In this weekend episode Victor Davis Hanson and host Sami Winc note the passing of Hulk Hogan, further dissect the Russia collusion hoax, recap the Vietnam War and its impact on the US, look at the latest Trump trade deals, and more.
Related
Share This
6 thoughts on “The Vietnam War, More Trade Deals, and Hulk Hogan, RIP”
Chip Busick
Everyone had a different tour in Vietnam. I can only comment based on my personal experience there. In 1968 I served as a Marine Corps platoon commander. Beginning in January 1968, our Battalion operated in northern I Corps a few clicks south of the DMZ. During the Tet Offensive we ran large operations along the CUA Viet River, a vital supply route from the coast to Dong Ha, which in turn sent supplies to Khe Sanh, as well as other 3rd Marine Division outposts. Later on we operated in the mountains above Route 9 and just east of Khe Sanh. We saw many Arc Lights (B52 strikes). Without a sound at first, tons of earth shot skyward in a series of geysers as each bomb exploded. Then thunder and shaking of the ground that seemed to never end. Enemy troops (all NVA and VC were called a generic name which is not necessary to include here) were terrified of the ARC LIGHTS.
When VDH spoke about multiple sectors laid out for B52 strikes one could incorrectly assume that air power broke the siege at Khe Sanh. No, the actual breakout was the result of Operation Pegasus in April 1968 , a joint Army and Marine effort which reopened Route 9. Ironically, Khe Sanh was abandoned soon after. And yet heavy fighting continued in the area.
Another clarification. Most of that area was entirely NVA regulars who came across the border with impunity. They had fresh haircuts, full uniforms, and modern weapons. Since there were few if any civilians around, the area was a free fire zone.
Tom Jones
I believe the Vietnam lottery draft began Dec 01, 1969.
Dave Emanuel
Like many modern “wars” the Vietnam military operation was run more like a video game than an actual armed conflict. I remember Westmoreland stating that if we were serious about winning the war, we would go in and take out Haiphong harbor. He said instead what they were doing is bombing areas on an obvious schedule. The Viet Cong knew we were coming, went underground while the bombs dropped and then emerged to wave goodbye to the bombers.
Later, American forces went in to Afghanistan to engage in an unwinnable war. The Russians had already left after years of war that accomplished nothing, except the killing of people.
The best comment about war in Afghanistan came from a sitcom in which one of the characters’ brother had been kidnapped. He advocated going in and bombing the country. The character to whom he was talking replied, “You know what the problem is with bombing Afghanistan? After you bomb Afghanistan, it looks just like it did before you bombed Afghanistan”
Charles Carroll
I wish Dr. Hanson had mentioned the “Domino Theory” when discussing Vietnam. The Communists would take any country they could get but wanted to get down to Malaysia to the petroleum, gold, copper, tin, silica sand, bauxite, and limestone. Economic Geography is a significant influence on foreign relations and Americans know nothing about it (or show interest). For example, one of the reasons we maintained relations with Apartheid South Africa was Chromite. It was known to be abundant, at one time, in three places: USSR, South Africa, and Southwest Africa. Without it, we wouldn’t have self-starting engines. Is that a reason to maintain relations with an abhorrent nation? I don’t know but we should at least know the consequences.
By the way, in 1972 the Maoist Pathet Lao (who run Laos today) made probing attacks into Northeast Thailand and were repulsed by the Air Force at Udon Thani and Marines at Nam Phong.
leroy
What i remember of the B52 runs, was that 3-service colleagues were ordered TDY to Guam to establish a “high order geodetic astronomic position” there for navigation of the B52s and their bombing runs to VN. That had to be in 1966 because i left the service in 1967. Back home in Seattle and just a little later, Prez LBJ was being raked over the coals for his action with VN and, because he realized he was about to lose the upcoming election, he chose to not run. A very good friend was a member of the second group going through the Navy Seal program of that era and deployed to VN. Much later, shortly before checking out, he shared with two of us some of his experiences on missions at night behind enemy lines in VN and in an adjacent country. It was his team that came upon a Boeing 707 being loaded with drugs on a runway in the jungle. He told us he asked the flight engineer their destination and was told “Arkansas”. After returning to their base, he went to the commander about it and was told IF he ever mentioned one word of this to anyone, he would spend the rest of his ‘miserable life” in the brig. He also shared a few of some horrific behaviors they had to perform for their survival behind enemy lines along with one as “the point man” when they came upon a clear, surreal spooky place at night in the jungle. There was an abnormally, unsettlingly silence that raised the hairs on their necks & scared each & every one of the team. He refused to enter that clearing.
