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as U.S. air assets devastated several North Vietnamese divisions. the forward momentum continued with appointment of General Creighton Abrams as supreme commender in Viet Nam. Abram's Strategic Hamlet program began to take control of the countryside and drive out the Viet Cong. After the mining of Haiphong Harbor and B52 carpet bombing of the North, the Vietnamese were ready to run to the peace table in 1972.

This turn of events did truly represent "Peace with Honor" but it was all thrown away in the post-Watergate maelstrom. After the draw down of U.S. ground forces in the theater the South Vietnamese were becoming more efficient in defending their country but still relied on U.S. air support for ground operations. The funding for continued air support was taken away by Congress in 1975 in one of the most singularly short-sighted and irresponsible acts by a this legislative body in the history of the Republic. A hard won victory that was expensive in both blood and treasure was thrown away in fit Congressional pique.

A year letter the South Vietnamese ground forces were overrun after a brave fight and an apocalyptic chain of events ensued culminating in the Cambodian Genocide.

The lessons from Viet Nam are bitter pills to swallow but they have largely been absorbed by our leadership cadre. The first lesson involves never involving U.S. forces in a conflict where geopolitical or other diplomatic factors prevent the achievement of clear cut military victory. This lesson was applied well in the first Gulf War but not as well in Kosovo. The second lesson involves the impotency of diplomatic initiatives that are not backed up by the application of credible military force.

We have followed these lessons unevenly since the end of the Viet Nam War. Let us hope that we are more diligent about remembering these lessons before the next conflict.

Learn more about this author, Cary Dowalt.
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