OT: Vietnam propaganda, 1966

[hanc...@bbs.cpcn.com]

OFF TOPIC:

A business magazine ran article in 1966, "Why we will win
in Vietnam." It may be found here:

https://archive.org/details/Nations-Business-1966-04/page/n37

Basically, the writer focuses on the high quality and dedication
of the troops and general patriotism. He invokes the memory of
service in WW II, "when your country calls you, you go!".
He doesn't get into the Vietnamese people or the cause of
the war nor what we were fighting _for_.

This was kind of the mindset people had about the war in
those days. I don't think anyone really understood it,
it was there and we had to do our duty.

Needless to say, young people who would be doing their
duty, including possibly dying or getting shot up, wanted
to know a little more than just idle patriotism. In WW II,
the reality was that most guys didn't want to go and we
needed compulsory draft to fill up the military. We also
had tons of propaganda about what we were fighting for.

There was some vague mention of fighting communism and
the domino theory. But it wasn't discussed that much
because in reality no one really understood it nor
how exactly it applied to southeast Asia.

The pro war people did a lot of damage to our country
in many ways.

(But, as mentioned, I think the anti-war activists were
no better. They didn't focus on the facts on the
ground, but rather handwringing and even anti-US
propaganda, among other undesirable tactics.)


obComp: I had several coworkers who got their training
in the military in the early/mid 1960s. One guy knew
every bit and nuance of the 1401 and its peripherals.