Posted on Aug 23, 2016
Vietnam In HD Ep.03 : The Tet Offensive | Full Documentary 2015 of History Channel
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"Both in Vietnam and Washington to have faith any longer in the silver linings they find in the darkest clouds. For it seems now more certain than ever, that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate. To say that we are closer to victory today is to believe in the face of the evidence, the optimists who have been wrong in the past.
To say that we are mired in stalemate seems the only realistic, if unsatisfactory conclusion. On the off chance that military and political analysts are right, in the next few months we must test the enemy's intentions, in case this is indeed his last big gasp before negotiations.
But it is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out then will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy, and did the best they could.
This is Walter Cronkite. Good night".
To say that we are mired in stalemate seems the only realistic, if unsatisfactory conclusion. On the off chance that military and political analysts are right, in the next few months we must test the enemy's intentions, in case this is indeed his last big gasp before negotiations.
But it is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out then will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy, and did the best they could.
This is Walter Cronkite. Good night".
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel thanks for the read and share. It is of epic proportions even years from now. Such Iconic words to henceforth and think about.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
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Definitely a case of "Lest We Forget". In the future we need more than Imaginary Boogey Men like the "Commies". When a Countries founding documents Mirror our own (North Vietnam) we need to step back and analyse what we are doing
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Posted >1 y ago
That clip is painful to watch and I’m not going to do it again. Old Crankcase was right, of course. The Tet Offensive, which I experienced first hand outside Hue’, convinced most of us on the ground that the war was not going to end quickly and we might lose it. I still begrudge the decision made by our Congress to defund our participation in the war and abandon our allies. Our credibility on the world stage took a major hit during that period and I don’t think we’ve recovered yet.
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1LT Voyle Smith
>1 y
That’s OK, Chip. Those memories aren’t going away. I’ve learned to deal with them.
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