(I know this rant doesn't really apply to anyone here, mostly self-described history nerds on, like, reddit, but still.)

I mean, it's not like the US moved into a Vietnam totally devoid of any, like, veteran troops, military materiel, fortifications, or an effective command structure- all of which NVA and Viet Cong forces would demonstrate in spades during the Second Indochina War- sorry, the Vietnam War.

And that leads to another point- are any of these people who browse and post on are slash historymemes aware of the over seven year long war the French fought and lost, or even the resistance the Viet Minh displayed against the Japanese during World War II? Bet not. Even more, the fact that Vietnam, only three years after reunification, invaded and stomped out the Khmer Rouge, another CIA puppet?

Anyway, back on track- the NVA was, in all the ways that matter, a highly effective and adaptable that beat back both France and the US, no mean feat, so the fact that all their victories are popularly attributed to "muh human wave guerrillas" instead of their successful use of operational and strategic planning, to say nothing of their frankly astoundingly effectiveness of applying logistics ( Ho Chi Minh Trail, anyone? ) just kinda torques me, is all. Frankly, I think Vo Nguyen Giap, at least, should be considered a prime case study of a general who knew the value and power of logistics, and at the very least ought to be acknowledged as one of the great generals of history, certainly greater than the Americans' and French's' leadership.

  • emizeko [they/them]
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    edit-2
    4 years ago

    Vo Nguyen Giap was the greatest military leader of the 20th century

    • Tankiedesantski [he/him]
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      4 years ago

      Given the odds that Socialist forces overcame on the battlefield in the 20th century, it's pretty clear that the top 5 military leaders of the 20th century were all socialists.

        • Tankiedesantski [he/him]
          ·
          edit-2
          4 years ago

          Trotsky was objectively a pretty good commander, irrespective of his political leanings.

          Rokkosovsky is also criminally overshadowed by Zhukov. The complete annihilation of Army Group Center in Operation Bagration is as impressive an accomplishment as Stalingrad, arguably more.

        • luka467 [they/them,he/him]
          ·
          4 years ago

          Tito and Hoxha - both led extremely effective resistances to fascism during WWII, the latter with no outside support.

    • GVAGUY3 [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      My Chud Grandpa who fought in Vietnam even respects Giap