You know Steve, our country produced a hell of a lot of very admirable men like you. In 64' was married, in college had a child and and carried a 3A card and never got called. You guys were very important and always in my mind; I never forgot.
My father told me in 1979 to never volunteer to fight for your country because they will forget you and abuse you. Thank god I listened to him.Pat Tillman is the perfect example of a forgotten hero.
I served two tours in Vietnam but I told my two sons to go to Canada if ever drafted, because I can visit them there instead of in the grave yard. Besides maybe the president will give you a pardon, what a slap in the face.
This officer Steve Fenter, although he states he didn't have a combat roll in VN, he ended up knowing more about it than most and I think that can wound a mans heart without touching his body. The whole interview was an intelligent articulate presentation of facts, then the poem in the end hits you hard. A life was so effected by VN it never went past it. Very sad!
Thanks for your service. A fellow Vietnam Veteran I Corp. Phu Bai/Hue/Khe Sanh 1967-1969 Our soldiers won every battle, but were defeated by our politicians who changed the ground rules every week. We could have won in 6 months and saved many lives. When we go to war, go to win and let the soldiers win as fast as possible.
We are so fortunate we learned this mans perspective on what was really going on. And he remembers after all these years. Priceless.......Welcome Home Sir
I truly enjoyed Mr. Fenters interview. I enjoyed his birds eye view of the war and his humble nature. Very thoughtful and well composed and spoken. Thank you for your service to us and to your fellow vets.
Fentner, said Westmoreland conducted WW2 tactics, and did not use the S V army and give them responsibility. Wish he asked tactics and SV forces, what were the alternatives?
My uncle Montell fought in the Vietnam War he used to tell us stories here and there but overall he was very close-lipped about it because of the things that he'd seen happen which I completely understand.. my cousin faught in iraq, my half brothers grandpa was in korea and my great grandpa was in ww2.. I respect and love all of our veterans no matter which war they fought in.. I hope and pray that they are all doing well... to those who didnt make it home, May god bless you and know we appreciate the sacrifices that were made for us at home... with the direction america is headed today with china and other countries just know if anyone touches the home land every gun owner and military solider will fight till the death for what these brave men and women faught to protect. We will never back down. Much love and respect~m.a.k.
It was good to listen to this man describe his experience using such scholarly language. He had a way of taking the rough edges off the way he put his words together.
Very informative and helped my understanding with your explanations. Brother was in navy as a Seabee during his time, had many older cousins in this war. I did know the soldiers coming back were not well treated but I did not share that feeling and still try to say thank you to any veteran. Thank you, Billings Gazette , for doing this series. Don't know how I got the first interview but so thankful I got it and watch at least one every day..
Steve your overall perspective of the Vietnam War is very insightful. Your point of major impact and dividing Line in our country is so profound and in my view a direct Cause in Why our country is So Divided today. That demarcation line was created by the Vietnam War. God bless... Peace on your journey.
Great stuff sir. (1) I feel sad for soldiers that go to war to give their lives only to be trifled like that. The US has just repeated Vietnam in Afghanistan. How can a nation be so cruel to another group of people so many times?. (2) Right now there are so many who sided with the Americans in Afghanistan and just like the Montagnards in Vietnam who got abandoned just like that, they have been hung out to dry - the talibans are slaughtering them. America has a serial habit of abandoning ship in the middle of sail and leave you to die alone
I enjoy all of these stories. I really enjoyed this one. While it may embarrass him for me to thank him for his service I am going to do that. Thank you for your service. Thank you for telling you story. You have eloquently shared the feeling of a lot of Veterans. Thank you for acknowledging the feelings of those who weren’t called to combat. Sgt. John Crawford, US Army 1972-1975.
Lt. If I were to encounter you there would be no bar bill! God bless you sir. Well said. You served and volunteered. That's what mattered. Not that you are not a combat veteran. From a Army retiree to another veteran
I have watched these stories and this gentleman hits the mark with my thoughts. Especially as this is 2023 November and what is continually being engaged in the world today. Same, Same. Nothing has altered, been learnt, and intervention at any cost into other people's lives. The sheer loss in resources, both material and human, which the world could better use. The interviewer is to be applauded for bringing together these stories to hopefully educate future generations.
