General Giap Dead At 102

[icenine]

This general should be studied by any President who thinks invading a smaller weaker country is a slam dunk.


http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2...es-at-102?lite


This man lead a nation in a victory over the world's largest military and economic country.

Quote:
"We had to use the small against the big; backward weapons to defeat modern weapons," Giap said. "At the end, it was the human factor that determined the victory."


Another quote:
"We were not strong enough to drive out a half-million American troops, but that wasn't our aim. Our intention was to break the will of the American government to continue the war."

He lost many many troops but felt the price was worth it.

[donquixote99]

That's what makes a war. Two sides with leaders who think it's 'worth it.'

In fact, it wasn't, for either side, and in the long run it didn't matter much who 'won.'

[bobabode]

There's a name I haven't heard in a long, long time.
RIP You old devil.

[icenine]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

That's what makes a war. Two sides with leaders who think it's 'worth it.'

In fact, it wasn't, for either side, and in the long run it didn't matter much who 'won.'

Tell that to the Vietnamese.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by icenine

Tell that to the Vietnamese.

Consider it done.

[Dondilion]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

That's what makes a war. Two sides with leaders who think it's 'worth it.'

In fact, it wasn't, for either side, and in the long run it didn't matter much who 'won.'

Vietnam paid too huge price for national identity.

South Vietnam could be like South Korea.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Dondilion

Vietnam paid too huge price for national identity.

South Vietnam could be like South Korea.

With an aggressive enemy across their northern border for 60 years and counting? I think many Vietnamese would prefer their current status. Their economy is pretty decent shape, actually.

http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/fea...t-key-findings

[icenine]

Originally Posted by Dondilion

Vietnam paid too huge price for national identity.

South Vietnam could be like South Korea.

you need to read Fire In The Lake by Frances Fitzgerald.

LBJ made the same mistake that you do...thinking that all Vietnam needed was infrastructure and Western imposed democracy. You should also check out the book by Halberstam called The Best and the Brightest. In short the author posits that South Vietnam was not really a nation since it could not exist without America propping it up.

We should have listened to Graham Greene.

[BlueStreak]

One should always show respect to a worthy adversary.

Giap was our enemy, but he was definitely a worthy adversary.

Dave

[piece-itpete]

They had the will, we didn't.

Pete