Published: May 15, 2008 10:41 am            

Truth about Vietnam

During the Vietnam War there were 9 million men and women who served, and a third of those were volunteers. As my husband, who was a professional soldier for 22 years, says, “A real soldier goes where Uncle Sam sends him without question.” He knows what made this country great and he knows that the movie moguls will say anything to sell a flick.

Ninety one percent of Vietnam veterans are proud to have served their country, even though they agree with the statement, “Our troops fought a war that our political leaders would not let them win,” according to The American Legion Magazine.

Politics can weave a formidable web, as we all know. I was reading an article in that magazine and it brought up thoughts I had not had in more than a quarter century.

Thoughts about the patriotism that existed before that horrible war ... but my husband, Jeff, and I remember other wars that were just as tragic. The difference is, they were glamorized by the movie moguls.

But we won’t get into the keg of worms that would reveal just why the movie moguls have the freedom of speech that they have today ... and just how many men and women have died for that freedom.

Many members of our families have worn the stripes, gold leaves and bars as enlisted men and officers for the finest country in the world ... and we are proud to be an American. At least we know we are free. Right?

Let’s not forget what it took to make this land so great. We lost 50,000 people in that dreadful war. We lose that many on our highways each year, mostly to alcohol, and hardly blink an eye.

And let’s not forget to research the truth and tell our children and grandchildren ... so they will not believe a myth. Let’s have a reality check and let our children know the difference between truth and make-believe.

My husband says, “When a true soldier is called by his country to serve, he rises to the occasion ... and does not whine for the rest of his life and ask questions.”

Many of our senior political leaders hid behind the shield of college deferments. They either avoided serving their country by legitimate means while proclaiming to support it or they actively protested American involvement in the war and resisted serving in the military.

Others ran off to Canada and let someone else do the dirty work that it takes to fight for our rights ... coming back when the heat was off and enjoying the spoils of someone else’s labor.

The babyboomers are divided along a fault-line of those who served and those who refused to serve, noted by former secretary of the Navy and highly decorated Marine corps veteran of Vietnam, James Webb.

He is not the first to point out that many current leaders in politics, as well as education, news and entertainment did not serve alongside their peers in the Vietnam War, which has marred the civil-military relations.

Where were the ones who wrote these fictional movies about Vietnam?

We’ve yet to hear the true story about the well-adjusted soldiers who came back and made outstanding, successful citizens. It doesn’t seem to make good copy.

The ones who did not serve seem to be the ones who ‘know it all’ and now seem to control the agenda for interpreting the Vietnam War for future generations of Americans, putting their own spin on it for profit.

The great lesson of Vietnam remains hidden in their web, according to writer Fred Peck.

Other wars have been glorified but the Vietnam soldier’s true story still remains in the historical dungeons, interpreted by those whose agenda demands denigration of their service and sacrifice.

Today’s students have no inborn bias against Vietnam... they only know what they see and hear in the popular media. It is far removed from the real thing.

Few solders were really drug addicts, babykillers, losers and suchlike — Or too stupid to avoid the draft.

Some notable Vietnam veterans are public affairs officers, the founder of Federal Express, the owner of Beverly Hills Savings and Loans, the CEO of Pizza Hut and others... not homeless people or those in drug rehab. But the later are those the media seek.

And no, minorities did not make up a disproportionate level of casualties. African-Americans made up only 13.1 percent of the military population.

It is our duty to tell the children that most of our Vietnam veterans served with honor and willingly. Because it is the unadulterated truth. Let’s not take that responsibility lightly.



Shirley Caudill of London is a former newspaper editor/publisher and longtime freelance columnist. She is a Nashville native who has lived in Kentucky 40 years. She has six children, 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and is married to a retired Army First Sergeant. She can be reached at shirleycaudill@windstream.net

        

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