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greenmountaingal · 80-89, F
This is a historical backlash in reaction to the days (the 60s Vietnam era) when those who opposed government foreign policies sometimes demonstrated at military bases as soldiers who had gone to war for their country (as they saw it) or who'd been drafted (and had no choice) arrived wearily (or worse) back home to crowds of angry people hassling them.
emilyBM · 22-25, F
@greenmountaingal hassling draftees is wrong, but most Vietnam veterans were not drafted. 2/3 were volunteers, who willingly fought and knew what they were getting into.
rainbowmudkip13 · 22-25, M
@emilyBM but some wanted nothing to do with the war. And the men that were drafted hated the draft I feel like you would like the song "War Pigs" by black sabith
emilyBM · 22-25, F
@rainbowmudkip13 I have nothing against anyone who was conscripted. They had no choice. I'm talking about people who willingly volunteered. They definitely wanted something to do with the war.
greenmountaingal · 80-89, F
@emilyBM It is not fair or compassionate to hassle soldiers coming back from a war. And most anti-Vietnam people (I was one) would never have done that. In fact, it gave the entire anti-war movement a bad name to the point that I sometimes wonder if those military base demonstrations were actually staged by COINTELPRO provocateurs. Now we live in very conservative times and the pendulum of public opinion has swung the other way. Soldiering, regardless of the wisdom of foreign policy, is now publicized as the noblest profession. This is partly because there is no draft anymore so our military needs help in recruiting. Don't worry, all trends change over time. Perhaps, before you are my age, attitudes will shift again.
rckt148 · 61-69, M
@greenmountaingal They spat on them and called them baby killers over the actions of one company that took the fall for Nixon ,(My Lai Massacre in Vietnam:
in 1968 American forces attacked this small helpless village,. They were led by Lieutenant Kally who ordered his troops to invade the village and "shoot everything that moves"
This event changed the lives of all who served in Vietnam and earned all of them a title they did not deserve .
Many of my family members died there ,and the ones that returned were forever altered and scared ,mentally and physically ,over something they had no control over ,most were just drafted kids .
To kill the pot plants the VC used for cover ,many vets were sprayed with agent orange ,it killed the pot plants ,but also harmed the Vets sprayed with it as well .
Many fought until their deaths fighting to medical benefits that part of their GIbill ,
but they were swept under the rug and died coughing their lungs out ,
They were given drugs to get them to go on recon missions ,(LSD )
Where a VC could hide behind pots plants and ambush them ,pop up out of spider holes and cut them down ,and they baited the tunnels with booby traps and with snakes so it they tried to follow them into their tunnels they were struck .
Men who dared investigate those tunnels were known as "Tunnel Rats ".
Can you even imagine ,your just a kid ,and this is the life you have had to adapt to ,fighting in a jungle ,on their home turf ?
They gave all trying to do the impossible ,LBJ refused to bring them home .
Nixion used them to get elected first term saying he was "Bringing them home",
but he did not keep that promise until he was reelected for a second term .
They had to smoke weed and use Heroin just to sleep ,minds tormented by things the endured and had seen ,and the men those (Kids )were forced to kill .
They were not well trained Marines ,they were kids
“It was mandatory. You do 8 weeks of basic training and then 8 weeks of another training of whatever you specialized in,
it could be anything from infantry to artillery to motor pool driving a jeep or a tank or a truck
that's the secondary boot camp they send you to.”
Some ran to Canada ,and were later pardoned ,the mission was highly protested ,
but the Dads of WW2 told them it was their duty ,and frankly what choice did they have ?,
you don't get to tell UNCLE SAM where you will or will not go .
The ones that deserted to Canada may have been the smart ones in the end ,but is that what our nations stands for ? you want to live here ,enjoy the benefits and liberties others fought for so that we did not end up like Russia or Korea in the days of the cold war when everything was taken from the people and heavy oppression and a constant fear of death ,men,women and children .
They were drafted right out of school ,they had no choice but to serve if you wanted to live in this country .
It wasn't enough the hell they endured ,but to come home to everyone treating them like they did something wrong .
While they ones they fought for ,
stayed at home ,safe in the country they fought for ,got high and protested ,(the hippy culture that began many movements that have brought us to where we are today .
And lets not forget the ones left in the mud ,but even worse ,
Many captured ,placed in prisoner of war camps like John McCain ,and tortured ,
The U.S. listed about 2,500 Americans as prisoners of war or missing in action but only 1,200 Americans were reported killed in action and body not recovered. Many of these were Airmen who were shot down over North Vietnam or Laos.
They won't be forgotten my ass ,they never were treated with the dignity they deserved ,and now most of the kids today have no clue what Vietnam was even about ,nor that its was not classified as "War" ,it was a "peace keeping mission" ,
to keep North Vietnam from turning South Vietnam into a communist country .
Women did not serve in combat ,so when I say those boys were forever changed ,
lives ruined ,and for what ?
So today no one even remembers the hell they endured ,believing with their whole hearts they were doing it to keep America safe and not turned into a communist country as well .
Its was not the plan for Utopia these kids today believe .