Hello, having heard now probably around 20 of your Vietnam Interviews I would like to thank you personally for sharing. For me Born and raised in Germany I Served to the german Military as a paratrooper in the late 70 s it was quite interesting to Listen to All these different stories.. It completed my picture of the american history and the experiences I made personally about your people After having lived in TX from 96 to 99. With respect to the Story of the vietnam war it would be very interesting to hear the other side too...Do you think there is a way to interview vietnamese contemporary witnesses as well in order to rounden the whole Story up? Appreciate your efforts so far..thank you Ralf
As a communications major in college, I was exposed to good examples of how to tell a story well. This gentleman exceeds anything I have seen anywhere. His genuine manner and deep knowledge are a credit to this channel. I also enjoy the skillful interviewing skills of the editor. How I wish we could see this level of quality information and delivery on our main stream media!
His view is valid and his perspective is legitimate. That said the ground pounders, enlisted and officers in their own daily grind have a different view. I've spoken with a plethora, seen them return and the conclusions have some serious tangents. The divergence is caused by the intelligence community not being participants in the reality of ground warfare and the ground-pounders never being let in on the 'big picture'.
I appreciate his perspective And being honest and humble and saying that he was not a combat soldier but he celebrates those guys who were in the bush☺️
I have had the priviledge of talking at length to two Vietnam Vets. Both of them stated that the American public are ill informed. That we were winning the war and never lost a battle. Politicians took the knees out from under the servicemen.
19:50 "we would find a hundred bodies and we would lose ten men, but ... that's ten men who had wives maybe... parents definitely..." Very sad that the enemy bodies are not counted as dead men with wives and parents. The enemy is still the enemy in our minds, even decades later. It's all horrible. Not criticising. This man is a great speaker. Thank you.
Actually it was Gerald Ford that gave draft dodgers conditional amnesty. Jimmy Carter pardoned draft dodgers on his second day in office, however, in 1980 it was in fact Jimmy Carter who brought back the requirement that all males ages 18 - 26 born on or after January 1st, 1960 sign up for selective service and keep the information current with selective service. That requirement is still in effect today and only effects males ages 18 - 26.
Quick refresh. Under the terms of the 54 peace agreement communists were allowed to remain in South Vietnam and engage in the political process which involved a nation wide election. 90,000 southern communist soldiers went to North Vietnam. Remaining unarmed communists and other nationalists were hunted down by SVN security forces. Southern communists were being slaughtered and against the wishes of Hanoi fought back. Hanoi had no choice but to support them or loose control of them. The rest is history...
I watch this stuff because I'm interested and I respect all who served. JFK traveled to Viet Nam in 1957 and got the real deal from some folks who knew what was up. That the French could not succeed and that the USA would not succeed. With all due respect, there was never a plan to win, and we were never winning.
As a former Army field artillery soldier, I have to say, "Army" and "intelligence" shouldn't be used in the same sentence lmao. I 1st realized this on a cold morning while in basic training at Ft Sill,OK in 1982. We had just got up and were picking up our tents and gear. A Sgt walked up and ask us why some of us had our sleeves down and even field jackets on. We answered "It is cold ". He replied"Take off your jackets and roll them sleeves up. It is October 3rd. The Army says it don't get cold for another 2 weeks yet.".
Why did they won’t him to get his metal’s back.He wouldn’t say it because he’s so humble fit it’s because he earned them solid guy thank you for your service sir
My job at US Army Headquarters Vietnam (USARV HQs) as a clerk typist was to type up reports to feed to the intelligence branch. 1968-1969. I was also on the Reaction Force. My office compiled statistics from Graves Registration, Petroleum/Oil/Lubricants, Food Service and Special Procurement. As a draftee and college student I felt that I was drafted for nothing and the work I did was a total waste of my life. It was interesting though as we worked with Koreans, Thais, Kiwis, Australians etc on procuring special equipment. One of the things I remember almost daily nowadays is when we at Long Binh were attacked. Our Reaction Force went out to the bunker line and fought them off. What a show that was! My commanding officer was killed but we lost no one else. Most of us were exposed to Agent Orange and I am on 60% disability due to health issues from that poison.
I was in east.nam as a grunterd during the war. I getted 3 mrdals and kia ed 347 nva s with my m17. I enjoyed my time in battle and would go back again anytime. I am a war hero and you must get down on me or i kick u but.
