Journeys with my Gun

(17) Murder Most Foul

Photo ©️🆎 - 'The Cultures' overlooking the Vietnam Veterans Wall in Washington DC.  A great monument for a stupid reason.
This monument was designed to add 'missing' cultures from the war but there is no evidence of specific cultures on the wall to begin with.

Murder and cruelty were no strangers to the thousands of years of Vietnam, history paints a diabolical picture of horrendous treatment of the population by not only their foes but 'friends' as well.
The civilian people who supported the communists throughout history and especially during the so called 'American War' may be reminded that there is no doubt that the communists meted out death, cruelty and destruction to anyone who for a moment presented any sort of threat to the ruling class, which meant the educated and influential as well.
The details of the slaughter of Vietnamese civilians is well documented, I remain sickened by the behaviour of the Viet Cong whom were the lowest form of life. It is highly recommended that readers do not pursue those sickening details.

The Viet Cong being a force of local terrorists which were mainly formed against the southern government rather than the northern government in Hanoi but the latter had elements of influence and control.
The VC killed anyone and seemingly everyone in the civilian population for all sorts of so called crimes. Again our country would know little of the Viet Cong scourge which wiped out without mercy approximately 30,000 civilians in the nine years before our Battalion set foot in the country.
Apart from adding to our enemies, many thousands of deaths were to follow by the VC, that is amongst their own civilian population as well as the authorities and military of Saigon and the Allies during the 'American War'

Another very nasty chap, Diem, the President of the South (whom we were there to protect) employed assassination squads to kill civilians whom opposed his rule and so it was, numbering approximately 25,000 killed under his report of 'Communist Kills' in fact they were nationalists, democrats, suspicious individuals, educated and influential individuals and groups. In fact a similar barbaric reign as the North Vietnamese.

As stated, the communists murdered in many barbaric ways over many years not only foes but thousands of their population, including women, children and civilians, young or old in order to keep and reinforce their power.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Where have we heard that before and it is solidly true today.

There was probably no greater abuse of power in the American camp than that of President Nixon, who we know was caught red handed attempting to prolong the war to advance his political career.
Tricky' was in collusion with one Anna Chennault a beautiful Chinese confidant (the wife of a 'Flying Tiger' who were famous for their exploits in China.)

Anna was the go between to the Vietnamese President in a conspiracy aimed at shutting down peace talks in Paris in favour of Nixon later offering a 'better deal' for South Vietnam when he became president.
Thousands more died and suffered on all sides as a result. Didn't we just love Nixon.
President Ford in his first crime excused Nixon of his crimes after taking office and an aside is that America named an aircraft carrier after Ford, wasn't that nice.
The Communist murderous behaviour which continued after the 'American war' (1975) probably started with the killing of the Viet Cong whom Hanoi didn't trust and we shed no tears for those mongrels who made the Kenya ' Mau Mau' look like Boy Scouts.

By the way, murder, corruption and mayhem was no stranger in the world wars and Korea much being unknown and or unreported, if TV was around then, those wars would not have gained their popularity that they enjoy today.
A well known and successful author unfortunately spent some of his efforts in downgrading the terror of Vietnam stating that other wars were worse (really) I think it was a little friendly fire from him in retaliation to the bad reports of media behaviors in Vietnam.
We should not forget that we were overloaded with propaganda in the World Wars, when governments and media were in total control of information. What goes on wars stay on wars ..