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The Brutality of War - Chapter 31:ii - . General William Westmoreland was the person in charge of U.S. forces in Vietnam. Westmoreland sent troops out on “search and destroy” missions, looking for Viet Cong guerillas. [Image source: http://www.campbell.army.mil/hphotos.htm].
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General William Westmoreland was the person in charge ofU.S. forcesin Vietnam.
Westmoreland sent troops out on “search and destroy” missions, looking for Viet Cong guerillas. [Image source: http://www.campbell.army.mil/hphotos.htm]
Civilians were often caught in the cross-fire of the war, becoming victims.
The defoliant Agent Orange was used to exposethe ground so American forces could interdict supply lines along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Saturation bombing of North Vietnam was intended to degrade their ability to support the war in South Vietnam.
Cluster bombs and land mines were sewn along routes thought to be frequented by the Viet Cong and NVA.
Unfortunately, there were unintended victims – so-called “collateral damage”.
The mining of Haiphong Harbour was intended to further-isolate North Vietnam and economically cripple its ability to prosecute the war.
Napalm and air-fuel bombs were used to burn the enemy out of hidden and/or entrenched positions. Kim Phuc , age 9 (aka “Napalm Girl”), a victim of a napalm attack on the village of Trang Bang (Photo by Associate Press photographer,Nick Ut, 1972)
“Nobody could get away from the war.It didn’t matter if you were in the countryside or in the city. While I was living in the country I saw terrible things . . . . I saw children who had been killed, pagodas and churches that had been destroyed, monks and priests dead in the ruins, schoolboys who were killed where schools had been bombed.” - Le Thanh
One of the worst incidents occurred 16th March 1968 at My Lai when troops, worn down by tension, anger, fear, and injuries, attacked and killed hundreds of civilians.
Lt. William J. Calley, Jr., ordered his soldiers to “Round everybody up,”and then gavethe commandfor the prisonersto be killed.
“We huddled them up. We made them squat down . . . . I poured four clips [about 68 shots] into the group . . . . Well, we kept on firing . . . . I still dream about it . . . . Some nights, I can’t even sleep. I just lay there thinking about it.” - Private Paul Meadlo
Helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson helped save several villagers, but most died. [Image source: http://www.florida-cracker.org/archives/cwohtusa.jpg]
As a result, many people felt that Americahad lostits moral compass. [Image source: http://oc.itgo.com/]
[Image source: http://www.collectmad.com/collectibles/nlamp.htm]
“We are the unwilling working for the unqualified to do the unnecessary for the ungrateful.” - Kit Bowen 1st Infantry Div.
The atrocity committed by U.S. forces at My Lai completely overshadowedthe brutality ofthe Communists,who brutally slaughtered anyone suspected of collaborating with the enemy. [Image source: http://history.ucsc.edu/history80j/4-10slides_files/frame.htm]
Following Tet, in Hue alone, 3,000 to 5,000 minor officials, teachers, and doctors fell victim to Communist reprisals. [Image source: http://www.psywarrior.com/24thPsyopDet.html]
