It's not like they had a choice to even join. Many veterans feared that, if they talked about killing, they would be judged or mischaracterized by other peoples notions of what it means to be a combat veteran, Purcell said. Born in Detroit in 1979, he was raised by parents with strong antiwar sentiments. Vietnam ended up divided. "They were very humble individuals for two reasons. Lembcke is an avowed socialist and has tried to use incomplete or dishonest research to lend credence to his government-as-pro-war conspiracy theories, to use the 9-million-plus Vietnam-era veterans as anti-war pawns. or redistributed. The idea that the anti-war movement was hostile towards Vietnam veterans is a myth. I did what everybody else did. Although not all veterans who have taken a life suffer guilt or mental health consequences, Maguen said the growing number of veterans seeking mental health services suggest that high numbers of veterans are experiencing moral injury. They described how they felt after killing in combat and some opened up about hidden agonies. What's the story behind Minneapolis' smaller houses with huge front yards? Those The only reason to not accuse a person of a misdeed is lack of evidence that person committed that misdeed. The atrocities being committed by both sides were widely publicised, and this led to a lot of anger at home, hence the "baby killing" term and the anger at the vets. Out in the field, Vietnam was a caldron of heat and humidity. James McCloughan, an Army medic who was awarded the Medal of Honor by former President Trump for rescuing wounded soldiers during the war, joined host Pete Hegseth in the episode along with several other veterans to detail their experience abroad and the hardships they faced upon their return to the U.S. "Vietnam veterans didn't talk about their war and about themselves," McCloughan recalls in the episode. This along with the use of napalm that probably also pushed the negative public image.Compare that with the heavily directed media coverage of the Gulf war 1991. Their favorite song was the Animals recording of We Gotta Get Out of This Place. But when they did get out, their homecoming was often difficult and lonely. Television news showed GIs using their cigarette lighters, the Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. WebI know more than a handful of military veterans, both family members and dear friends who were called baby killers, rapists and murders. With no idea of what was waiting for you back in your home town My dad was a vet during the war, but was always stationed in the US. There's a book named "The Spitting Image" by Jerry Lembcke that lays out the facts. Webhow Vietnam veterans were treated upon their return home, several did detailed that experience, reporting disturbing opinions regarding the activities of the anti-war movement as early as 1967. In the episode, the former service members recount harrowing scenes that stayed with them from their time abroad, but it was the return home for many of them that left them feeling wounded and betrayed. You look at WW2 for example they French wanted to be liberated from German control and helped where they could, I am sure in Germany bad stuff happend especially when the Soviets invaded. Those born after the boomers may find it quaint to read about a president asking citizens to sacrifice, to pay any price. Nonetheless, their parents or grandparents, the baby boomers, will most likely remember a brief shining moment of energized promise and of unfulfilled dreams. If other soldiers in on other wars killed children, the fault in calling only Vietnam vets "baby killers" goes to those who did not call veterans of those other wars "baby killers", not to those who called Vietnam vets "baby Killers". Policy and politics out of Washington had failed, not the military. The anti-war movement had extensive outreach programs towards veterans and active duty personnel which would be impossible if they were as hostile as commonly believed. But denial of what we suffered dishonors us again. This left little room in the Vietnam narrative for stories of courage and sacrifice. Made us question why we ever joined the fight But we took it out on you, and now its time to make things right V1: On the TV, in the papers, you were treated so unfair You got blamed for Vietnam instead of the ones who sent you there Some folks called you baby killers, called you monsters and worse Legion Logistics is a third-party logistics provider (3PL) based in Newport, Kentucky. As the war in Afghanistan was fought and those Americans that were fighting started returning home, Vietnam Veterans were clearly visible in the groups of individuals wanting to thank our dedicated and loyal troops at the airports. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homecoming:_When_the_Soldiers_Returned_from_Vietnam. Not likely. WebA persistent but unfounded criticism leveled against those who protested in opposition to the Vietnam War is that they spat upon and otherwise derided returning soldiers, Web3.Why were U.S. Made us question why we ever joined the fight Meaning they had no choice but to go. Yes), Meet the Su-37 Terminator: Russias Forgotten Fighter Jet, Tulsi Gabbard Can Defeat Woke Extremism, the GOP Cant, Donald Trump Crushes Ron DeSantis in CPAC Poll. Posted by Dale Throneberry | Feb 28, 2023 | Music, Vietnam War | 0 |. If other soldiers in on other wars killed children, the fault in calling only Vietnam vets Other wars were identical, however, no one knew the carnage and damage of Allied bombers to French and German Civilians- AKA no one cared. One example: A 1967 Bucks County Courier Times article reporting that two sailors were spat