His current book, Haunting Legacy: Vietnam and the American Presidency is compelling. It is worth reading. I bought it on my I Pad . Anyone interested in the legacy of Vietnam or the inner workings of US foreign policy has to read this.
We all know that the Vietnam War ended in 1975. Everyone seems to have a different definition of what the lessons of Vietnam actually are. This is always a good debate and interesting. Kalb shows how the has had a profound impact on seven Presidents and the US Congress. Kalb and his daughter Deborah trace how each President was impacted by Vietnam starting with Gerald Ford and moving all the way to Barack Obama.
Vietnam is the proverbial elephant in the room when decisions are made on war and peace. It is like a ghost in a horror movie tapping on the some frightened soul’s shoulder and disappearing. You wonder will the ghost return? Kalb seems to say that it may be tough to get a good night’s sleep with a ghost like that wandering in the White House!
Every President knows one thing- -he does not want his legacy to go up in flames for making the wrong call on issues of war and peace. He does not want to face a mother and tell her he erred in agreeing to send American troops to fight in a questionable war. He does not want to announce, as Lyndon Johnson did, that he cannot run for a second term.
Issues of war and peace are complex. America’s military is now consumed by two wars which have brought about a beleaguered force. They have met every challenge. Yet many must wonder what will be the impact of their valiant service and sacrifice. What will Afghanistan and Iraq be like in ten years? Will our soldiers lives and money- a trillion dollars or more - have produced something worthy of the cost? We have lost thousands killed and wounded.
And some in Congress are up in arms that US Forces are assisting NATO in fighting Khaddify’s army in Libya. The general public appears unconvinced that we need to be in Afghanistan, Iraq or Libya, but most seem to be patient. The public and Congress truly ran out of patience in the Vietnam War.
Here is my question....
Tell me what is the most important single lesson of the Vietnam War. And tell me why you believe what you believe.
Jan
ReplyDeleteThank you for again leading all of us into a new frontier of healing.
The greatest lesson of the Vietnam War? There are so many on so many levels. I'll say it was understanding the historic patience that the Vietnamese people taught us and the world. Had we not ventured into Vietnam (and failed), had the Russians not, with the same hubris, ventured into Afghanistan (and failed) perhaps there would still be a Cold War and dozens of now free countries would still be under Soviet rule. As we both failed, we all won.
What's going on now is another matter.
Semper Fidelis.
Jack