Partially true. There was no “Vietnam” during that period. That’s sort of a major point of that war. Vietnam, like many countries, had divided into communist and non communist aligned nations. So America didn’t have to make Vietnam capitalist- there was no Vietnam, but South Vietnam- Americas ally in the conflict- was already capitalist. North Vietnam was a separate country and was socialist.
The Vietcong rebels were a pro north faction backed by the northern Vietnamese (“communist”) government and “started” the armed conflict by taking up arms against the government of south Vietnam in an attempt to overthrow it and install northern Vietnamese and Vietcong control.
The American government did get involved, just as the Russians, Chinese, and numerous other foreign and domestic actors got involved.
The US government got involved for various political and economic reasons- one being a “proxy war” against communism, using a (most likely staged) attack on a U.S. ship as the “foot in the door.”
A combination of factors including general prejudices and biases along with political and economic pressures led to various atrocities, exacerbated by the stresses placed on often unprepared and unwilling troops who in many cases were not fit for the mission and were often poorly supplied and utilized, and also often only there to avoid prison. The brutality of the conflict, duress, lack of morale or purpose, racism, drugs, and losses also contributed.
Costs and logistics were staggering and often far greater than predicted. Programs intended on some level to help civilians or rally local support often became cluster fucks and massacres with opposite effects. US forces were internally polarized by various factors including social divisions, inequities back home, and feelings on the war. Many soldiers served with duty and honor. Many had lapses and there were those who consistently served with neither.
Politicians played the war to their favor and various people used it for their own gains or agendas, often to the detriment of soldiers and civilians alike.
The south Vietnamese government and military did so as well, with many brave honorable fighters but also with traitors and the corrupt or complacent among the ranks.
In the end, pro north forces were able to drive out america and force the south Vietnamese government into exile and gain control of the country.
There hadn’t been one Vietnam for decades before the war, but after the war both North and South Vietnam ceased to exist and there was a singular Vietnam rebuilt in the image of pro northern powers.
This explanation is STILL an oversimplification- but the classic lie about American Freedom and nothing but heroic peoples heroes has long been proven false, however the replacement propaganda about an evil American government trying to force their way on “Vietnam” is equally false. There is more history there- before america it was French and other foreign influence that created a divided Vietnam to begin with.
Im not here to say or argue who is or was the “true” or “rightful” government of Vietnam. That is a question now, and always, that should be in the hands of the Vietnamese peoples.
I am merely stating that Vietnam is about a lot more than America and it is a shame that the country and their civil war has become so intrinsically tied to America. Often more so than to their own civil war and the issues driving it. To the point where many do not even know differences between the Vietcong and NVA, who the Montagnard or the many other ethnic and political groups fighting for their country or people or way of life were or why they were even fighting beyond this dull witted parroting that “murica bad. Murica made them fight..”
Vietnam is a whole ass country, sometimes more than one country in its history, with various periods and ethnic groups and its own politics and cultural conflicts.
But to the point of this meme- it does seem odd in concept that after all the fighting and killing and brutality- that within less than a lifetime a country could seemingly change in such ways. It isn’t all that odd though. That’s.. war. Through much of history and much of the world. While certain regions or peoples have been known for enduring conflict, generally people want to move past war. The fighting between the USA and Japan in WW2 was comprable brutal and hatred was as deep if not deeper. Despite that, America and Japan have had moments of love and respect and admiration or even envy of each other since then many times. After 2 world wars and at least 1,000 of wars- European countries have their frictions but often get along well enough or are best chums.
So I mean… one thing America learned in the Cold War, along with most of the world, you don’t have to go head to head wit a communist nation on the field of battle in order to drive out communism. You don’t even have to force a communist nation to fail. All you need to do is wait and a communist nation will become essentially capitalist, or it will fail on its own. That’s just how it works. Human nature. The type of government is just marketing. The rulers sit on top and break the rules while making them, and everyone else props them up.
Communism doesn’t give people what is needed to control them into suffering away to funnel money to people living more opulently already. Until a system of control is developed that either has absolute force or beats capitalism for gaining compliance- capitalism will always win. People bet their self interest, communism doesn’t support self interest. It’s simple math.
The Vietcong rebels were a pro north faction backed by the northern Vietnamese (“communist”) government and “started” the armed conflict by taking up arms against the government of south Vietnam in an attempt to overthrow it and install northern Vietnamese and Vietcong control.
The US government got involved for various political and economic reasons- one being a “proxy war” against communism, using a (most likely staged) attack on a U.S. ship as the “foot in the door.”
A combination of factors including general prejudices and biases along with political and economic pressures led to various atrocities, exacerbated by the stresses placed on often unprepared and unwilling troops who in many cases were not fit for the mission and were often poorly supplied and utilized, and also often only there to avoid prison. The brutality of the conflict, duress, lack of morale or purpose, racism, drugs, and losses also contributed.
The south Vietnamese government and military did so as well, with many brave honorable fighters but also with traitors and the corrupt or complacent among the ranks.
In the end, pro north forces were able to drive out america and force the south Vietnamese government into exile and gain control of the country.
There hadn’t been one Vietnam for decades before the war, but after the war both North and South Vietnam ceased to exist and there was a singular Vietnam rebuilt in the image of pro northern powers.
I am merely stating that Vietnam is about a lot more than America and it is a shame that the country and their civil war has become so intrinsically tied to America. Often more so than to their own civil war and the issues driving it. To the point where many do not even know differences between the Vietcong and NVA, who the Montagnard or the many other ethnic and political groups fighting for their country or people or way of life were or why they were even fighting beyond this dull witted parroting that “murica bad. Murica made them fight..”
Vietnam is a whole ass country, sometimes more than one country in its history, with various periods and ethnic groups and its own politics and cultural conflicts.
Communism doesn’t give people what is needed to control them into suffering away to funnel money to people living more opulently already. Until a system of control is developed that either has absolute force or beats capitalism for gaining compliance- capitalism will always win. People bet their self interest, communism doesn’t support self interest. It’s simple math.