The Vietnam War: a Blunder Or a Lesson? Is It Possible to Do Good by Doing History? an Interview with Mr, Fred Downey
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The Vietnam War: A blunder or a lesson? Is it possible to do good by doing history? An interview with Mr, Fred Downey St. Andrew's Episcopal School Instructor Alex Haight Tenth of February 2003 By Abhi Naz OH NAZ 2003 Naz, Abhi Table of Contents Legal Restriction, signed release fonn Page 2 Statement of Puipose Page 3 Biography Page 4 Contextualization Paper on Vietnam: Page 5 The lives of millions of Americans were shattered; others lost respect for their own government; and governments and people throughout the world lost respect for America. - Joseph A. Aniter Interview Tianscription Page 23 Historical Analysis Page 45 Appendix A- US forces from 1959-1971 Page 52 Appendix B~ Comparative Strengths, 1975 Page 53 Appendix C - Demographics Page 54 Appendix D - One letter from Ho Chi Minli to Page 55 President Truman Appendix E - John Fitzgerald Kennedy - Page 56 Inaugural Address, Washington, D.C, 20 January, 1961 Appendix F - Map of Vietnam during War Page 59 Appendix G - Comparative size of Vietnam to Page 60 Eastern United States Appendix H-Map of Vietnam Page 61 Appendix I - Ho Chi Minh Trail Page 62 Appendix J - Ho Chi Minh Page 63 Bibliography Page 64 ST. ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL INTERVIEWEE RELEASE FORM: Tapes and Transcripts I, j\~t^€ V- ttu^fc: /A [)cnAi/\ey; do hereby give to the Saint Andrew's Episcopal name of interviewee ^ School all right, title or interest in the tape-recorded interviews conducted by I understand that these name of interviewer i^te(s) -^ inter\ lews will be protected by copyright and deposited in Saint Andrew's Library and Archives for the use of future students, educators and scholars. I also understand that the tapes and transcripts may be used in public presentations including, but not limited to, audio or video documentaries, slide-tape presentations, exhibits, articles or the world wide web at the projects web site www.doingoralhistoiy.org. This gift does not preclude any use that I myself want to make of the information in these transcripts or recordings. The interviewee acknowledges that he/she will receive no remuneration or compensation for either his/her participation in the interview or for the rights assigned hereunder. CHECK ONE: Tapes and transcripts may be used without restriction Tapes and transcripts are subject to the attached restrictions (Typed) INTERVIEWEE' INTERVIEWER: -*^ Signature of Interviewee Signature Typed Name /o^a^ A^^47^/rx^cL(cg:T cT Typed Name Address Address Date / / Date 8804 Postoak Road - Potomac. Maryland 20854 • (301)983-5200 • Fax: (301) 983-4710 • hUp:/A\/ww.saes.oig Naz 3 Statement of Puipose The primaiy goal of this oral history project is to help augment and intensify one's understanding to the Vietnam War tluough research of primaiy and secondaiy sources as well as an intei'view with a Vietnam Veteran. The purpose of the intei'view conducted with Mr. Fred Downey is to gain another inteipretation to the Vietnam War tlii'ough the eyes of a solider. It is intended to provide a unique and detailed explanation of the United State's involvement in the war. Naz 4 Biogi-aphy of Mr. Fred Downey Mr. Fred Downey was bom in 1950 in a small town in Pennsylvania, with a population of about with about 700 or 800 people, He spent most of his childhood growing u)) there. Approximately 8 or 9 years were spent in the (own. It was a typical small town experience, evei yone basicaliy knew everyone else. It was a di\'ei'se area with a lot of ethics groups. Most of the people in the town worked menial jobs. They were blue collar, Coal mineis, Steel welders, there were not really pjofessionals such as doctors and lawyers. He had a fairly normally cliiidhood, Ins parents never split up, had six uncles from his dad side, had a brother and a sister, as well as friends. Most of the men were \'eterans from WoiId War II so therefore theie was a strong presence of military service. World War 11 served a huge role in his life, in the childhood. Mostly every elder gentleman had served in tliat wai- and they all joined veteran organizations. He then went to a very small college in Lexington Virginia- the Virginia Militaiy histitute. He knew many people in iiis grade, and the grade above him. In total there were eleven liundi-ed people in his whole school. He graduated out of 160 people, and went strictly into seivice in Vietnam. In 1971-1972 he was in Vietnam, as a member of the armed Calvary. Tiiey had refurbished jeeps, and other transportation things to help ride around the environment and teirain of Vietnam. Upon reluming from Vietnam he participated in the reconstniction of the American anny, working with General Abrams, and others. He