[neverdem]

By Jun 30, 1972, 50,000 U.S. troops were left in South Vietnam including Task Force Gary Owen based on the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment near Saigon. I'm not aware of any other ground combat units left in country.

Mr. Sorley, a military historian and retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, is the author of "A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam" (Harcourt, 1999).

It was on BookTV.org on Oct 11, 2009. It was reported that this was one of the books being read by the White House.

[Jeff Chandler]

The 'clear and hold' strategy of Gen. Creighton Abrams was working in South Vietnam.

Then Congress pulled the plug on funding.

[angkor]

How North Vietnam Won The War
Bui Tin Interviewed by Stephen Young
The Wall Street Journal, 3 August 1995

http://www.viet-myths.net/buitin.htm

Bui Tin, who served on the general staff of North Vietnam’s army, received the unconditional surrender of South Vietnam on April 30, 1975. He later became editor of the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of Vietnam.

Q: Was the American antiwar movement important to Hanoi’s
victory?
A: It was essential to our strategy... Every day our leadership would listen to world news over the radio at 9 a.m. to follow the growth of the American antiwar movement. Visits to Hanoi by people like Jane Fonda, and former Attorney General Ramsey Clark and ministers gave us confidence that we should hold on in the face of battlefield reverses. We were elated when Jane Fonda, wearing a red Vietnamese dress, said at a press conference that she was ashamed of American actions in the war and that she would struggle along with us.

Q: How could the Americans have won the war?
A: Cut the Ho Chi Minh trail inside Laos. If Johnson had granted [Gen. William] Westmoreland’s requests to enter Laos and block the Ho Chi Minh trail, Hanoi could not have won the war.

Q: What else?
A: We had the impression that American commanders had their hands tied by political factors. Your generals could never deploy a maximum force for greatest military effect.

[dalebert]

did Obama flunk history?

[Tallguy]

Critics were quick to attribute the successful defense to American airpower. Abrams would have none of it. "The Vietnamese had to stand and fight," he said. If they hadn't done that, "ten times the [air] power we've got wouldn't have stopped them."

Yeah, amazing how US Airpower got criticized for failing to deliver the goods, yet in this instance it gets all the credit for stopping the '72 Easter Offensive. No agenda at work here. Nope!

[neverdem]

Don't miss comment# 10 on this "Lessons" thread.

Weapons failed US troops during Afghan firefight

Viscount Monckton of Brenchley: Climate Myths and National Security

Obama and the end of white guilt

A Conversation about Race Long, but provocative video

Some noteworthy articles about politics, foreign or military affairs, IMHO, FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

[1010RD]

Thanks neverdem. I enjoy all your stuff.

The money quote from the article: Security for the South Vietnamese became the new measure of merit.

Security for the Afghan people is the only measure. We'll not buy them off or get them to quit growing opium through money. Confidence is the name of the game. They have to believe in a Taliban-free future; an Afghan government that is real and works.

[SunkenCiv]

Weapons failed US troops during Afghan firefight
Associated Press | Oct 11, 2009 | RICHARD LARDNER
Posted on 10/11/2009 6:14:33 AM PDT by decimon
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2359944/posts