Great soldier .. I'm with him when I hear 'thank you for serving'... This is such a BS thing to say? Are you thanking me for going so you or yours could stay home? It might even be stupid to thank someone for doing something that you yourself should be and could be doing.
My father flew 51 combat missions out of Italy in 1944. He was converting to a different religion when he was about 95 years old. A female pastor who was sponsoring him asked if he prayed before the missions. He said that he did not and that he didn't think it was right to ask God to have someone die in his place.
We were winning the war is a bold statement, he should have defined what he meaned by winning, I guess it is a very narrowed definition. I feel bad for the soldiers, so much courage and pain for nothing. DC repeated the mistakes done in Indochina, adding more : no clear objective, mass killing of civilians and poisoning a whole country for decades. I like to watch vets interviews to understand the reality on the ground. But honestly, to get an overview of this war I recommend to watch a documentary, some are very detailed. And they always start at the latest in 1945, not in 1964!
"...I was in charge of finding where the enemy were and where they might be going..." From behind a desk in a air conditioned trailer next to the hot showers, hot mess and Officers club. Wow, another hero!
I'm nearly 29m in and my only complaint is I wish at each interviews start these vets would state their age in 2015 or 2016 at the time of the interview. The poem tore me up pretty good.
I wish the whole movement of young people wasnt labeled by Hait/Ashbury, The Grateful Dead and their house didnt orchestrate the movement- young people just happened to love their music at the time.
@Suzukisan I'd be willing to bet money that the actual members of the dead who lived in the house on Haitt/Ashbury would have the utmost reapect for these men and women who served. As stated by Jerry Garcia there was brief minute when the scene was real and the wierd pwoplw really were weird before everyone caught on, started playing dress up and jumping on a bandwagon. That shouldnt devalue those who were doing much more than dressing in pretty colors, dropping acid, holding a sign and going to see the Dead- or those who ended up giving their lives in trying to tell our governemnt that they didnt believe we should be fighting in Vietnam(Im refrencing Kent State here).
Good point. The GD was never political, meaning they didn't write songs or make public opinions about the war at their concerts or recordings, like many other famous artists did in fact make bold political statements. They stayed far away from that discussion. The media hyped the San Francisco scene with "peace and love" with the "drop acid not bombs", eventhough the real :hippie movement was located in Los Angeles and London. In 1967 during "Summer of Love", LSD was still legal.
Let his comment on the media sink in. Consider President Eisenhower's admonition,"beware the military-industrial complex". Acknowledge who motivates and sustains the media. Ask yourself how the American people are expected to reason the machinations of our government.
I resisted Vietnam and have no regrets regarding that decision. Nevertheless, I "lived" that war for years due to my Draft eligibility. I can tell you this, from the home front....virtually no one thought the US was winning the war. It had the image of "unwinnable" written all over it. The US had incredible resources available to it. You can't blame the politicians and the American people for getting alienated to the war b/c of high American casualties weekly...for years...and the collateral damage it was causing to the S. Vietnamese people. Yes, veterans know about the war crimes they committed....not only against the civilian population but to American officers as well. There was the issue of "fragging" of US officers. Another name for it was mutiny. So....I have to beg to differ with this guy even though he was there. Whatever he thought there about the US success was NEVER really felt back in the US.
The fact that Americans trusted perceptions, perceptions implanted and not generated from fact, is the reason the war was abandoned. That and the point of the war was not to win anyway, but to show opposition to communism. The casualty comparison was 58,000 American dead, 200,000 South Vietnamese dead and 1.2million NVA and Vietcong dead. Getting combat experience for millions of Americans worried the Soviets for generations afterward and arguably stopped them and other communist states from causing further conflict. American deaths equal about a year and a half of traffic deaths today, maybe two years at the time. The deaths that occur in communist countries every year due to systemic inefficiency far outnumber our war dead. I dismiss thier war dead because never forget the communists invaded the South just as they did previously in Korea and they did later in other conflicts like Zimbabwe and Afghanistan.
