THE VIETNAM WAR
While this site is primarily devoted to the Navy's role in Vietnam, here you will find a comprehensive study of the war by way of links to several published accounts of the conflict. It begins with a brief history of Indo-China and concludes with details of the nations place in the world today. This is a learning experience for some, a matter of debate for others, and perhaps a shock to a few.
As author of this site, I take no credit for the information provided by links, only for their compilation and relative or introductory narrative. Input is always welcome. So a page will be dedicated to comments, personal accounts from veterans, and photographs.
To contribute, write to any of the following:
"lclintwhit@hotmail.com"
"Deewebpage@webtv.net"
"cwlloyds@webtv.net"
HEROES, Saying This About That:
An article in the January 2003 issue of VFW Magazine reports why young Americans do not see military people as heroes, that Vietnam's negative image, which has been displayed primarily in movies, is at the root of this diminution of status. Yet it is the military in whole that since the end of WWII has been made small in the eyes of America's youth. Further, the article states that schools have changed curricula to emphasize the importance of anti-heroes while downplaying the roles of men who die in war to preserve freedom. War sucks! they say. Well, to be sure, war is the reason for the largest intentional waste of humanity and its labors, its genetic pool and its future. Moreover, most wars can be prevented; yet stubborn pride and ancient rivalries get in the way of common dialogue. To our shame as a species, this "failure to communicate" will always be our downfall. Even so, it is wishful thinking to believe that aggression can always be thwarted by way of negotiation, and that reason, rather than the rifle, can keep safe a nation. History says otherwise. We veterans say that, too. When the time came to face up to that challenge, we did our jobs. The nation called and we went. Of course, our view of the reasons for that war have changed with time, for surely we know more now than we knew then. Still, the passion and committment to face up to our duty is not tarnished by any hindsight-errors in political judgement, errors in strategy. We had no hand in that.
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This photo, courtesy of Ray Longaker, illustrates one of the jobs assigned to the multi-tasked U.S. Navy during the war in Southeast Asia. And since one website is hardly capable of covering them all, other Vietnam Veterans sites are linked to these pages. Hence, the scope of the experience is made broader here, although certainly not complete.
