Reflections on the Vietnam War

Think about what you know of the Vietnam War Children fleeing napalm bombs Children fleeing napalm bombs Merciless Executions Merciless Executions A shameful defeat A shameful defeat A Corrupt Government A Corrupt Government

But there’s always more to the story

This is Kim Phuc This is Kim Phuc Photographer Nick Ut earned a Pulitzer Prize for this picture Photographer Nick Ut earned a Pulitzer Prize for this picture Ut promptly took Kim Phuc and the other children to a hospital in Saigon Ut promptly took Kim Phuc and the other children to a hospital in Saigon She was not expected to survive She was not expected to survive She requested permission to study in Cuba, where she married Bui Huy Tuan She requested permission to study in Cuba, where she married Bui Huy Tuan In 1992 they went on their honeymoon to Canada In 1992 they went on their honeymoon to Canada Once they stepped off the plane they defected Once they stepped off the plane they defected They now live in Ontario and have two children They now live in Ontario and have two children After 14 months and 17 surgeries she returned home After 14 months and 17 surgeries she returned home As an adult, the Vietnamese Government pressured her to become an “Anti- War” symbol As an adult, the Vietnamese Government pressured her to become an “Anti- War” symbol After forcing her South Vietnamese family into grinding poverty After forcing her South Vietnamese family into grinding poverty

This well known photo came to represent the brutality of the Vietnam War This well known photo came to represent the brutality of the Vietnam War Photographer Eddie Adams earned a Pulitzer Prize for this picture Photographer Eddie Adams earned a Pulitzer Prize for this picture It was taken on Day 2 of the “Tet Offensive” It was taken on Day 2 of the “Tet Offensive” The “Tet Offensive” was the largest single offensive maneuver launched by the Viet Cong The “Tet Offensive” was the largest single offensive maneuver launched by the Viet Cong Thousands of American and South Vietnamese soldiers had all ready been killed Thousands of American and South Vietnamese soldiers had all ready been killed This is South Vietnam’s Police Chief, Nguyen Ngoc Loan This is South Vietnam’s Police Chief, Nguyen Ngoc Loan Loan was highly respected and had a reputation for routing out corruption Loan was highly respected and had a reputation for routing out corruption Nguyen Cao Qi, the South Vietnamese General and later prime minister, said Loan was the best police chief South Vietnam ever had Nguyen Cao Qi, the South Vietnamese General and later prime minister, said Loan was the best police chief South Vietnam ever had This was after Loan had arrested Qi’s cousin for corruption This was after Loan had arrested Qi’s cousin for corruption This is Nguyen Van Lem This is Nguyen Van Lem The captain of a Viet Cong assassination squad The captain of a Viet Cong assassination squad Lem and his squad had just executed the wives, children, and several relatives of South Vietnamese Police officers Lem and his squad had just executed the wives, children, and several relatives of South Vietnamese Police officers Lem was captured at a ditch where the bodies of 34 executed civilians were found Lem was captured at a ditch where the bodies of 34 executed civilians were found Eddie Adams regretted the impact this photo had, as it became an Anti-War icon Eddie Adams regretted the impact this photo had, as it became an Anti-War icon Adams later wrote in ‘Time’: Adams later wrote in ‘Time’: “The general killed the Viet Cong; I killed the general with my Camera” “The general killed the Viet Cong; I killed the general with my Camera” “Photographs do lie. They are only half- truths. What it didn’t say was ‘What would you do if you were the general in that time and place’..” “Photographs do lie. They are only half- truths. What it didn’t say was ‘What would you do if you were the general in that time and place’..” Adams later apologized in person to General Nguyen for the damage it did to his reputation Adams later apologized in person to General Nguyen for the damage it did to his reputation Adams praised Loan as the hero of a just cause Adams praised Loan as the hero of a just cause When Loan died, Adams wrote When Loan died, Adams wrote “This guy was a hero. America should be crying” “This guy was a hero. America should be crying” Adams said he wished he had never taken that photo Adams said he wished he had never taken that photo Adams long sought redemption for the photo that won him a Pulitzer Adams long sought redemption for the photo that won him a Pulitzer In 1977 he captured Thai authorities preventing the landing by boat of Vietnamese Refugees In 1977 he captured Thai authorities preventing the landing by boat of Vietnamese Refugees The pictures helped persuade President Carter to admit hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese Refugees to America The pictures helped persuade President Carter to admit hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese Refugees to America Adams wished he won the Pulitzer for this photo Adams wished he won the Pulitzer for this photo

Contents Photos Photos Historical outline Historical outline –Mai Lai vs Hue Massacre Abandoning Vietnam Abandoning Vietnam –Boat people Comments by reformed protestors Comments by reformed protestors Vietnam and Korea parrallels Vietnam and Korea parrallels communism death toll communism death toll Iraq and Vietnam Iraq and Vietnam