@@wilsonedwards8189 I understand your belief in "perceptions"...as they are only as accurate as the Media that delivers them. But I won't compare the Media of that time with the BS of today. I believe the American public got a pretty good basic idea of what Vietnam was all about...the good, bad and ugly. When you listen to all these different Vietnam videos the veterans are basically backing up those "perceptions". Personally, I don't die to "show opposition to communism". Don't over-connect the dots of fighting in Vietnam to the stoppage of Communism advancement. It was an American disgrace and tragedy. NOT ONE American should have died in that conflict.
@@topgeardel You seem to assume a perception via media is how people must understand. Maybe that is how you understood, and I don't necessarily blame you, but that doesn't mean you weren't wrong. Um, this video didn't back up your perception. Neither did at least one other who also said we were winning. I've watched several and none of them stated we were losing. The numbers clearly showed we were winning, that's why I gave you them. The Vietnamese top official after the war told McNamara if we bombed for two more weeks they would have surrendered. Using your logic we should have not intervened in Korea?...oh just watch the documentary Camp 14: Total Control Zone to discover what South Korea is missing out on. Today predictably hundreds or even thousands will die in Vietnam, Cuba, N Korea due to lazy totalitarian systemic failure. Consistently they invaded, not the other way around. Do you stop an invasion by letting it happen?
Winning by body count is not the same as winning. We dropped more bombs in Nam than all of ww2. Cost benefit analysis wise and propaganda wise we lost the war because we didnt respect their wars of independence. We propped up a colonial power the french, after an invader the japanese , and we are on better terms with them today because they're fearful of the chinese. They held their ground we won every battle almost but like the american revolution you just have to win the last one. People need to study the weinberger powell doctrine for lessons learned.
Intelligence officers should have been in the trenches every so often so they could see what it's like to piss your pants when faced with a large NVA army hell bent on killing everyone. He had a cush job as far as being in danger compared to the grunts.
An honest and intelligent man here ,I salute you sir.
Corrupt Catholic South Vietnam. the War was lost before it started.
This was the most insightful interview out of all of them that I have listened to so far. I thank you all for your service
You know Steve, our country produced a hell of a lot of very admirable men like you. In 64' was married, in college had a child and and carried a 3A card and never got called. You guys were very important and always in my mind; I never forgot.
My father told me in 1979 to never volunteer to fight for your country because they will forget you and abuse you. Thank god I listened to him.Pat Tillman is the perfect example of a forgotten hero.
I served two tours in Vietnam but I told my two sons to go to Canada if ever drafted, because I can visit them there instead of in the grave yard. Besides maybe the president will give you a pardon, what a slap in the face.
This officer Steve Fenter, although he states he didn't have a combat roll in VN, he ended up knowing more about it than most and I think that can wound a mans heart without touching his body. The whole interview was an intelligent articulate presentation of facts, then the poem in the end hits you hard. A life was so effected by VN it never went past it. Very sad!
The humiliation of Vietnam veterans was the great defeat of US in the Vietnam War
Thanks for your service. A fellow Vietnam Veteran I Corp. Phu Bai/Hue/Khe Sanh 1967-1969 Our soldiers won every battle, but were defeated by our politicians who changed the ground rules every week. We could have won in 6 months and saved many lives. When we go to war, go to win and let the soldiers win as fast as possible.
Did the generals have any ideas beyond risking a war with China?
Eye opening. He put so many things in perspective. Can't thank him enough for sharing. Just wow.
We are so fortunate we learned this mans perspective on what was really going on. And he remembers after all these years. Priceless.......Welcome Home Sir
Most of these brilliant interviews each give a piece of the puzzle. This one gives a look at the cover of the puzzle box.
It certainly has for me. Vietnam molded a life our generation never seeked. Never wanted. I still haunts me.
Steve gives a really interesting perspective. It's a pleasure and an honor to listen to this interview.
I wish it was three hours long.
I truly enjoyed Mr. Fenters interview. I enjoyed his birds eye view of the war and his humble nature. Very thoughtful and well composed and spoken. Thank you for your service to us and to your fellow vets.
Fentner, said Westmoreland conducted WW2 tactics, and did not use the S V army and give them responsibility. Wish he asked tactics and SV forces, what were the alternatives?
Thx for this series
I truly enjoyed your story, finally a intelligent man telling it like it was. Thank you for your service..