I hear some kids say they would prefer it to democracy ,just shows how little they know ,but they sure think they know it all and have all the answers ,
All their elders have done was oppress and enslave ,and why should they respect any of us ?
The ones who protested and dodged the draft because they were "Rich Students "
Now they are the ones teaching the youth ,omitting Vietnam all together ,or teaching them lies ,from the minds that have no honor at all ,the "Entitled "
And just like the boys / and activated national guard ,reserves (not even full time soldiers ) deployed to Iraq ,,
It doesn't mean anything that we invaded a country that did nothing to the USA ,
the war was based on a lie .while the man who did pull off Sept 11 was let run free for 12 yrs ,,with his "Child Brides ",,in plain sight .
When you are called to serve you serve ,even if your government is wrong in the reasons they are there .
It may not be long before this entitled generation gets their turn .
The boys coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan were welcomed home with parades ,and thanked for their service .
They boys coming home from Vietnam were spat on ,and called "Baby Killers ",
They were no less brave ,and suffered a hell of a lot more .
They deserved better than that ,
They did show the world ,don't bring your crap to our shores
We will fight and died to keep our country free ,and America should be ashamed
of how the nation treated the Vietnam Vet and the ones still MIA .
And lets not forget the parents that never got to bury their boys ,
Many are forever scattered in the soil of Vietnam ,
Hassled was not even close to the right word .
in 1968 American forces attacked this small helpless village,. They were led by Lieutenant Kally who ordered his troops to invade the village and "shoot everything that moves"
This event changed the lives of all who served in Vietnam and earned all of them a title they did not deserve .
Many of my family members died there ,and the ones that returned were forever altered and scared ,mentally and physically ,over something they had no control over ,most were just drafted kids .
To kill the pot plants the VC used for cover ,many vets were sprayed with agent orange ,it killed the pot plants ,but also harmed the Vets sprayed with it as well .
Many fought until their deaths fighting to medical benefits that part of their GIbill ,
but they were swept under the rug and died coughing their lungs out ,
They were given drugs to get them to go on recon missions ,(LSD )
Where a VC could hide behind pots plants and ambush them ,pop up out of spider holes and cut them down ,and they baited the tunnels with booby traps and with snakes so it they tried to follow them into their tunnels they were struck .
Men who dared investigate those tunnels were known as "Tunnel Rats ".
Can you even imagine ,your just a kid ,and this is the life you have had to adapt to ,fighting in a jungle ,on their home turf ?
They gave all trying to do the impossible ,LBJ refused to bring them home .
Nixion used them to get elected first term saying he was "Bringing them home",
but he did not keep that promise until he was reelected for a second term .
They had to smoke weed and use Heroin just to sleep ,minds tormented by things the endured and had seen ,and the men those (Kids )were forced to kill .
They were not well trained Marines ,they were kids
“It was mandatory. You do 8 weeks of basic training and then 8 weeks of another training of whatever you specialized in,
it could be anything from infantry to artillery to motor pool driving a jeep or a tank or a truck
that's the secondary boot camp they send you to.”
Some ran to Canada ,and were later pardoned ,the mission was highly protested ,
but the Dads of WW2 told them it was their duty ,and frankly what choice did they have ?,
you don't get to tell UNCLE SAM where you will or will not go .
The ones that deserted to Canada may have been the smart ones in the end ,but is that what our nations stands for ? you want to live here ,enjoy the benefits and liberties others fought for so that we did not end up like Russia or Korea in the days of the cold war when everything was taken from the people and heavy oppression and a constant fear of death ,men,women and children .
They were drafted right out of school ,they had no choice but to serve if you wanted to live in this country .
It wasn't enough the hell they endured ,but to come home to everyone treating them like they did something wrong .
While they ones they fought for ,
stayed at home ,safe in the country they fought for ,got high and protested ,(the hippy culture that began many movements that have brought us to where we are today .
And lets not forget the ones left in the mud ,but even worse ,
Many captured ,placed in prisoner of war camps like John McCain ,and tortured ,
The U.S. listed about 2,500 Americans as prisoners of war or missing in action but only 1,200 Americans were reported killed in action and body not recovered. Many of these were Airmen who were shot down over North Vietnam or Laos.
They won't be forgotten my ass ,they never were treated with the dignity they deserved ,and now most of the kids today have no clue what Vietnam was even about ,nor that its was not classified as "War" ,it was a "peace keeping mission" ,
to keep North Vietnam from turning South Vietnam into a communist country .
Women did not serve in combat ,so when I say those boys were forever changed ,
lives ruined ,and for what ?
So today no one even remembers the hell they endured ,believing with their whole hearts they were doing it to keep America safe and not turned into a communist country as well .
Its was not the plan for Utopia these kids today believe .
I hear some kids say they would prefer it to democracy ,just shows how little they know ,but they sure think they know it all and have all the answers ,
All their elders have done was oppress and enslave ,and why should they respect any of us ?
