Found an interesting site showing the reality of the "myths" in Vietnam:

Myth: The United States lost the war in Vietnam.

The American military was not defeated in Vietnam. The American military did not lose a battle of any consequence. From a military standpoint, it was almost an unprecedented performance. (Westmoreland quoting Douglas Pike, a professor at the University of California, Berkley a renowned expert on the Vietnam War) [Westmoreland] This included Tet 68, which was a major military defeat for the VC and NVA.


THE UNITED STATES DID NOT LOSE THE WAR IN VIETNAM, THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE DID.

Facts about the end of the war:

The fall of Saigon happened 30 April 1975, two years AFTER the American military left Vietnam. The last American troops departed in their entirety 29 March 1973. How could we lose a war we had already stopped fighting? We fought to an agreed stalemate. The peace settlement was signed in Paris on 27 January 1973. It called for release of all U.S. prisoners, withdrawal of U.S. forces, limitation of both sides' forces inside South Vietnam and a commitment to peaceful reunification. [1996 Information Please Almanac]

The 140,000 evacuees in April 1975 during the fall of Saigon consisted almost entirely of civilians and Vietnamese military, NOT American military running for their lives. [1996 Information Please Almanac]

There were almost twice as many casualties in Southeast Asia (primarily Cambodia) the first two years after the fall of Saigon in 1975 then there were during the ten years the U.S. was involved in Vietnam. [1996 Information Please Almanac]

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Myth: Most American soldiers were addicted to drugs, guilt-ridden about their role in the war, and deliberately used cruel and inhumane tactics.

The facts are:

91% of Vietnam Veterans say they are glad they served [Westmoreland]

74% said they would serve again even knowing the outcome [Westmoreland]

There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non veterans of the same age group (from a Veterans Administration study) [Westmoreland]

Isolated atrocities committed by American soldiers produced torrents of outrage from antiwar critics and the news media while Communist atrocities were so common that they received hardly any attention at all. The United States sought to minimize and prevent attacks on civilians while North Vietnam made attacks on civilians a centerpiece of its strategy. Americans who deliberately killed civilians received prison sentences while Communists who did so received commendations. From 1957 to 1973, the National Liberation Front assassinated 36,725 South Vietnamese and abducted another 58,499. The death squads focused on leaders at the village level and on anyone who improved the lives of the peasants such as medical personnel, social workers, and schoolteachers. [Nixon] Atrocities - every war has atrocities. War is brutal and not fair. Innocent people get killed.

Vietnam Veterans are less likely to be in prison - only 1/2 of one percent of Vietnam Veterans have been jailed for crimes. [Westmoreland]

97% were discharged under honorable conditions; the same percentage of honorable discharges as ten years prior to Vietnam [Westmoreland]

85% of Vietnam Veterans made a successful transition to civilian life. [McCaffrey]

Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent. [McCaffrey]

Vietnam veterans have a lower unemployment rate than our non-vet age group. [McCaffrey]

87% of the American people hold Vietnam Vets in high esteem. [McCaffrey]

Myth: Most Vietnam veterans were drafted.

2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers. 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. [Westmoreland] Approximately 70% of those killed were volunteers. [McCaffrey]

Rest of the myths can be seen here:
http://www.vhfcn.org/stat.html

and 85% of your post prove conclusively that you are indeed an idiot . America lost the war because it lost the political battle domestically and internationally. and due to the fact that this administration decided to reinvent the wheel, history could very well repeat itself. Post something that might tax your brain cells for a change

Muppet!

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"If you're going through hell, keep going". Winston Churchill

as it was a political loss.. it never was a "total" military defeat.

but a lost cause after the political ground was lost.

to add to the point.. US has never fought a real deal war against foregin nation on its
own soil. thus i think the native over-arrogansy might overwhelm
the yongsters of the grate nation.

from the 59 to the 75 was an interesting era.

when you look at it.. the US was in real preasure. the Soviet union was leading the
space race by giantic leaps. (first satellite & first human in space.. while the
US rocket to deliver the first american satellite exploded after launch.)

the over all situation might have influenced the decisions in the US.

the bottomline is that US never would have won vietnam war with the
political atmosphere that was in place at that time. actually it could have been far worse.

Bottom line: The US fought a great war in Vietnam. It was eventually forced to withdraw and leave its Southern allies to their fate. That is not a victory. No war is won or lost through military means alone. The perennial argument by deluded Americans that they didn't lose is merely insecurity.

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'Never was so much owed by so many to so few.' Sir Winston Churchill.

Nearly 750,000 Iraqis have died since 2003 who might still be alive but for the US-led invasion. That is a cause for shame, not pride.

Did I ever state myself that the US lost the war politically in Vietnam? No I did not, so there is no reason for you to say i'm an idiot. I feel the US MILITARY did not lose in Vietnam, they did an excellent job. It was because of the pressure back home that forced the US to pull its troops out. "We were winning when we pulled out."-Vietnam Vets

Unfortunately since now wars are seen at home as they really are and all the bad news is reported because the US media is all **** there will never be a war again that is fully supported by the US. If anything you are an idiot for misjudging me and my opinion on the Vietnam war.

Grow up ,you lost! Just as the Brits lost in the American war of independence after winning 95% of the battles

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"If you're going through hell, keep going". Winston Churchill

I don't think you get what I'm saying here. The US Military did not lose in Veitnam, politically the US lost. This thread at all wasn't about the US politics in the Vietnam War, it was about the US Military. Infact I didn't even state my opinion on this untill after you called me an idiot. All I did was copy and paste something I found interesting on the internet and put it here. I like to read other people's opinion on certain matters of my interest. The job could have been finished if the troops didn't pullout because of all the pressure back home.

Im with M4M on this one, US tactics were wrong on entry to the Vietnam conflict but they learned and adapted to their situation, and the tide of the war was in their favour.... Politics forced the withdrawal...... and that does not constitute loosing the war..... If the political will was there, they would have carried onto a victory......

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"Barrel High, Powder Dry!"

"Illic est haud effrego ex Veneratio"

We've been here before with you

http://www.army.com/forum/showthread.php?t=962&page=4

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"If you're going through hell, keep going". Winston Churchill

Losing is losing . Who controls Vietnam now ?

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"If you're going through hell, keep going". Winston Churchill