Dear Soldiers, It is Christmas and you are far from home, suffering from cold not knowing when you will die. The big shots are home enjoying themselves, eating good food, drinking good liquor, why should you be here risking you life for their profits? The Koreans and Chinese don't want to be your enemies. Our enemies and yours are those who sent you here and destroyed your happiness. Soliders! Let's join hands! You belong back home with those who love you and want you back, safe and sound. So we wish you...

  • SorosFootSoldier [he/him, they/them]
    ·
    3 years ago

    I know in the Vietnam War some soldiers did defect, but iirc not much was known about the defectors, if they survived crossing the DMZ.

    • Duckduck [none/use name]
      ·
      3 years ago

      No no, the French. This was in the 1950s.

      Yes, some Americans did defect, among them John McCain, who made propaganda broadcasts for the North. But he was already a POW.

      • Wheaties [she/her]
        ·
        3 years ago

        Wait what? Did he defect or was he a POW? Do you mean he conceded to their request because of his situation, or was McCain cool in his youth?

        • ssjmarx [he/him]
          ·
          3 years ago

          No the part of the story where they tortured him until he did a broadcast is true. Calling that a defection is really strange.

          • Duckduck [none/use name]
            ·
            3 years ago

            Yeah, that was the story McCain came up with afterwards.

            Seriously, defending a warmongering neocon ghoul like McCain?

            • ssjmarx [he/him]
              ·
              3 years ago

              I'm not defending him, but I don't think there's a reason to doubt the broad strokes of his account. AFAIK the modern Vietnamese Communist Party doesn't deny that torture went on in their POW camps.

              • Duckduck [none/use name]
                ·
                3 years ago

                You’re doing the bidding of some of the wealthiest, most elitist, most despicable people on earth.

                Hey, remember when McCain participated in a false flag chemical attack in Syria?

                • LeninWalksTheWorld [any]
                  ·
                  3 years ago

                  so what you think McCain was just a secret PAVN sympathizer the whole time? he just made propaganda because he loved the Vietnamese Revolution and it's people, then he comes back to America and did more imperialism? how that make any sense? saying the dude got tortured isn't defending him it's just a fact

                  • Duckduck [none/use name]
                    ·
                    3 years ago

                    He certainly was no lover of America. Broadcasting enemy propaganda and then coming back and launching his country into war after war, killing millions, ruining its reputation, doesn't sound to me like something an America sympathizer would do.

                    There is also evidence he caused the USS Forrestal disaster.

        • Duckduck [none/use name]
          ·
          3 years ago

          The audio recording was found in a misplaced file in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The broadcast was recorded by the Foreign Broadcast Information Service, a branch of the CIA that monitored international shortwave and foreign radio broadcasts.

          In the propaganda recording, Lt. Commander McCain said he was guilty of crimes against the Vietnamese country and people. He confessed that he bombed their cities, towns, and villages and caused many injuries, even deaths, for the people of Vietnam.

          He praised the medical care and kindness of his captors even though he came to North Vietnam as an aggressor. McCain said he wished to express his deep gratitude for their kind treatment and that he will never forget the kindness extended to him.

          To the Vietnamese people and the government of the DRVN:

          From John Sidney McCain, 624787, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, born 29 August, 1936, Panama, home state Oregon. Shot down 26 October, 1967, A-4E aircraft.

          I, as a U.S. airman, am guilty of crimes against the Vietnamese country and people. I bombed their cities, towns and villages and caused many injuries, even deaths, for the people of Vietnam.

          I was captured in the capital city of Hanoi, while attacking it. After I was captured, I was taken to the hospital in Hanoi, where I received very good medical treatment. I was given an operation on my leg, which allowed me to walk again, and a cast on my right arm, which was badly broken in three places.

          The doctors were very good and they knew a great deal about the practice of medicine. I remained in the hospital for some time and regained much of my health and strength. Since I arrived in the camp of detention, I received humane and lenient treatment.

          I received this kind treatment and food even though I came here as an aggressor and the people who I injured have much difficulty in their living standards. I wish to express my deep gratitude for my kind treatment and I will never forget this kindness extended to me.

          • Mardoniush [she/her]
            ·
            3 years ago

            Today I learned the US Army cannot accept parole (being set free on their word of honour not to take up arms, a tradition in most of the world for defeated enemies) if captured. Utterly horrific.

        • determinism2 [he/him]
          ·
          3 years ago

          The only cool things McCain did in his youth were due to his own incompetence.

        • GalaxyBrain [they/them]
          ·
          3 years ago

          His incompetence did more damage than any intentional sabotage could possibly manage however