Battlefield Vietnam Pc Game

[Carmelina Olden]

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As many of you know, Public Television is running a well-researched and thoughtfully crafted historical look-back at the entire Vietnam War debacle. I assume the directors tried to be objective. Could it be that finally the whole truth is coming out now after more than 4 decades since Saigon fell in Spring of '75? Apparently, it took a full decade to research, prepare and actually shoot this documentary with help from both South and North Vietnamese (back then) participants and veterans.

It's mostly truth based...but I guess not without it's share of bias either. Anyway, I personally have found this series to be somewhat cathartic...and definitely insightful. Maybe 'inciteful'. In any case, I recommend it for those who'd like a lesson in modern history. For what it's worth, the series triggered this wistful blog and personal trip down memory lane...from decades ago.

Any possible political bias aside -- and careful selection of Vietnam U.S. combat Vets for their on camera personal story/recollections throughout the series -- this documentary series definitely made me think and get into "look back" mode. This war, after-all, touched my teenage and early adult years as I was growing up in Tokyo Japan and later during college back in the States. [All coincidentally mostly spent during the steep Vietnam War U.S. troop escalation and ensuing (and prolonged) ramp down "Vietnamization", "U.S. Troop draw down" and "Peace with Honor" (or shameless abandonment and capitulation) Nixonian/Kissinger Extrication Years]. Guess I'm just another 'baby boomer' shaped in large part by "the ten-year Vietnam War". Opinions vary on when this undeclared war started, but most cite the kick-off being that dubious, highly questioned "Gulf of Tonkin Resolution" of 1965 that LBJ pushed Congress to pass.

Regardless on when it started, "Battlefield Vietnam" eventually touched just about everybody back then. Not only in "the World" (i.e., CONUS)...but also throughout the rest of the developed world and geopolitical sphere too. Some more than others. Indirectly or directly. Physically, emotionally, militarily, psychologically, politically, viscerally, nationally, socially, financially and/or morally. Especially, of course, GIs. Whether they were "in-country"....or while stationed in some other foreign land. And that war obviously affected us removed but not ambivalent ' Dick and Jane' civilians safely back home....or in some non-U.S. country in the PACRIM, Europe or LATAM.

The Vietnam War very closely touched the Japanese too...whether politically, economically, socially, financially or just plain visually. Example? Standing on the train platform on my way to school, frequent and numerous long heavily laden JNR (Japan National Railway) freight trains pulling "JP4" jet fuel tanker cars; flatbed cars carrying battle damaged APCs (Armored Personal Carriers), Jeeps and shot down UH-1 Huey helicopters -- along with civilian freight boxy box cars (with ammo/bombs signage) -- would lumber slowly through Shinjuku station westbound in between "Chuo sen" (Central Line) commuter trains sharing the same track. All on their way to Air Force, Army or Marine rear echelon bases -- or some contract repair depot -- located on the outskirts of Tokyo or elsewhere in the Western Japan Kanto plains.

Sadly, U.S. military hospitals in Japan were filled with the more serious battlefield wounded convalescing ...and/or extended hospitalization cases....along with their requisite doctors, medical staffers and Japanese national civilian workers. My international high school (ASIJ) organized student visits to these military hospital wards on occasion and I went on several (at Camp Zama). The burn unit was the toughest to visit...

Indeed, Vietnam was -- per my own meager assessment -- in the consciousness of "Everyday Japanese" almost daily. Didn't seem to matter what, where or with whom you were interacting with at the time. The subject of "Battlefield Vietnam" would invariably come up.

As an young capricious U.S. punkish civilian expat kid who also spoke Japanese fluently, I'd be personally questioned -- as if I was some sort of ambassador, diplomat, general or Washington politician -- about the efficacy, legitimacy, rationality and policy justification of the Vietnam War. Most Americans assumed similar titles and roles, whether deliberately intended or not. My Japanese fluency made me that much more approachable and open to inquiry -- and occasional interrogation.

For you see, during Nam years the typically curious Japanese were indeed curious, bemused casual observers who essentially were accidental 'shareholders' and 'partners' in this limited SEAPAC theater war. Fortunately for them, they had no national skin of their own in the game. Mostly they were preoccupied in prosecuting their own 'war'...and economic miracle back then. 100% total mobilization with hordes of dark-suited 'salary man' corporate and mercantile soldiers working 80+ hour weeks supporting their happy, amazing economic Nippon "Golden Years" double digit GNP annual growth splurge.

