The Vietnam War
The peace agreement signed in Paris in 1973 concluded US military involvement in Vietnam. The cease-fire, initiated on January 23 by Henry Kissinger representing the United States and Le Duc Tho for North Vietnam, came into effect five days afterward. The agreement outlined the withdrawal of troops and the return of prisoners of war.
American forces were to leave South Vietnam within 60 days under the supervision of international observers. During that same time, the United States also dismantled its bases in South Vietnam and destroyed or deactivated mines in Vietnamese waters. Additionally, 591 American prisoners of war who were detained in North Vietnam were freed and brought back to the United States.
The US Air Force relocated its Southeast Asian headquarters to Thailand, where its steadily shrinking force monitored the cease-fire. Since the treaties only applied to the Vietnams and Laos, air combat over Cambodia persisted for a while. Congress, however, didn’t support further fighting, and on July 15, 1973, USAF combat activities in the Southeast Asia War came to an end. The Air Force conducted 5.25 million sorties in Southeast Asia between 1962 and 1973, losing 2,251 aircraft and 1,738 Airmen killed in action, according to the National Museum of the United States Air Force website.
A controversial conflict
After the peace agreement, power struggles persisted in the region. In Cambodia, the ruinous rule of the Khmer Rouge began in 1975 as communists seized power. That same year, contrary to the 1973 Paris accords, North Vietnam invaded and conquered South Vietnam, uniting Vietnam by force as a communist nation.
The Southeast Asia War was a controversial conflict that took place during a chaotic period in both US and global politics. Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, Cold War diplomatic relations relied heavily on negotiations and regional conflicts such as the one in Vietnam and its surrounding nations. In the United States, internal political and social challenges significantly impacted American society simultaneously.
Russia’s losses in Ukraine were catastrophically worse than America’s losses in Vietnam
Were America’s losses in Vietnam worse than Russia’s losses in Ukraine?
Eric Wicklund, former US Navy Operations Specialist, explains on Quora;
‘Putin’s losses in the “SMO [Special Military Operation]” are catastrophically worse than America’s losses in Vietnam. Russia is performing orders of magnitude worse. There are several reasons for this.
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- Russia has lost over 590,000 casualties (KIA and wounded) in only 2.5 years of war. The US lost over 300,000 wounded and 58,000 KIA in 10 years of war in Vietnam.
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- Russia is so terrified of the Ukrainian air defense, that most of the far more numerous Russian air force never flies over Ukrainian-held airspace. For this reason, the Russian Air Force has had a relatively minimal impact on the war. Ukraine has far, far fewer air defense batteries than North Vietnam ever had.
‘Russia supplied North Vietnam with 7,658 SAM missiles. They also supplied North Vietnam with over 8,000 individual anti-aircraft batteries of various calibers. 77% of Air Force losses came from these batteries. Yet for 10 years, the US flew into this hornet’s nest every single day. We didn’t hide behind a safe border like Russia is doing.
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- Russia has no self-imposed restrictions on what they do with their ordnance. They strike anywhere in Ukraine, any time, with no limits or hesitation on the targets. Russia has hit hospitals, schools, shopping malls, and churches. Never holding back on any target.
Russia’s losses in Ukraine: worried about crossing Putin’s red lines
‘The US was horrifically, self-limiting. Even though US recon planes saw Russians unloading missiles in Haiphong Harbor, they were not permitted to attack it, for fear some Russians might get hurt. Hanoi was off-limits as a target most of the time. There were exceptions during some notable operations. Even something as simple as a strike on a truck park required approval directly from the White House. By the time approval bothered to come down, of course, the trucks were gone.
‘Lyndon Baines Johnson did a lot of great things for our country. His management of the Vietnam War was not one of them. If you’re going to fight a war, then fight it with everything you’ve got. Otherwise, don’t do it at all. Win it, get it over with quick, and bring our boys home. If you can’t do that, then don’t do it.’
Wicklund concludes;
‘I see parallels in this Ukraine War. We’re soooo d****d worried about crossing Putin’s red lines. We’re walking on eggshells, trying hard not to disturb Czar Putin. Well, Ukraine’s assault into Kursk proves Putin’s red lines are nothing but smoke and mirrors. The US should stop p****footing around and supply Ukraine like we really want them to win it.
‘And when we get serious, and get the weapons supply job done, Ukraine will get their job done.’
Photo by Reuters, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and Eurmaidan Press
