BY DAVID BELL
OPINION —
The annual observance of Memorial Day is a somber occasion to remember and honor, with gratitude, the men and women of the armed forces who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. Since the American Revolution, the United States has engaged adversaries in wars around the world, emerging as the global leader in defense of freedom and democracy. Those who served with unparalleled bravery and did not return should never be forgotten.
While our past has been marked by celebrations of great victories following World War I and World War II, veterans of other conflicts did not come home to the same accolades. America’s involvement in the fight against the spread of Communism in southeast Asia was a turning point in the way our military conducted warfare. We faced a different kind of enemy in dense jungle terrain, which they used to their advantage in brutal fashion. It became a war of attrition, with neither side maintaining an upper hand.
The Vietnam War lasted almost 20 years, from November 1955 until April 1975. It was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia fought between North and South Vietnam and their allies. North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet Union and China, while South Vietnam was supported by the U.S. and other anti-communist nations.
By 1967, a growing segment of Americans became opposed to U.S. involvement in the war, and by 1970, approximately two-thirds of the country believed our entry into the conflict was a mistake. Anti-war protests were rampant across major cities and on college campuses nationwide.
The war culminated in a massive bombing campaign by the U.S. on North Vietnam, which failed to elicit a surrender. Therefore, following many months of intense negotiations, both sides agreed to and signed the Paris Peace Accords on January 27, 1973, which ended direct U.S. involvement in the war.
The South Vietnamese military continued the fight on their own, but were eventually overwhelmed by the Viet Cong. Meanwhile, over the next two years, American military and personnel were withdrawn from the country after 58,000 U.S. service members had been killed.
Because of the Vietnam War’s unpopularity at home, returning veterans were met with animosity and even hatred by some of their fellow countrymen. They were not recognized for their service but, rather, were despised for their involvement. As a result, Vietnam vets have seen the highest rates of suicide than any other military veterans.
Dr. Charles Hendrix, Professor Emeritus of pathobiology at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, was one of those veterans who witnessed and experienced first-hand the lack of respect.
“I’m not a Vietnam veteran but a Vietnam-era veteran,” Hendrix said. “I served during the period from June 24, 1974, until the end of the war in 1975. I did not go overseas, but I think the men and women who did go were some of the bravest, most selfless individuals who ever lived.
“I’ve tried to make people understand that they got nothing when they came back. They deserved a parade, but I didn’t want to march with them because I felt I wasn’t good enough. They were real men,” Hendrix said.
Regarding the growing disdain for the war during its latter years, Hendrix said the American people were misled.
“We got sold a bill of goods by five U.S. presidents who tried to justify our involvement,” he said. “All the money, blood, sweat and tears that went into that war — and for what? Our military leaders grossly underestimated the Viet Cong and their resolve to do anything to achieve their goals. They were never going to give up.”
While the merits of the Vietnam War will be debated throughout the remainder of history, the sacrifice of human life was no less important than what was attributed to other battles of greater military achievement.
“It’s important to give Vietnam vets their due respect for being there for their country and the world,” said Hendrix. “They need to know that their fellow warriors did not die in vain.”