on outside a high school football game by a gang of about 10 young men. How did the US citizens view She is now a Colonel and the executive officer to the U.S Army Inspector General. WebBut, unlike their Nazi counterparts, U.S. soldiers could be redeemed: By confessing atrocities, the Vietnam veterans, once denigrated as "baby killers," were able to And we pray that those who left us and flew up to meet Their King How you were treated by the country you defended, So heres a song. In his purported study, Lembcke's sampling was not random, it was statistically insignificant, and he stated that stories of spitting first surfaced in the 1980s. Of course there was anti-war press there that did everything to denounce the war and call our soldiers murders and baby killers, which of course the hippies ate it up on the tv and news and it spread like fire. Every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine who served Some found it hard to get close to others because they had to hide that they killed in combat. Talk to both a Vietnam and Afghan veteran and they will tell you about their service with their allies and the relationships they built through their experiences fighting a common enemy and their desire to ensure the safety and well-being of those they fought with and fought for. As Americans, we have a collective guilt over the way our Vietnam veterans were treated. Look up Agent Orange, it has effects on fetal development, not sure if that's why, but it's my guess. Its not that there Vietnam War was more horrific than other modern wars, but it was filtered far less effectively which stopped civilians from maintaining our willful blindness to its effects. Homecoming: When Soldiers Returned from Vietnam In doing so, we can begin to break through the postwar silence that masks moral injury, sustains isolation and reinforces trauma.. In fact, there were16 parades, As an appendix, Dapin lists the battalions that participated, the number of The episode release comes as Fox Nation dedicates November's content to honoring those who've served as part of the platform's "Patriots Month" initiative in commemoration of Veterans Day. WebAnswer (1 of 2): I served with the USMC in Vietnam in 1966.1967 and when I got home, I didnt want anything from anyone, because I had my life and all of my parts too. He worked with a ton of vets who would tell outrageous, obviously false, stories. Here are three examples of refugees from conflicts who have gone on to become great Americans and have given back to America in ways most of us could not. The theme for Welcome Home from Vietnam was a suggestion from one of the alumni members (an Iraqi War Vet) to honor our Vietnam Veterans for the upcoming March 29th commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the official ending of that war. He has written well over 100 songs for veterans from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghan wars and Gold Star children and surviving spouses. The reason why the Vietnam War became so unpopular is that Welcome home from Vietnamwere so thankful for the sacrifice you made Contrary to protesters' claims, then and now, the Vietnam War did not begin without good reasons. Original Reporting. Powerful, often unshared, memories remain. Thanking veterans for their service today does not absolve us of our guilt and we can never wash away the national stain of such treatment. After Greene made his best effort to check the truth of the accounts to be printed, he inserted a minimum of his own commentary in the text, preferring to let the veterans' words speak for themselves. His father, John Fishback, a former Marine Corps machine-gunner, was wounded in Vietnam and, upon leaving the corps in 1969, joined Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Pity became contempt. That was a good, well documented reply. What did the Nazis begin using gas chambers instead of mobile killing units and shooting squads after a while. David Maxwell, a 1945 Contributing Editor, is a member of the board of directors of Shona ba Shona. He is a retired US Army Special Forces Colonel who has spent more than 20 years in Asia and specializes in North Korea and East Asia Security Affairs and irregular, unconventional. With a brilliant left flank maneuver around Iraqi military forces, General Schwartzkopf and the highly motivated and courageous Americans and Coalition Forces encircled the Iraqis and liberated Kuwait. This war, led by many Vietnam Veteran Commanders and NCOs (Non-Commissioned Officers), further brought respect and admiration to all Vietnam Veterans. This song was a group write, along with the very accomplished Nashville songwriter, David Kent. There were a number of well publicized atrocities committed by the US military, and the general knowledge that the Vietnamese civilian population was suffering greatly. WebShare 120 views 11 months ago Vietnam Veteran Sergeant Romo describes the unfortunate event of civilians calling him "Baby Killer." Homecoming was later criticized by those who did not believe that Vietnam veterans had been spat upon. All feedback is appreciated as you, the audience, help us determine the programs we present. Over 10 million boomers served in the military, some 40 percent of the males of their generation. I joined the Air Force in 76 and was stationed just outside San Francisco. They were soldiers and marines, sailors and airmen, doctors and nurses, who learned about survival, about protecting buddies, about cruel death. Despite U.S. economic support and military advisers, the French lost the ensuing Vietnamese independence struggle and withdrew from all of Indo-China.

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