It’s All Your Fault

As the real war for the Mekong draws to a close, the shadow war intensifies and gives promise, like its progenitor, of a long and frustrating career. The objective: to fix the blame on the other fellow.

An initial confusion arises from, the absence of an answer to the question: blame for what? For first sending U.S. aid to South Vietnam? For first ordering the involvement of U.S. soldiers in military actions? For building involvement into a huge expeditionary force? For ordering aerial bombardment of North Vietnam? For not destroying Hanoi and Haiphong? For not using nuclear weapons? For inappropriate and faulty military strategy and tactics? For permitting disgruntled citizens to sabotage the national effort? For backing the wrong crowd? For withdrawing U.S. military forces while the enemy was still undefeated? For signing accords with an enemy who could not be expected to honor them? For being stingy with support after the withdrawal? For misjudging Soviet and Chinese policy from beginning to end? It does not seem likely that a single scapegoat will do.

JB

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James Burnham

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As the real war for the Mekong draws to a close, the shadow war intensifies and gives promise, like its progenitor, of a long and frustrating career. The objective: to fix the blame on the other fellow.

An initial confusion arises from, the absence of an answer to the question: blame for what? For first sending U.S. aid to South Vietnam? For first ordering the involvement of U.S. soldiers in military actions? For building involvement into a huge expeditionary force? For ordering aerial bombardment of North Vietnam? For not destroying Hanoi and Haiphong? For not using nuclear weapons? For inappropriate and faulty military strategy and tactics? For permitting disgruntled citizens to sabotage the national effort? For backing the wrong crowd? For withdrawing U.S. military forces while the enemy was still undefeated? For signing accords with an enemy who could not be expected to honor them? For being stingy with support after the withdrawal? For misjudging Soviet and Chinese policy from beginning to end? It does not seem likely that a single scapegoat will do.