vietnam war

[bpsjrbox]

I am working on an assignment for my 9th grade U.S. History class. I need to interview a Vietnam Veteran. I just need a few questions answered and then you can tell me what you would like my class to know about the Vietnam War.
1. Your name
2. What years did you serve?
3. What position or job did you have?

Thank You,
Jacob Box

[dave]

Dave Wright

Served between Nov. '68 - Nov. '69

I was a point man in an infantry unit

[bpsjrbox]

Thanks for responding. Could you tell me something that you would like our 9th grade US History class to know about the Vietnam war?

[son_of_a_fort_monmoth_born_army_brat]

hey jacob what state you from because ur assinment sounds alot like mine im from WI

[Chuck Gutzman]

Hi Jacob:

My Name is Philip C. Gutzman - I Go by Chuck

I was involved with the Vietnam War from 1964 through 1972, though not always in Vietnam itself. I was deployed to Vietnam in 1965-66, 1969 - 70.

I was an advisor, a tank company commander, a battalion S-3 Air, and a Ranger Detachment Commander.

One of the things that your class should understand is this. America's left-wing academia and political structure constantly harps on the idea that America lost the war in Vietnam. They ignore the fact that war is an extension of politics by violent means and is the final method used to enforce a policy goal. America's policy initially was to prevent the take-over of South Vietnam by a communist regime through the employment of all necessary US power to prevent it. Our forces were then essentially fighting for a stalemate. They succeeded. Tet virtually destroyed the armed capability of the Viet Cong and severely damaged the North Vietnamese armed forces. The North Vietnamese then had to take over the prosecution of the war.

President Nixon came to power and changed America's goal and policy. Instead of the prevention of a communist take-over through the employment of military power, the policy then became the support of a nation's opposition to communism by providing logistical and air-power support, but without the intervention of American ground power. America began withdrawing ground power from Southeast Asia. The North Vietnamese attempted to take advantage of this draw-down by launching an all-out attack. The attack failed, largely due to unexpected stiff resistance by the South Vietnamese and the intervention of US air and naval power, and the North Vietnamese were badly mauled. By August 1972 the last US combat unit had withdrawn from Vietnam. In early 1973 the US, South and North Vietnam signed a peace agreement and the US completed the withdrawal of all of their military forces from Vietnam. TWO YEARS LATER - THE NORTH VIETNAMESE LAUNCHED AN ALL-OUT ATTACK ON THE SOUTH AND IN APRIL 1975 WON THE WAR. IT HAS BEEN IGNORED BY PEOPLE ON THE LEFT IN ACADEMIA AND POLITICS, THAT THE US HAD SIGNED A TREATY ENDING THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN 1973. HOW THEY CAN TRANSLATE WHAT HAPPENED TWO YEARS LATER AS "THE US LOST THE VIETNAM WAR" IS SOMETHING ONLY THEIR TWISTED LOGIC CAN EXPLAIN. HOW DO YOU LOSE A WAR YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN FOR OVER TWO YEARS?

Chuck