U.S. military did not lose war in Vietnam
With regard to the statement made by Associated Press writer, Bruce Smith, in his article about General Westmoreland’s death, that “the Vietnam War was the only war America lost,” Westmoreland would, along with the 58,148 killed, 75,000 severely disabled and all others that served in the Vietnam War, resent this lie.
Americawas not defeated in Vietnam! In fact, every major battle engaged by our troops was successful, as stated by many military historians researching the Vietnam War. Strictly from the military standpoint the performance of our troops was unprecedented.
The United States did not lose the war in Vietnam, the South Vietnamese did. Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) fell on April 30, 1975. That was two years after the American troops left Vietnam on March 29, 1973. We had already stopped fighting in Vietnam, so you tell me how we lost the war?
Gary Levinson’s letter appeared in the Intelligencer Journal, Friday, July 22, 2005
If you recall there was a peace settlement that was signed in Paris on Jan. 27, 1973.
The Vietnam veterans in Lancaster County and all over the state and country are sick and tired of the media misstating that facts and truth about the Vietnam War. Had the press and anti-war-elements not distorted the realities of the war, as they continue to do to this day, Vietnam veterans would be held in the same esteem as veterans of all other wars Americans fought in, and not have to continually justify their entitlement over and over again as I need to do now in this letter.
Gary Levinson, Lancaster
Editor’s note: Westmoreland wrote: “The U.S. was defeated psychologically and hence politically on our home front and diplomatically by a clever enemy. The U.S. was not defeated on the military battlefield.”
Transcribed from:
Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster, PA
Opinion page (A6)
Friday, July 22, 2005