My uncle Montell fought in the Vietnam War he used to tell us stories here and there but overall he was very close-lipped about it because of the things that he'd seen happen which I completely understand.. my cousin faught in iraq, my half brothers grandpa was in korea and my great grandpa was in ww2.. I respect and love all of our veterans no matter which war they fought in.. I hope and pray that they are all doing well... to those who didnt make it home, May god bless you and know we appreciate the sacrifices that were made for us at home... with the direction america is headed today with china and other countries just know if anyone touches the home land every gun owner and military solider will fight till the death for what these brave men and women faught to protect. We will never back down. Much love and respect~m.a.k.
1:15:13---1:17:10 I admire his conviction of his spoken words during this interview. Thank you...
I was a commissioned officer during that war and looking back now I think the biggest mistake was when we began we did not have an objective.
Excellent... a very smart man.. insightful interview.. Thank You Sir for your service..
Incredible interviews, so amazing. I wish you had more thank you very much!!
Another great story, Thank you for sharing
It was good to listen to this man describe his experience using such scholarly language. He had a way of taking the rough edges off the way he put his words together.
the best interviewee you've had
Very informative and helped my understanding with your explanations. Brother was in navy as a Seabee during his time, had many older cousins in this war. I did know the soldiers coming back were not well treated but I did not share that feeling and still try to say thank you to any veteran. Thank you, Billings Gazette , for doing this series. Don't know how I got the first interview but so thankful I got it and watch at least one every day..
Thank you for your service sir
Steve your overall perspective of the Vietnam War is very insightful.
Your point of major impact and dividing Line in our country is so profound and in my view a direct Cause in Why our country is So Divided today. That demarcation line was created by the Vietnam War.
God bless... Peace on your journey.
Thank you. What a powerful interview and insight to our collective experience in VN.
Thankyou for your service and Welcome home Sir ❤️🙏🇺🇸😇🌹
Powerful
Great stuff sir. (1) I feel sad for soldiers that go to war to give their lives only to be trifled like that. The US has just repeated Vietnam in Afghanistan. How can a nation be so cruel to another group of people so many times?. (2) Right now there are so many who sided with the Americans in Afghanistan and just like the Montagnards in Vietnam who got abandoned just like that, they have been hung out to dry - the talibans are slaughtering them. America has a serial habit of abandoning ship in the middle of sail and leave you to die alone
America gave itself the right to be the father of this world. It was a mistake that cost America.
THANK YOU STEVE !
I enjoy all of these stories. I really enjoyed this one. While it may embarrass him for me to thank him for his service I am going to do that. Thank you for your service. Thank you for telling you story. You have eloquently shared the feeling of a lot of Veterans. Thank you for acknowledging the feelings of those who weren’t called to combat. Sgt. John Crawford, US Army 1972-1975.
Lt. If I were to encounter you there would be no bar bill! God bless you sir. Well said. You served and volunteered. That's what mattered. Not that you are not a combat veteran. From a Army retiree to another veteran
+1 Steve, all good sir, thanks.
I have watched these stories and this gentleman hits the mark with my thoughts. Especially as this is 2023 November and what is continually being engaged in the world today.
Same, Same. Nothing has altered, been learnt, and intervention at any cost into other people's lives. The sheer loss in resources, both material and human, which the world could better use.
The interviewer is to be applauded for bringing together these stories to hopefully educate future generations.
Nice analysis! Hope that there are a lot of him in the field and if senior officers listen, casualties can be minimized.
Most interesting and intelligent description of Vietnam I've ever heard.
The answers were way more informed than the questions that were asked
The most informative and accurate interview in this series.
A "decade of people" served in Nam. "The north Viet Cong greatly affect the country today.' Thanks for many good descriptions.
Hello, having heard now probably around 20 of your Vietnam Interviews I would like to thank you personally for sharing. For me Born and raised in Germany I Served to the german Military as a paratrooper in the late 70 s it was quite interesting to Listen to All these different stories.. It completed my picture of the american history and the experiences I made personally about your people After having lived in TX from 96 to 99.
With respect to the Story of the vietnam war it would be very interesting to hear the other side too...Do you think there is a way to interview vietnamese contemporary witnesses as well in order to rounden the whole Story up?
