The year was 1968. On January 31^st, the North Vietnamese coordinated an effort in more than 100 South Vietnamese cities, towns, and hamlets to end the stalemate of the war. The battles raged on for weeks, and was the bloodiest conflict of the long war. The effort was not only focused on killing American soldiers, the plan was to turn the people of South Vietnam against the Americans, and join forces with the north.

By the end of March, and the purpose for the offensive failed, the North Vietnamese ended the attacks. An estimated 32,000 North Vietnamese had died; 5,800 were captured. 3,895 U.S. soldiers lost their lives along with 4,954 South Vietnamese military.

During the battles, legendary newsman, Walter Cronkite, visited the area. After witnessing the carnage in person, he returned to his nightly news broadcast and told the American people: Cronkite said that he was “more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate.”

We now know that in 1975 our military forces left South Vietnam in disgrace.

The Vietnam War created a division between young men and women my age, and older Americans, especially those who had served in WWII. A common chant during marches at our universities and in the streets of our towns and cities was “what are we fighting for?” We were never given an answer. Many men who had fought in the Korean conflict understood. They watched their fellow soldiers die or become seriously wounded and when the armistice was signed nothing had been accomplished. We all know the situation between North and South Korea today.

As a young man I loved John Wayne’s war movies. After Vietnam ended, I became a true pacifist. I believe that this is the only manner in which wars will be nothing but bad memories. I shuddered as we invaded Afghanistan and Iraq. From the onset millions of Americans were once again asking ‘what are we fighting for?’ History told us that these ‘wars’ were unwinnable.

We were told that the purpose for going to war in Afghanistan was to capture or kill the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden; that never happened and our military remains in that country today; why?

When we learned that Iraq was invaded under false pretenses, we were furious. When we were given information that the attacks on 9/11 could have been prevented we were both saddened and outraged. Our government’s criminal decision to invade Iraq destabilized the area and was responsible for the creation of ISIS.

Governments create conditions which result in wars, but they never fight in those battles. Today we have an illegitimate president who says that he ‘loves wars; even nuclear wars.’ Of course he is a confirmed draft dodger who has never sacrificed a single thing for his country or his fellow man.

Op-ed by James Turnage

SOURCE

Photo courtesy of Tommy Truong 79

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