Thang Nguyen 555

So this is what it must have felt like here in the US, back then in late March 1975, when South Vietnam dominoes started to fall.

An anxious public, a rumbling press and an apathetic student (anti-war) body…all glued to a 19-inch television set.

From Tom Hayden to Jane Fonda, from the Rolling Stone to the Stones…Everyone must have felt bad…that the war they were FOR/AGAIN was finally drawn to a close…a city in its last breath, and a population without its head (Damn corrupt President soon made his departure after having shipped his furniture and whatever else to Taiwan).

People tossed their babies on board, treating them worse than luggage (no bags nor tags).

Hastily, the population of South Vietnam cried out to the upper Heaven: why us, why now.

Even the Ambassador thought there would be a peaceful resettlement.

Even the tamarind tree of the Embassy was left alone to provide needed shade for DOS personnel and CIA’s (later, that’s the same courtyard that millions in cash got burned so as not to fall into the hands of the invading enemies).

So this is what it must have felt back then, now that we keep seeing AP bulletin updating the Taliban’s advancing to Kabul.

DaNang, Nha Trang, Pleiku, Bien Hoa, Long Binh, Route 1, Saigon bridge, Hang Xanh intersection, Binh Thanh District, Saigon river walk, then District 1 pass the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Zoo, the Broadcast station …and bang, the double-door of the Independent Palace. ….

Scores of teenagers, know-nothing-ers, heroes-wannabes…helped fold old-regime flags, and pull up new ones.

Spit on them.

Step on them.

Show them and shove them out of the door.

We’re now in charge. We know best. After all, we’re on the RIGHT side of history.

Victors and vanquished.

A lot of cursing, of celebrating and head bows.

Stripping process. Army boots on the ground – left along side water canteen, M16’s and other “things they carried” ( in 1965 when Kennedy’s thought it was prudent to just send “advisors” to Danang to test the waters).

So, this is what it must have felt like.

We’ll send only 3000 to help move DOS personnel. Like sending “hungry students” movers to help with campus Move-in Date.

I understand completely the last straw.

Experienced many of those in my days.

August 31st, 2021 is going to be it.

But then, whose time table?

Whose momentum?

Whose bargaining chips?

Accelerating the concession…Henry Kissinger, Nixon? Decent Intervals? Honorable exit? (why it took more than 45 years to come up with the title? readers amnesia was counted on).

So the Powell Doctrine of Vietnam (dominate with overwhelming force, go in, win, and get out).

Still hasn’t learned the lesson.

OBL wins. We all lose. UK, USSR, US.

The definition of terrorism: minimum costs/maximum casualties.

19 terrorists + OBL = 20 in human costs in exchange for 20 years of lives, limps and 978 Billion. Now that Afghan girls , having learned about meToo, ( a slight lag after the US’ NOW in the 70’s), are they going to be beheaded again like our adulterated Saudi princess of late 70’s.

The clock I last learned always moves forward. Only people who don’t look at it, that tend to turn it back.