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| An American Green Beret, right, and a South Vietnamese soldier helping a wounded Vietnamese soldier after fighting near Duc Phong, north of Saigon, in 1969.Bettmann/Corbis |
When U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson announces that 10,000 North Vietnamese had died and only 249 Americans in the Tet Offensive (January 31, 1968), the bloodiest day of the Vietnam War to that point, the narrator notes that the president "didn't even mention the South Vietnamese casualties" (177).
President Johnson probably assumed that American audiences were interested in the number of American soldiers who were killed (naturally) and the number of enemy combatants that were killed.
Why might it be a problem that Johnson didn't mention the number of South Vietnamese who were killed (America was South Vietnam's ally in the War)?
Should the South Vietnamese feel slighted by this omission?
Research follow up: How many American, North Vietnamese, and South Vietnamese were killed in the War?
I believe it is a problem that President Johnson did not mention the South Vietnamese casualties because it could result in a rise of tension between the allies and sends a message that the United States does not value those with whom they are allied. By not acknowledging the number of men killed, it appears as though President Johnson did not value their allies as a crucial aid throughout the war efforts. In my opinion, the South Vietnamese should feel slighted by Johnson's omission of their contribution and death because it portrays the ideology that their lives are less valuable than the Americans.
ReplyDeleteAfter researching the total number of casualties of the war, I found the United States lost about 58,000 soldiers. The South Vietnamese lost about 250,000 soldiers and around 2 million citizens. Lastly, the North Vietnamese lost roughly one million soldiers.
I think it is a problem that the South Vietnamese casualties were not mentioned because it was dishonest to the American citizens. I believe President Johnson did not mention the casualties because he wanted the American people to think the Tet Offensive went exceedingly well. I think he wanted to grow support for a controversial war. Unfortunately, he chose a controversial way to grow support. I think the South Vietnamese should feel shorted because its ally showed little care for its people dying. America swept the South Vietnamese's casualties under the rug in an attempt to look better. If I was the South Vietnamese, I would see President Johnson's actions as careless and cruel.
ReplyDeleteThe North Vietnamese suffered 1.1 million casualties. The South suffered an estimated 1.8 million casualties. The United States suffered around 58,000 casualties.
The problem with Johnson excluding the number of South Vietnamese soldiers lost is the lack of respect it implies towards their sacrifice for not only our country, but against the threat of widespread communism. It insinuates that their sacrifices were not equal to those from the States, as well as spreading partial disinformation (by not releasing full casualty counts for all countries fighting with the U.S.). The South Vietnamese should feel insulted because their soldier's sacrifices are worth just as much as any U.S. soldier.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Britannica, the U.S. lost approximately 58,300 soldiers. It is estimated that around 2 million civilians from either side of Vietnam, 1.1 million Viet Cong soldiers, and 200,000 to 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers were killed.
(https://www.britannica.com/question/How-many-people-died-in-the-Vietnam-War)
With American forces allying themself with South Vietnam, I believe it would make the most sense for the Stars and Stripes to report the casualties of both forces, as it would give the American populace a more accurate representation of how many of our men are dying. In reality, LBJ likely omitted the casualty number because the United States was actively bombing civilians in Southern Vietnam, further fueling anti-Vietnamese propaganda fueled by the hatred of Communism.
DeleteI do believe the South Vietnamese soldiers should rightfully be disgusted at this fact, partially as a dishonor to those who died in the midst of combat, and partially due to their allies targeting them based on prejudice.
The United States military has estimated that around 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers were killed in the war, and over 2 million civilians from North and South sides of the country. A little under 60,000 United States soldiers were also killed or deemed missing in action.
Didn't mean to make that a reply, whoops.
DeleteI think that the South Vietnamese have every right to feel slighted by the omission, but I don’t exactly believe that Johnson was attempting to slight them. It could be a problem because it doesn’t show the exact number of casualties and how the war was really turning out. It could also fuel a fire when people realize that he omitted their casualties. By omitting their casualties it could be interpreted as Johnson not really seeing the South Vietnamese as an ally. This could cause further turmoil in an already rocky situation. That wouldn’t be good for either side, especially knowing from history that the war in Vietnam was one filled with enough protests and rage against the government for the draft. People on the streets were fighting for peace and it could make protesters angrier with the war seeing how the president hid the true number of deaths and injuries.
ReplyDeleteAfter research I am seeing that around 60,000 U.S. soldiers died as well as 1
Million to 3 million Vietnamese soldiers and civilians. There were also 300,000 Cambodians as well as around 60,000 Laotians reported to have died.