Would you do a program on the by-partisan project called THE SHIELD ACT. The last half of this tape explains in reasonable detail by David Adair, on how we harden our power grid. https://youtu.be/6xL6ZB27MK0?si=9dR2FPEo_PdNV9v0
Everyone had a different tour in Vietnam. I can only comment based on my personal experience there. In 1968 I served as a Marine Corps platoon commander. Beginning in January 1968, our Battalion operated in northern I Corps a few clicks south of the DMZ. During the Tet Offensive we ran large operations along the CUA Viet River, a vital supply route from the coast to Dong Ha, which in turn sent supplies to Khe Sanh, as well as other 3rd Marine Division outposts. Later on we operated in the mountains above Route 9 and just east of Khe Sanh. We saw many Arc Lights (B52 strikes). Without a sound at first, tons of earth shot skyward in a series of geysers as each bomb exploded. Then thunder and shaking of the ground that seemed to never end. Enemy troops (all NVA and VC were called a generic name which is not necessary to include here) were terrified of the ARC LIGHTS.
When VDH spoke about multiple sectors laid out for B52 strikes one could incorrectly assume that air power broke the siege at Khe Sanh. No, the actual breakout was the result of Operation Pegasus in April 1968 , a joint Army and Marine effort which reopened Route 9. Ironically, Khe Sanh was abandoned soon after. And yet heavy fighting continued in the area.
Another clarification. Most of that area was entirely NVA regulars who came across the border with impunity. They had fresh haircuts, full uniforms, and modern weapons. Since there were few if any civilians around, the area was a free fire zone.
I believe the Vietnam lottery draft began Dec 01, 1969.
Like many modern “wars” the Vietnam military operation was run more like a video game than an actual armed conflict. I remember Westmoreland stating that if we were serious about winning the war, we would go in and take out Haiphong harbor. He said instead what they were doing is bombing areas on an obvious schedule. The Viet Cong knew we were coming, went underground while the bombs dropped and then emerged to wave goodbye to the bombers.
Later, American forces went in to Afghanistan to engage in an unwinnable war. The Russians had already left after years of war that accomplished nothing, except the killing of people.
The best comment about war in Afghanistan came from a sitcom in which one of the characters’ brother had been kidnapped. He advocated going in and bombing the country. The character to whom he was talking replied, “You know what the problem is with bombing Afghanistan? After you bomb Afghanistan, it looks just like it did before you bombed Afghanistan”
I wish Dr. Hanson had mentioned the “Domino Theory” when discussing Vietnam. The Communists would take any country they could get but wanted to get down to Malaysia to the petroleum, gold, copper, tin, silica sand, bauxite, and limestone. Economic Geography is a significant influence on foreign relations and Americans know nothing about it (or show interest). For example, one of the reasons we maintained relations with Apartheid South Africa was Chromite. It was known to be abundant, at one time, in three places: USSR, South Africa, and Southwest Africa. Without it, we wouldn’t have self-starting engines. Is that a reason to maintain relations with an abhorrent nation? I don’t know but we should at least know the consequences.
By the way, in 1972 the Maoist Pathet Lao (who run Laos today) made probing attacks into Northeast Thailand and were repulsed by the Air Force at Udon Thani and Marines at Nam Phong.
What i remember of the B52 runs, was that 3-service colleagues were ordered TDY to Guam to establish a “high order geodetic astronomic position” there for navigation of the B52s and their bombing runs to VN. That had to be in 1966 because i left the service in 1967. Back home in Seattle and just a little later, Prez LBJ was being raked over the coals for his action with VN and, because he realized he was about to lose the upcoming election, he chose to not run. A very good friend was a member of the second group going through the Navy Seal program of that era and deployed to VN. Much later, shortly before checking out, he shared with two of us some of his experiences on missions at night behind enemy lines in VN and in an adjacent country. It was his team that came upon a Boeing 707 being loaded with drugs on a runway in the jungle. He told us he asked the flight engineer their destination and was told “Arkansas”. After returning to their base, he went to the commander about it and was told IF he ever mentioned one word of this to anyone, he would spend the rest of his ‘miserable life” in the brig. He also shared a few of some horrific behaviors they had to perform for their survival behind enemy lines along with one as “the point man” when they came upon a clear, surreal spooky place at night in the jungle. There was an abnormally, unsettlingly silence that raised the hairs on their necks & scared each & every one of the team. He refused to enter that clearing.
Would you do a program on the by-partisan project called THE SHIELD ACT. The last half of this tape explains in reasonable detail by David Adair, on how we harden our power grid. https://youtu.be/6xL6ZB27MK0?si=9dR2FPEo_PdNV9v0