Vietnam was supplied by both Russia, and its Bloc Countries and China. It was not a civil war it was a proxy war bertween Russia, China and the United States.
