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10-04-2017, 01:41 PM | #91 | |
In BB I trust
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Boston, Mass.
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Quote:
Jeez, forgot about Halberstam, which is sad. Second on Best and the Brightest. Read that plus Karnow and you'll know everything you'll ever need, to be honest. |
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Posts: 43,125
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10-05-2017, 08:16 PM | #92 | |
MVP
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Joplin, MO
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Quote:
Also neither Vietnam or Reagan's "tear down that wall" speech did much to tear down the USSR. Oil and the economy did them in; Gingrich did his best to extend their reign, but luckily G Bush saw thru him, took at trip to Eastern Europe and ultimately believed the CIA over Newt and continued to ease military spending. If he didn't Gorbachev would've likely been overthrown by their military. Last edited by Great Expectations; 10-05-2017 at 08:26 PM.. |
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Posts: 7,233
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10-05-2017, 08:22 PM | #93 |
pie is never free
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: the drivers seat
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About Face by Col David Hackworth really cant be beat, he covers both the Korean War and Vietnam... the man has some absolutely amazing personal stories
The way he describes the human waves in Korea will send chills down your spine |
Posts: 92,122
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10-05-2017, 08:26 PM | #94 |
21st Century Schizoid Fan
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: The Gates of Delirium
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Posts: 69,346
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10-05-2017, 08:41 PM | #95 |
pie is never free
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: the drivers seat
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Posts: 92,122
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10-06-2017, 06:14 AM | #96 | |
Has a particular set of skills
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: On the water
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Quote:
And remember what Kennedy was dealing with at the time, the military, all of the military in the oval office is advocating a first strike with nuclear weapons. Thats the solution to the Cuban missile crisis. It's on tape. Millions of Americans will die and render parts of the USA uninhabitable for generations but at least we would be rid of communism once and for all. Man how close we came.... |
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Posts: 79,277
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10-06-2017, 01:56 PM | #97 |
Live free or die hard
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Durango, CO
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I'm not very well versed in the Vietnam war simply because it was before my time and it's not an event the schools hit on very well unlike WWII. I've only been through 2 episodes and can already write an essay but a couple standouts I took so far:
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Posts: 26,282
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10-07-2017, 09:45 AM | #98 |
Be Kind To Your Pets
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Glorious Independence, MO
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The thing about the draft then was, rich people could avoid it, poor people generally could not. After around 1967 it became clear that going there to fight was serving no real purpose. There was no exit strategy, no clear battle lines, we couldn't chase the enemy across borders. I was around 9 or 10 years old in the thick of all this. Lots of teenaged boys right out of high school got drafted. They didn't want to die for nothing. Very complicated time in our history.
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Posts: 40,843
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10-08-2017, 10:34 AM | #99 | |
Mindful Taoist German
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Quote:
What I was told was the 'Nam was an effort to cause both China and Russia to expend so much it would break them (economically.) Later we realized the Russians could be beaten this way but the Chinese could not. So we created the conflict in Afghanistan to pull the USSR further down and the Chinese were smart enough to stay out and just "call" when it was their turn to play. The Chinese are now in a position to "pull the pin" on an economic grenade in the USA or Russia... |
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10-08-2017, 10:40 AM | #100 | |
Mindful Taoist German
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Quote:
Bombs cost money - people are free... |
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Posts: 74,434
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10-23-2017, 06:14 AM | #101 | |
Supporter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ozarks
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Such a different perspective from what I remember from actually living through that time, and spending from 68 to 73 in the Navy. I have often wondered if that war wasn't an economical move to occupy so many of us baby boomers. We didn't have the luxury of the internet , so our exposure to the information was different than the 20/20 hindsight now. |
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Posts: 33,586
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10-23-2017, 06:40 AM | #102 |
Supporter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ozarks
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Posts: 33,586
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10-23-2017, 06:47 AM | #103 | |
Supporter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ozarks
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Quote:
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Posts: 33,586
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10-26-2017, 05:09 PM | #104 |
Supporter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ozarks
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Wow, finished it last night. Burns painted a picture of total fail, getting in and getting out, pretty darn sad.
I will admit I had a real prejudice against the VN people when they arrived here. It just boiled my ass to cash their pay checks with ZERO deductions at the time but the way we abandoned them, it doesn't bother me now. I ended up fixing up and painting a 67 formula S Barracuda Coupe for one in the late 80s and became kind of friends. His last name was Nguyen surprisingly. |
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