Apr 27 2008
Hue City, Vietnam 1968
It was 40 years ago that the battle for Hue City raged. During Vietnam the American public watched the events of the day every night on the evening news. Reporters then actually reported on and witnessed the action. Today we have embedded reporters who send little home. If we covered the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq like the war in Vietnam was covered this carnage would end quickly.
Though this action took place forty years ago it is still very much alive in the hearts and minds of many survivors of the Tet Offensive of 1968. Though the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong suffered tremendous losses they scored a political victory around the world. The American public became so disillusioned with what they saw that it was only a matter of time before we would be withdrawn. The North Vietnamese lost the battle but won the war in 1968.
Perhaps this is why the media is so limited in what they show us today. The military and government officials learned their lesson in 1968, too. Never again would they allow the public to witness the brutality of war that they had sent so many young Americans into. Out of sight, out of mind. It is sad really.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5JKbgVzPZg
I am a Vietnam vet and made this video to show the comaprisons to the battle for Hue in 1968 and Fallujah in 2004. Please pass it along.
Roger Martino
USMC 67-71
I hope you can go to YouTube and get the embed code and put this on your site.
[...] four years ago in Iraq, we all share some common experiences. Roger sent this video in response to a video I posted earlier. I think the similarities are striking and I appreciate his contribution. Welcome home Roger. And [...]