Appreciate your efforts so far..thank you
Ralf
As a communications major in college, I was exposed to good examples of how to tell a story well. This gentleman exceeds anything I have seen anywhere. His genuine manner and deep knowledge are a credit to this channel. I also enjoy the skillful interviewing skills of the editor. How I wish we could see this level of quality information and delivery on our main stream media!
I also was a communication major psych minor. I appreciate your skillful comment skills
His view is valid and his perspective is legitimate. That said the ground pounders, enlisted and officers in their own daily grind have a different view. I've spoken with a plethora, seen them return and the conclusions have some serious tangents. The divergence is caused by the intelligence community not being participants in the reality of ground warfare and the ground-pounders never being let in on the 'big picture'.
Great interview ..an awesome perspective. ..
Changes the question in the middle of a sentenve, sometimes answers it himself...
This was an excellent interview , great questions and thought provoking answers well done.
I appreciate his perspective And being honest and humble and saying that he was not a combat soldier but he celebrates those guys who were in the bush☺️
Cool man
I’ve learned a lot of history from listening to this man, and gaining a different perspective.
I have had the priviledge of talking at length to two Vietnam Vets. Both of them stated that the American public are ill informed. That we were winning the war and never lost a battle. Politicians took the knees out from under the servicemen.
Things of value
Thanks for sharing this!
19:50 "we would find a hundred bodies and we would lose ten men, but ... that's ten men who had wives maybe... parents definitely..."
Very sad that the enemy bodies are not counted as dead men with wives and parents. The enemy is still the enemy in our minds, even decades later. It's all horrible. Not criticising. This man is a great speaker. Thank you.
You said in your story you hated when people say it so I won't but you already know ❤
I wish Mr Fentner would write a book.
Actually it was Gerald Ford that gave draft dodgers conditional amnesty. Jimmy Carter pardoned draft dodgers on his second day in office, however, in 1980 it was in fact Jimmy Carter who brought back the requirement that all males ages 18 - 26 born on or after January 1st, 1960 sign up for selective service and keep the information current with selective service. That requirement is still in effect today and only effects males ages 18 - 26.
You did good Steve
Good job Steve!
AMERICAN HERO.
AMERICAN ZERO
@@demolitiondaz22 you ain't a zero bud..you can spell right
Quick refresh.
Under the terms of the 54 peace agreement communists were allowed to remain in South Vietnam and engage in the political process which involved a nation wide election.
90,000 southern communist soldiers went to North Vietnam.
Remaining unarmed communists and other nationalists were hunted down by SVN security forces.
Southern communists were being slaughtered and against the wishes of Hanoi fought back.
Hanoi had no choice but to support them or loose control of them.
The rest is history...
Yes.
Smedley’s “War is a Racket” was published in 1935.
Thank you Mr. Fenter
Wow !! Very interesting. Very moving. Mr. Fenter is quite a man, American man. The greatest.
dks13827 q
I watch this stuff because I'm interested and I respect all who served. JFK traveled to Viet Nam in 1957 and got the real deal from some folks who knew what was up. That the French could not succeed and that the USA would not succeed. With all due respect, there was never a plan to win, and we were never winning.
Smart man
He made a great point in noticing that Height Ashbury was nothing more than a big Pot Fest.
Thank you for sharing your story,, I wish you and your friend well
As a former Army field artillery soldier, I have to say, "Army" and "intelligence" shouldn't be used in the same sentence lmao. I 1st realized this on a cold morning while in basic training at Ft Sill,OK in 1982. We had just got up and were picking up our tents and gear. A Sgt walked up and ask us why some of us had our sleeves down and even field jackets on. We answered "It is cold ". He replied"Take off your jackets and roll them sleeves up. It is October 3rd. The Army says it don't get cold for another 2 weeks yet.".
thats actually brilliant
He’s done a good job of explaining things. He dropped a dime on General Westmorland, a good thing, I think.
I love this guy very smart very honest, great man ,God bless you sir
What's the name of the writer of the poem Mr Fentner read in the end of the interview? He derserves recognition like all vets.
If anyone thinks the US was winning... you really need to crack open a book sometime
Steve will love Tulsi Gabbard. Breath of fresh air.
