A very nice site and an important perspective on the war. I was too young to worry about being drafted, but I remember the TV reports of the war, and I've since made acquaintances of several people who served there. Because I knew how important the Vietnam war was to our collective psyche, when I had the chance (I was working overseas), I visited Vietnam - right after it was officially legal to travel there in 1994.(posted 8533 days ago)Interestingly enough, the Vietnamese I met (from both the former North and South Vietnams) had - outwardly at least - put the war behind them. They were much more interested in developing free enterprise and getting access to consumer goods and western culture than they were in harboring old grudges. I even stayed in a small hotel in Hanoi owned by an ex-NVA colonel who was now catering to foreign tourists.
The primary impression I left with was that they don't blame us for anything - it was a tragedy for all involved. And the main lesson I learned was that - from their perspective - the war wasn't about us at all. It was a civil war that we just happened to get involved in, as had the French before us.
But it is a beautiful country and the people are very friendly. I'd love to get the chance to go back.