jefff@cadovax.UUCP (Jeff Fields) (11/21/84)
<> Jeff Hull commenting on an article by Joaquim Martillo writes: > In article <588@ihuxt.UUCP> martillo@ihuxt.UUCP writes: > >Compared to the East Asian communists, the USA army was a model of correct > >and moral behavior. > > True. One of the most effective interrogation techniques the Rangers > and Green Berets had was to threaten to turn the prisoner over to the > ROK's (Korean Army). Yep. Another technique that worked really well was to take a 2 or 3 captured V.C. up in a helicopter. The Special Forces interrogator would then threaten to push one of the V.C. out of the moving chopper. When the V.C. refused to answer, he was swiftly ejected. This usually worked in that the remaining V.C. prisoners would respond with the requested information. Accounts of this happening have be witnessed by several of our troops. One of which I personally know. Other examples of our "model of correct and moral behavior" in Viet Nam include: - The use of agent orange and other defoliants - The My Lai massacre - Saturation bombing of Cambodia, the most heavily bombed nation in World history - The policy of burning villages to the ground whether or not they harbored V.C. or not The sad fact remains that although we avowed to be fighting for a moral and just cause, our methods in Viet Nam were not entirely moral or just, even in the context of war. Yes, atrocities were committed on both sides. We were not the only perpetrators of war crimes, but our guilt remains nonetheless. -Jeff Fields -- Pax Vobiscum.
jhull@spp2.UUCP (12/04/84)
In article <300@cadovax.UUCP> jefff@cadovax.UUCP (Jeff Fields) writes: > >Jeff Hull commenting on an article by Joaquim Martillo writes: > >> In article <588@ihuxt.UUCP> martillo@ihuxt.UUCP writes: >> >Compared to the East Asian communists, the USA army was a model of correct >> >and moral behavior. >> >> True. One of the most effective interrogation techniques the Rangers >> and Green Berets had was to threaten to turn the prisoner over to the >> ROK's (Korean Army). > > Yep. Another technique that worked really well was ... <words > omitted that describe atrocities committed by US troops>... > - Saturation bombing of Cambodia, the most heavily bombed nation in >World history of basically uninhabited areas used by the North VietNamese to move war material into South VietNam past the demilitarised zone. Later, they continued to use the routes they already had set up. (Yes. Sometimes Cambodians were killed in these raids, but they were directed at North Viet Namese supply routes in basically uninhabited areas.) > > - The policy of burning villages to the ground whether or not they >harbored V.C. or not The policy was basically to remove the villagers and then burn the village to prevent its reoccupation by Viet Cong. (Yes. Sometimes villagers were killed. But the policy was...) Statements like the two cited here irritate me because they seem to say the US set out to commit atrocities whereas I believe the atrocities were committed when policy was not followed, that the US was trying to make the best of an impossible situation. Whereas, the opponent made deliberate use of atrocity and terror as a matter of policy. I acknowledge that the US is not guiltless. I just like to see some balance. For each atrocity committed by US troops, you can find hundreds committed by VC and ARVNs. And compared to the ones cited by Fields, so gory as to turn your stomach. (Part of me wants to describe them here, just to show you what Fields and others are comparing us to so you could understand the magnitude of the lie. Part of me still gets sick just remembering.) > > The sad fact remains that although we avowed to be fighting for a moral >and just cause, our methods in Viet Nam were not entirely moral or just, even >in the context of war. Yes, atrocities were committed on both sides. We were >not the only perpetrators of war crimes, but our guilt remains nonetheless. > > -Jeff Fields The sad fact remains that although we avowed to be fighting for a moral and just cause, out methods in Viet Nam were not entirely moral. I just get tired of hearing the US put down when, in general, in comparison with the other participants, we were paragons of virtue (whatever that means). -- Blessed Be, jhull@spp2.UUCP Jeff Hull trwspp!spp2!jhull@trwrb.UUCP 13817 Yukon Ave. Hawthorne, CA 90250