There are myriad of myths about the Vietnam War that have
been created by misrepresentation, failure to validate sources and an overall lack of
knowledge of military tactics and strategies, along with a generally defeatist
attitude that permeated the news media as the coverage of the War continued.
The film and television industries’ portrayal of Vietnam Veterans and the
Vietnam War certainly did not help.
For example it is often stated that the United States lost
the Vietnam War. The facts demonstrate that this is simply not true.
 |
| source unknown |
The most obvious fact is that the South Vietnamese
government lost the War two years after United States combat involvement ended.
A peace treaty (The Paris Accords) was signed in January of
1973 and the last US combat troops left Vietnam before the end of April 1973.
Saigon fell in April of 1975, two years after the end of US military
involvement in Vietnam.
Three years of full time graduate research on this topic
culminated in my capstone project published at the Gerald R. Sherratt Library at Southern Utah University: Smokescreens, Lies and Deceptions: The media
and the Vietnam War.
Ongoing part time research has continued for more than two
years since then. My upcoming book Smokescreens,
Lies and Deceptions: Popular myths about the Vietnam War, is currently
being written (as time permits) and will expound on the topics discussed in
this blog and more.
This research includes primary sources, memoirs and
secondary sources, including literally hundreds of books, articles and
declassified documents about the Vietnam War written by players on all sides: North
Vietnamese, South Vietnamese, Viet Cong, neutralists, Soviets leaders, Chinese
Communists, American leaders, American journalists, anti-war activists,
American Presidents and the list continues ad nauseum.
Correcting these myths with facts, figures and anecdotal
evidence is the topic of my blog.