The ones who protested and dodged the draft because they were "Rich Students "
Now they are the ones teaching the youth ,omitting Vietnam all together ,or teaching them lies ,from the minds that have no honor at all ,the "Entitled "
And just like the boys / and activated national guard ,reserves (not even full time soldiers ) deployed to Iraq ,,
It doesn't mean anything that we invaded a country that did nothing to the USA ,
the war was based on a lie .while the man who did pull off Sept 11 was let run free for 12 yrs ,,with his "Child Brides ",,in plain sight .
When you are called to serve you serve ,even if your government is wrong in the reasons they are there .
It may not be long before this entitled generation gets their turn .
The boys coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan were welcomed home with parades ,and thanked for their service .
They boys coming home from Vietnam were spat on ,and called "Baby Killers ",
They were no less brave ,and suffered a hell of a lot more .
They deserved better than that ,
They did show the world ,don't bring your crap to our shores
We will fight and died to keep our country free ,and America should be ashamed
of how the nation treated the Vietnam Vet and the ones still MIA .
And lets not forget the parents that never got to bury their boys ,
Many are forever scattered in the soil of Vietnam ,
Hassled was not even close to the right word .
greenmountaingal · 80-89, F
@rckt148 Your description is, unfortunately fairly accurate. Vietnam has been largely forgotten now.
rckt148 · 61-69, M
@greenmountaingal I was trained to do search and rescue by some of the bravest ,most dedicated men on the planet ,Vietnam Vets .
Ex Air Force ,Marines ,Army from every rate you can imagine .
They were spot on ,from retrieving someone from the water ,to boarding a burning ship and never bat an eye ,many times without even putting on any gear .
We never went to sea on a pretty day ,we were called on when all hell was breaking lose (the real fun ride is in a hurricane ).
And you better be spot on too ,they did not save lives for any glory ,they did it because that is what they were good at ,thats all they knew .
And NONE of them wanted any praise ,let refuel and get out of here .
We were awarded certain privileges ,like our hair was overlooked ,if we ended up on the cover of a magazine not wearing our caps (considered out of uniform )
No officers expected us to stop and salute them ,we were the pride of the 7th District .We saved lives .
Immigration ,Law Enforcement ,Safety Boardings ,they were attributes of our job ,
But our main job was finding someone in the water ,getting a crew off before their vessel sank and they were in the water ,and a lot of firefighting .
We were getting on vessels everyone wanted off of ,and 99% of the time we saved not only the crew ,but the vessel too .
Oil and fuel slicks and hazards to navigation ,that was all part of it too .
If we could keep a vessel from sinking we avoided further damaging an eko system too .So as they say ,"Big Job ,small service ".
The New York City police department has more men and women in the field then the entire US Coast Guard .
No one joins the Guard to be a hero ,and they sure as hell don't join to take lives .
We join to save lives and protect our coast and anyone that can't respect that ,,
Well I am at a loss for words ,
I know many who came back from Vietnam lost ,and without a purpose .
But I was proud to serve with men who had a mission .
To save as many lives as they could ,and to train men like me to continue doing it when they were gone ,,
More than once I owed my life to a Vietnam Vet ,and I never went to Vietnam ,,
My Screen name was Rocket ,it was in memory of one of the finest ,bravest men I ever knew ,he was only one ,I was happy to serve with many "Hero's "
who wanted no praise from anyone ,saving lives was just what they did .
Ex Air Force ,Marines ,Army from every rate you can imagine .
They were spot on ,from retrieving someone from the water ,to boarding a burning ship and never bat an eye ,many times without even putting on any gear .
We never went to sea on a pretty day ,we were called on when all hell was breaking lose (the real fun ride is in a hurricane ).
And you better be spot on too ,they did not save lives for any glory ,they did it because that is what they were good at ,thats all they knew .
And NONE of them wanted any praise ,let refuel and get out of here .
We were awarded certain privileges ,like our hair was overlooked ,if we ended up on the cover of a magazine not wearing our caps (considered out of uniform )
No officers expected us to stop and salute them ,we were the pride of the 7th District .We saved lives .
Immigration ,Law Enforcement ,Safety Boardings ,they were attributes of our job ,
But our main job was finding someone in the water ,getting a crew off before their vessel sank and they were in the water ,and a lot of firefighting .
We were getting on vessels everyone wanted off of ,and 99% of the time we saved not only the crew ,but the vessel too .
Oil and fuel slicks and hazards to navigation ,that was all part of it too .
If we could keep a vessel from sinking we avoided further damaging an eko system too .So as they say ,"Big Job ,small service ".
The New York City police department has more men and women in the field then the entire US Coast Guard .
No one joins the Guard to be a hero ,and they sure as hell don't join to take lives .
We join to save lives and protect our coast and anyone that can't respect that ,,
Well I am at a loss for words ,
I know many who came back from Vietnam lost ,and without a purpose .
But I was proud to serve with men who had a mission .
To save as many lives as they could ,and to train men like me to continue doing it when they were gone ,,
More than once I owed my life to a Vietnam Vet ,and I never went to Vietnam ,,
My Screen name was Rocket ,it was in memory of one of the finest ,bravest men I ever knew ,he was only one ,I was happy to serve with many "Hero's "
who wanted no praise from anyone ,saving lives was just what they did .