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Vietnam War
Remembering Lippmann
In US, it's time for introspection. 25 years ago it fled Vietnam. The world's mightiest army was thrown out of their country by a set of ill-clad, underfed (and under-armed) people. Their spirit survived carpet bombing and superior fire power. "A big, big mistake", bemoaned Robert McNamara, the irrepressible former US defence secretary, later on.
It took the sagacity (and courage) of a statesman like Henry Kissinger to call it a day in Vietnam. Before that, US became a split nation. The opposition to the war was fanned by the wailings over the dead bodies arriving from the battlefield.
Sane opinion in US kept up fire on Washington and called for its early exit. Ace columnist Walter Lippmann led the voice of revolt. In lucid prose, he warned the US that it would lose the land war in Vietnam. He even said America was not cut out for that kind of engagement. "Buck up Lippmann, the Americans can do it". Thundered The Economist. From across the Atlantic. For the `commies' had to be wiped out at any cost.
Finally, the Americans, could not do it. Despite the best wishes form the London's leading journal. An ignominious defeat. Walter Lippmann proved prophetic. Its city-size warships and mega-ton shells did not help US. Which literally rolled up its tail and ran home. Had it been early had been good, to use Dr.Johnson's inimitable words.
For the final balance sheet is gruesome. US spent $150 billion on the war. So much money as aid, Vietnam would have been the richest (per capita) nation on earth. And 58,000 American lives would have been saved. On the Viet side, the human sacrifice was roughly three million. As much as 2.2 million hectares of its forest land destroyed. There is a clear programme now to plant 500 million trees a year.
Washington learnt its lessons form the war. The administration now knows the price of committing its soldiers to fight third party wars. Only around 150 US marines perished in the Iraqi war. But President Bush lost his re-election. Clinton, who dodged conscription, won. The White House went nervous when just three soldiers were taken prisoner in Kosovo. American action there was confined to raining bombs from the skies.
There was no war crime tribunal for Vietnam. Who would otherwise have not been hauled up before it? We can only guess.
Fact file
Vietnam population is close to 80 million. Just about Germany's. GDP doubled in 9 years through 1998 - growing at 4 per cent. Per capita income (in nominal dollars) works out to $330 and PPP $ 1775 (Indian levels : $436; $1760).
Exports $10 billion a year. Life expectancy 68 years (62 for India). People per TV is 6.1 (India - 16.4) and telephone 38.8 (45.5 for India). As for calorie intake it is 2250 for Vietnam. Not far away from India's 2243.
Poverty reduced to 37 per cent in 1998 form 58 per cent five years earlier. Literacy over 90 per cent. Even so, it is poor. Still struggling to recover from the wreckage of the war. The progress would have been faster but for loss of support form the old Soviet Union. It is also weighed down by the huge loans from
IMF.
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