11 November 2010, 6:06 pm
Thursday November 11, 2010 is Veterans Day and in the years after 9/11 and the start of the war against Iraq and Afghanistan veterans returning home receive a hero's welcome. But for veterans of the Vietnam War Wednesday will rehash memories of a different America. One in which they were spit upon and degraded returning home to the country they defended with honor.
Vietnam a war from 1959 to 1975 was fought to stop the take over of South Vietnam by the communist to the north. 58,159 Americans gave their life there for freedom and thousands more were maimed and mentally injured. The war started in the Kennedy Presidency and after his assassination was continued by President Lyndon B. Johnson. President Johnson cold in his grave now gave little respect to the war and the men and women involved in the effort to stop communism. His main objectives at the time were one's of a "Great Society" or social programs for America.
President Lyndon B. Johnson's policy of "minimum candor" with regards to the war help bring about a distrust with the American people. The policy was one of only showing censored images to the American people. During his time in office the protesting of the war escalated to uncontrollable levels. Making him an ineffective leader and bringing heartache to the families of soldiers and Marines involved in the war.
Men involved in Vietnam will rarely speak of the horror they saw and endured during their service. Vietnam was fought in what is called a "guerrilla war" method leading the U.S. to adopt a new method to flush out and to eliminate the enemy called "Operation Ranch Hand". America asked Dow Chemical and Monsanto Company to develop chemicals which were dropped on the jungles where the enemy was embedded. One such chemical was called Agent Orange. The chemical causes the flesh to melt from the ones effected by it. Also it has caused cancer and respiratory problems in many veterans even today causing horrific pain and death to veterans of Vietnam.
Many so called men would burn their draft cards and not report upon being drafted during Vietnam. In 1977 President Jimmy Carter pardoned all "draft dodgers" providing one more slap in the face to the veterans of Vietnam. So on Wednesday when we honor veterans give an extra thank you to the veterans of Vietnam. Because America owes them their honor they did not receive at the time. America do not let the Vietnam War Veterans become the forgotten heroes.
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