No, we didn't. It was never intended to be won. Vietnam was a diversion from the progressive takeover by Lyndon Johnson. The "incident" never happened in 1964. Film from nose cams of the F-4s sent in support showed no boat trails. Proved fake by 1969. Agent Orange was 'applied' only in the south. Many tactically strategic areas in the north were off limits - no aircraft could fly over or attack the dumps/staging areas.
At home, the "great society" was in the process of destroying inner city communities. No one bothered to make that newsworthy, since Vietnam was the headliner.
If the intent was to win, we could have deployed an invasion force to Hanoi. The VC/NVA would have been hung out to dry, and within weeks it would have been done: this from a multi-tour officer.
Incidentally, a large percentage of the VC force was forcibly inducted into the fight. Note that the first incursion of US troops met absolutely no resistance.
Seadevil110 2 points 1.9 years ago
No, we didn't.
It was never intended to be won. Vietnam was a diversion from the progressive takeover by Lyndon Johnson.
The "incident" never happened in 1964. Film from nose cams of the F-4s sent in support showed no boat trails. Proved fake by 1969.
Agent Orange was 'applied' only in the south. Many tactically strategic areas in the north were off limits - no aircraft could fly over or attack the dumps/staging areas.
At home, the "great society" was in the process of destroying inner city communities. No one bothered to make that newsworthy, since Vietnam was the headliner.
If the intent was to win, we could have deployed an invasion force to Hanoi. The VC/NVA would have been hung out to dry, and within weeks it would have been done: this from a multi-tour officer.
Incidentally, a large percentage of the VC force was forcibly inducted into the fight.
Note that the first incursion of US troops met absolutely no resistance.