Why did they won’t him to get his metal’s back.He wouldn’t say it because he’s so humble fit it’s because he earned them solid guy thank you for your service sir
My job at US Army Headquarters Vietnam (USARV HQs) as a clerk typist was to type up reports to feed to the intelligence branch. 1968-1969. I was also on the Reaction Force. My office compiled statistics from Graves Registration, Petroleum/Oil/Lubricants, Food Service and Special Procurement. As a draftee and college student I felt that I was drafted for nothing and the work I did was a total waste of my life. It was interesting though as we worked with Koreans, Thais, Kiwis, Australians etc on procuring special equipment. One of the things I remember almost daily nowadays is when we at Long Binh were attacked. Our Reaction Force went out to the bunker line and fought them off. What a show that was! My commanding officer was killed but we lost no one else. Most of us were exposed to Agent Orange and I am on 60% disability due to health issues from that poison.
how come they didnt know about the tunnels.....
All the Intel specialists *surprised Pikachu face*
Poor leadership Westmoreland 😢 and friends
I was in east.nam as a grunterd during the war. I getted 3 mrdals and kia ed 347 nva s with my m17. I enjoyed my time in battle and would go back again anytime. I am a war hero and you must get down on me or i kick u but.
We had Giap on the ropes and ready to surrender until the damn politicians got involved. Giap said so.
The Awesome Media!!!
Not true that we were winning this war. Spent eight months in An Hoa, we lost control little by little.
That poem reminded me so much of Charles Bukowski.
Hes a clever bloke
Great soldier .. I'm with him when I hear 'thank you for serving'... This is such a BS thing to say? Are you thanking me for going so you or yours could stay home? It might even be stupid to thank someone for doing something that you yourself should be and could be doing.
My father flew 51 combat missions out of Italy in 1944. He was converting to a different religion when he was about 95 years old. A female pastor who was sponsoring him asked if he prayed before the missions. He said that he did not and that he didn't think it was right to ask God to have someone die in his place.
I'm saddened by the few number of likes......
Me too
We were winning the war is a bold statement, he should have defined what he meaned by winning, I guess it is a very narrowed definition.
I feel bad for the soldiers, so much courage and pain for nothing. DC repeated the mistakes done in Indochina, adding more : no clear objective, mass killing of civilians and poisoning a whole country for decades.
I like to watch vets interviews to understand the reality on the ground. But honestly, to get an overview of this war I recommend to watch a documentary, some are very detailed. And they always start at the latest in 1945, not in 1964!
Military industrial complex at its purest
Great man….the beauty of a American…from an American….
"...I was in charge of finding where the enemy were and where they might be going..." From behind a desk in a air conditioned trailer next to the hot showers, hot mess and Officers club. Wow, another hero!
It was a dirty job but somebody had to do it.
As Ho Chi Minh said you could have just sent the check
I didn’t understand what he said at the end.
35:07 -- Jeane Dixon, I think.
10:15 This was the first war with jungle/guerrilla warfare? That’s an incorrect statement.
First real one for us in any semi recent time I think is what he means
@@robboss2431 WW2 had its fair share of jungle fighting.
I'm nearly 29m in and my only complaint is I wish at each interviews start these vets would state their age in 2015 or 2016 at the time of the interview.
The poem tore me up pretty good.
You could get drafted or enlist at 18. It was not uncommon to be in country at 19.
Catch 22 . . . Americans think it can be solved
I wish the whole movement of young people wasnt labeled by Hait/Ashbury, The Grateful Dead and their house didnt orchestrate the movement- young people just happened to love their music at the time.
@Suzukisan I'd be willing to bet money that the actual members of the dead who lived in the house on Haitt/Ashbury would have the utmost reapect for these men and women who served. As stated by Jerry Garcia there was brief minute when the scene was real and the wierd pwoplw really were weird before everyone caught on, started playing dress up and jumping on a bandwagon. That shouldnt devalue those who were doing much more than dressing in pretty colors, dropping acid, holding a sign and going to see the Dead- or those who ended up giving their lives in trying to tell our governemnt that they didnt believe we should be fighting in Vietnam(Im refrencing Kent State here).
Good point. The GD was never political, meaning they didn't write songs or make public opinions about the war at their concerts or recordings, like many other famous artists did in fact make bold political statements. They stayed far away from that discussion. The media hyped the San Francisco scene with "peace and love" with the "drop acid not bombs", eventhough the real :hippie movement was located in Los Angeles and London. In 1967 during "Summer of Love", LSD was still legal.