Yet, amidst this economic boom backdrop...the average Japanese was concerned about the morality of prosecuting "Battlefield Vietnam." Hints of lingering Japanese racial bias (from WWII), superiority and Asian pride would also surface from time to time.

But without a doubt, to most Japanese business minded nationals, "Battlefield Vietnam" was another Korean War windfall (led & funded by the U.S.) with HUGE domestic, bi-lateral trade/export and foreign currency exchange economic opportunities and benefits for 'Japan Inc.' vis-a-vis 'The USA Corporation'.

And at a 'micro economic' level, just think of those thousands of GI Grunts, Jarheads, Squids and Fly boys (sorry, no females back then...) buying up all those ubiquitous cleverly made Japanese radios; high fidelity/frequency response stereo amplifiers & 120W/channel monster receivers; open reel-to-reel tape techno decks; the latest/greatest "Kamikaze" widow maker motorcycles; 'telescopic high power' professional grade binoculars; sophisticated 35mm precision SLR cameras and much much more. Now add in all the various on and off-base souvenir shops selling "GI Junk" trinkets; garishly adorned "GI Joe" tailored embroidered Japanese jackets, robes, kimonos, Yukkatas, and silk dresses; fuzzy felt shadow boxes; 'oriental' florescent black light paintings of dragons, tigers and Mt. Fuji -- and all the other sundry tacky vases, statues, figurines, fans, etc. -- and you get an even better idea of the extent this conspicuous GI Joe consumption fueled the domestic and local Japanese economy back during peak U.S. Vietnam involvement.

But some Japanese folks uncharacteristically were truly and outwardly interested (and concerned) and actually got 'involved' in social consciousness and morality of the war by talking about it (often questioning) openly and, sometimes, defiantly. Some became 'nails that stuck out'. They dared to openly discuss and question the war in public forums, despite attempts by the Prime Minister and Ruling Party to discourage or obfuscate such 'dis-harmony' for Japan -- and their staunch U.S. ally. In fact, there was even a bevy of loud -- but surprisingly restrained and orderly -- anti-war demonstrations on the streets to keep the Tokyo Riot Police ("Kidotai") deployed, occupied and proficient with their long wooden 'anti-personal' riot rods (the infamous samurai like "bo").

Japanese national TV news also would occasionally broadcast (in antiseptic matter of fact short news spots) reports and even film documentaries from "Battlefield Vietnam". But largely, Japan just went along its business....at expanding its business and exports...and avoided confronting the "Bietonamu Mondai" (i.e., The Vietnam Problem).

Unlike the bloody and disturbing battlefield video clips/film shown on U.S. nightly news channels (which, by the way, I never actually saw myself upon my repatriation in the early 70's), the bulk of Japanese "Battlefield Vietnam" news coverage broadcast reports were shot and submitted by Chinese and French freelance reporters 'in country' following NVA troop movements/activity with accompanying field reports.

The Chinese or North Vietnamese film reports were obviously biased and 'anti-USA'. (ya think!) Certainly in my young American mind and youthful naivete. Usually, they'd show raw 'other side' grainy B&W film footage from North Vietnam or just across the DMZ border into I-Corps territory of some unlucky U.S. fighter or helicopter(s) being shot down over Hanoi or in the South by ground fire or SAMs. Even more graphic: the occasional hapless and isolated single Army APC or Marine tracked Amphibian being disabled and taken out after invariably getting bogged down in mud or hung up on logs (intentionally positioned there?) by a determined NVA squad equipped with RPGs, grenades and heavy caliber guns. Sickening to watch as the whole sequence from beginning to end unfolded.

The sight of real dead and mutilated American soldiers proudly laid out in a line in front of cheering NVA or VC 'bad guys' after these ground skirmishes or crashes was particularly upsetting to me. My, how I hated those Chinese and freelance French news reporters and camera crews...and their depressing, shocking film accounts that contradicted what I was otherwise seeing in the Japan Times newspaper or hearing on FEN (U.S. Armed Forces Far Eastern Network) English language radio channel. [the ONLY one in Japan at he time] Never mind how many dead VC or NVA soldiers I saw in the 'Stars and Stripes' official -- and I was sure -- unbiased military news rag. Somehow, 'they didn't count'....or were righteous EKIAs our troops had dispatched. In retrospect, it did seem somewhat surprising how very young or very old these "MAMs" appeared to be...(MAM = military aged males)...

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