then was a member of the team that helped plan tactical operations in the Gulf War. Presently he is mamed and has one daughter, and works under Senator Liberman at the Hart Senate Office Building in Downtown D.C. Naz 5 Contextualization Paper on Vietnam The Jives of millions of Americans were shattered; others lost respect for their own government; and governments and people throughout the world lost respect for America. -JosephA. Atnter Vietnam - A small southeastem communist countiy, divided at the seventeenth parallel by the Ben Hai River and the Annamite Mountain Range, bordered by Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and China, a seemingly peacefiil nation. However this "peaceful nation" was once home to one of the most deadly conflicts ever reordered in American histoiy, lasting a total of 16 years. This country had a turbulent Histoiy - A series of false promises and land disputes. Clearly this event had important significance in America. It led to mistrust of the govenmient, low moral, as well as post traumatic stress. 1 For majority of Vietnams histoiy, another countiy had been in power over it. Starting h'oni 1 BC to 967 AD Vietnam was controlled by China, but won its freedom ui the 1400s. However the success came at a cost because in 1545, it separated into two separate regions, a north and south component^. From 1545-1847, Vietnam was veiy much an isolationist nation and at peace, with two veiy different society growing^. 1847 marked the first of a series of conflicts between the Vietnamese and French. By 1861 France had captured Saigon, starting its imperial mle over Vietnam and in 1862 Vietnam's emperor - Tuo Doc signed a treaty with France agreeing about political, economic and religious concessions'^. France's influence on the southeastern countiy was growing, and the first French civilian governor was appointed 17 years later. In Naz 6 another four years (1883), France established Vietnam as its own protectorate and Vietnam officially became a colony of France. In 1890 one of the most influential leaders in Vietnam history was bom. Ho Chi Minli (Appendix J) was an important figure, who led Vietnam to become a Communist country. In 1911 Ho Chi Minli left Vietnam and joined the French conununist party in 1920'. Ho Chi Minli took what the learned fi-om the FCP and applied it to the hidochinese Comniunist Party which was formed during the December of 1930, Ho Chi Minli finally returned to Vietnam during 1941. In 1941 Ho Chi Minli organized the Vietnam Independence League or more commonly refereed to as the Vietminh. The Vietminli received aid from the OSS, a department of the US military intelligence agency, who taught them many techniques to use in war (such as the teclmiques that later 1 0 the Vietminli would use against the United States) ". It was interesting to not a comparison between Flo chi Minli, and Osama Bin Landing, who both received US aid during the cold war, however the used the techniques taught by the United States against the United States. During World War Two, Vietnam was again taken over by another imperiahst nation, Japan. By 1941, Japan had started its invasion of the Indochina region. In March 9, 1945- Japan took over the French Administration tlii'oughout this region, and installed Bao Dai as their puppet ruler. However, Japans mle weakened, for two reasons. In the summer of 1945 the Vietnamese had a severe famine strike, which resulted in several revolts by the peasants against Japan^. The second reason was because Japan lost World War Two^. Because of severe fighting in Vietnam and many SALW (Small amis and hglit weapons) were still present, the Allies decide to split the countiy at the 17th parallel. Naz 7 '^ The northern part of the countiy was communist, and China demilitarized it. The south was designated under the jurisdiction of Democracy and Britain was chiefly responsible for demilitarization. ^ After Japan lost World War Two, the Vietminli became the itiler of Vietnam. On September 2nd 1945 Ho Chi Minli declared Vietnam as a free countiy, using the principles of the Declaration of Independence (in America) stating, ""AH men are created equal. They are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...This immortal statement is extracted from the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America in 1776. Understood in the broader sense this means: All people on earth are born equal. Every person has the right to live, to be happy, and free." ^ Ho Chi Minli then declared himself president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and sent 8 letters (Appendix D) to President Truman tiying to ally Vietnam and the United States. President Truman repeatedly ignored him. ^^ 111 September 22, 1945 French soldiers, held in POW camps, went on a killing rampage, killing many Vietnamese civilians.