53:29 trying to educate/inform the general public, who only believe what they read in the papers and watch on t.v...
Let his comment on the media sink in. Consider President Eisenhower's admonition,"beware the military-industrial complex". Acknowledge who motivates and sustains the media. Ask yourself how the American people are expected to reason the machinations of our government.
What are they supposed to believe, what the Pentagon or the corrupt Senators tell us? Yeah sure, we can trust those who are making cash off of it LOL.
I resisted Vietnam and have no regrets regarding that decision. Nevertheless, I "lived" that war for years due to my Draft eligibility. I can tell you this, from the home front....virtually no one thought the US was winning the war. It had the image of "unwinnable" written all over it. The US had incredible resources available to it. You can't blame the politicians and the American people for getting alienated to the war b/c of high American casualties weekly...for years...and the collateral damage it was causing to the S. Vietnamese people. Yes, veterans know about the war crimes they committed....not only against the civilian population but to American officers as well. There was the issue of "fragging" of US officers. Another name for it was mutiny. So....I have to beg to differ with this guy even though he was there. Whatever he thought there about the US success was NEVER really felt back in the US.
The fact that Americans trusted perceptions, perceptions implanted and not generated from fact, is the reason the war was abandoned. That and the point of the war was not to win anyway, but to show opposition to communism.
The casualty comparison was 58,000 American dead, 200,000 South Vietnamese dead and 1.2million NVA and Vietcong dead. Getting combat experience for millions of Americans worried the Soviets for generations afterward and arguably stopped them and other communist states from causing further conflict. American deaths equal about a year and a half of traffic deaths today, maybe two years at the time. The deaths that occur in communist countries every year due to systemic inefficiency far outnumber our war dead. I dismiss thier war dead because never forget the communists invaded the South just as they did previously in Korea and they did later in other conflicts like Zimbabwe and Afghanistan.
@@wilsonedwards8189 I understand your belief in "perceptions"...as they are only as accurate as the Media that delivers them. But I won't compare the Media of that time with the BS of today. I believe the American public got a pretty good basic idea of what Vietnam was all about...the good, bad and ugly. When you listen to all these different Vietnam videos the veterans are basically backing up those "perceptions".
Personally, I don't die to "show opposition to communism". Don't over-connect the dots of fighting in Vietnam to the stoppage of Communism advancement. It was an American disgrace and tragedy. NOT ONE American should have died in that conflict.
@@topgeardel You seem to assume a perception via media is how people must understand. Maybe that is how you understood, and I don't necessarily blame you, but that doesn't mean you weren't wrong. Um, this video didn't back up your perception. Neither did at least one other who also said we were winning. I've watched several and none of them stated we were losing. The numbers clearly showed we were winning, that's why I gave you them. The Vietnamese top official after the war told McNamara if we bombed for two more weeks they would have surrendered. Using your logic we should have not intervened in Korea?...oh just watch the documentary Camp 14: Total Control Zone to discover what South Korea is missing out on. Today predictably hundreds or even thousands will die in Vietnam, Cuba, N Korea due to lazy totalitarian systemic failure. Consistently they invaded, not the other way around. Do you stop an invasion by letting it happen?
Winning by body count is not the same as winning. We dropped more bombs in Nam than all of ww2. Cost benefit analysis wise and propaganda wise we lost the war because we didnt respect their wars of independence. We propped up a colonial power the french, after an invader the japanese , and we are on better terms with them today because they're fearful of the chinese. They held their ground we won every battle almost but like the american revolution you just have to win the last one. People need to study the weinberger powell doctrine for lessons learned.
LBJ was responsible for that he was not competent enough to lead a military an positive outcome, He was manic depressive he was Bipolar
Intelligence officers should have been in the trenches every so often so they could see what it's like to piss your pants when faced with a large NVA army hell bent on killing everyone. He had a cush job as far as being in danger compared to the grunts.
He stated so. No embellishment.
Tomdavis1046 I think you mean want and medals not won't and metals , just my opinion
I think Sgt. Barry Saddler would call Steve Fenter one of Americas Best Also.
"Chicken-Hawks..."