It was 40 years ago today… (No, it’s not Billy Shears!)

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A milestone- I thought.  It was 40 years ago today.  The day for which I had longed, cajoled, suffered injuries, blockaded federal and college buildings.  The ending of the Vietnam “War”.  You know, one of the first wars we fought that were never declared.

One that led to the denigration of the legacy of Lyndon Johnson.  Not because of his stellar domestic record, but because of this war.  Where the government lied to us- no, not a bending of the truth, but an outright lie, fabricating a claim that our warship was attacked by a foreign country and the required response was all-out war.

One that led to the denigration of a chemical company- Dow.  Because of its involvement with Napalm and Agent Orange, with their rampant use during the war.  The destruction of the environment of Vietnam and Laos, among other nations.  Until then, Dow was a respected chemical firm, one with which many a chemical engineer and chemist wanted to associate.

Between the failure of our country to secure the vote of Blacks in the 1960s (as well as the termination of the separate but equal doctrine) and the Vietnam War, my generation lost faith in the establishment.  Yes, this was the time of “not trusting anyone over the age of 30”.   It was the time when the police in Chicago decided it was acceptable to bash in the heads of those of us who wanted to challenge the rules of the Democratic Party nomination.  (And, the beginning of the “whack-a-mole” process to obtain valid demonstration permits, one that was perfected by George Bush.)

Where American troops were given permission to shoot at American children;  not since the Civil War had that happened.  No, I am not making light of the killing of American Blacks by police- which was just as reprehensible, but it was the killing of White youth by the military that began the big shift in opinion for the establishment that Vietnam was not the proper course for the US.

Yes, it was 40 years ago today that my generation proved it could convince (or, at least, attenuate the resistance of) the establishment to change course.  We had already managed to get Johnson off the ballot.  And, had not Sirhan Sirhan executed Bobby Kennedy (A’H), who knows were America would have been – and how soon.

But, those that don’t study history are, indeed, destined to repeat it.  And, repeat it we did- just ten years ago.   When President George Bush lied to the American people, claiming the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.    Leading to a 10 year episode of death and destruction not seen since the Vietnam War.

There are lessons to be learned.  But, not helping the civilians being murdered in Syria is not among them.

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11 thoughts on “It was 40 years ago today… (No, it’s not Billy Shears!)”

  1. It is a special day, the end of Nam. The terrible part about Nam and the wars we have fought since is that the price is still being paid. The government doesn’t care about the after market numbers as much as they do while in war, but the after market numbers tell the real story. The war never ended for those boys coming home from Nam. It won’t end until the last Nam vet passes into peace, because they carry it with them all the days of their lives. My uncle did, and he took his own life, another casualty of war. Our brave men who fought in Iraq will too. You are correct, Roy…that which we do not learn of history we will repeat, and it is a terrible lesson. There are fights that are worth it and fights that should never be. There is a time for all things, but we need to be good stewards of those times, and the people who endure them. Thank you for this post, may more people hear and understand.
    Lisa recently posted..Neon Glow Butterfly Phase 2 by Lisa Brandel

  2. I guess forty years is a glimpse of time for history and a good objective historical analysis should not be done until a lot of water has passed under the bridge, That being said, it is my opinion that, in spite of the clear solid examples you mentioned, there is a positive change in the collective mind of the average American, precisely as a product of that turmoil. What do you think?
    Gustavo recently posted..How do you prepare for exploring (Mayan ruins).

    1. I would have said there WAS a positive change, Gustavo, had we Americans not doen exactly the same thing when presented with statements that clearly had the smell of dead fish… So, is it a change if we enter a war with faked scenarios, just like the previous one?

  3. 40 years ago and still no lessons learned. We were lied to as well by Bush’s ‘little pet’. The second Iraqi war was illegal and many civillians and servicemen from both of our countries have died. Maybe one day the world might see leaders that talk rather than fight. Not in our life time sadly. Ooof.
    Anita-Clare Field recently posted..J’ adore – Crème Brûlée.

    1. Whether illegal or not (in my book, any war that has not been declared by Congress has to be Illegal), we certainly were lied to about weapons of mass destruction- akin to the warship being attacked in the Gulf of Tonkin. Yes, there are real problems, Anita-Clare, and real people died, were maimed, and subjected to PTSD due to both of them.

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