What are some Opinions of US soldiers about the Vietnam war?

Answer 1

1. Bomb em back into the stone age. USAF GEN Curtis LeMay 1965

2. We the Unwilling, Led by the Unqualified, Are doing the Impossible, For the Ungrateful. Vietnam War GI steel helmet graffiti.

3. NVA pith helmet graffiti: "Born in the North; Died in the South."

Answer 2

The number 1 issue with the vast majority of American personnel in South Vietnam had been the military draft (conscription). Once they had been drafted (or volunteered due to draft inducement); Vietnam no longer mattered anymore...they were in (in the military system)...their attitude was "just get it over with", "I'll just do my 2 years then DD Mau!" (Dee Dee Mau=GI slang for the Vietnamese term "get out of here").

Answer 3

This question MAY have already been answered today (on this date). In addition, does this question refer to American fighting men during the Vietnam War or American military personnel (men and women) in today's armed forces. Secondly, is this question asking the opinion of US Marines, US Airmen (pilots), US Sailors (Riverine Forces), or just US Army personnel (US Soldiers)?

In the event this question is referring to US Army fighting men in the Republic of South Vietnam; and not pilots, marines, sailors, and rear echelon personnel (mechanics, truck drivers, cooks, administrators, clerks, lawyers (JAG), engineers, medical corps)...the opinions of 98% to 99% of the enlisted men (E-1 thru E-9) was, "lets get the day over with so we can get some chow (food) and rest." For fighting men, with no toilets, no clean cool water to drink or bath in or shower in, no hot food, no bed to sleep in, always muddy, or always damp (wet), and always dirty and hungry, and no clean clothes to wear (uniforms), caring about the war was the last thing on their minds! They were drafted OR draft INDUCED volunteers...they were in the Nam, they had to do their time...why snivel about it (or in the possible jargon of the times "don't whine about it!"). Politics is Politics, NOTHING can change it...just DO YOUR TOUR AND GO HOME. That was the attitude.

Men that were not on the front lines (called "in the field" during the war) "possibly" had the time and inclination to discuss politics and the politics of the Vietnam War. The rest of us just wanted to make sure our tanks were operational, or our machineguns didn't jam, or our jet fighter bombers didn't crash.

Answer 4

They didn't ask for it, they didn't want it, but they were drafted (or draft induced "volunteered"), they did their duty...and went home.