American Valor Quarterly Issue 6 - Spring/Summer 2009 | Page 34

arrogance is its symptom. We would all be better off learning to
muffle our exuberance. We seem to be moving in that direction,
as our wartime goals are scaled to the reality of fighting mountain
men, nomads and fanatics who will hate us forever and contest
our survival at every opportunity, no holds barred.
The Legacy of Tet

The model the North Vietnamese used to plan their attack on Hue,
which would become one of the longest and
bloodiest battles of the war.

In an earlier edition I claimed the myths from Vietnam were finally
laid to rest in August 1991 when we attacked Saddam Hussein’s
Iraqi forces in Operation Desert Storm. The main point was we
proved, once again, the United States was able and willing to mount
a large-scale overseas offensive operation, when we deemed it was
in our vital interest. Until Operation Desert Shield and Desert
Storm, many Americans believed we would never again dip our
military toe into infested waters for any reason that didn’t affect
our immediate survival. It took a lapse of nearly two decades to
correct this perception.

my country’s call and did the best I could. Claiming more than
that offends me as excessive. Claiming less is equally distasteful… Our nation’s leaders (wisely, in my judgment) attacked Iraq in
and historically inaccurate.
Desert Storm with overwhelming force, ensuring the conflict
would be quickly resolved in our favor. No gradualism this time;
Some day I may return to Vietnam, but probably not. I’m no series of piddling responses that enabled our enemy to build
uncomfortable when I read about comrades-in-arms who return up his forces faster than would could deploy ours. Muscular allies
to Vietnam to make peace with our enemy, ignoring the scripted joined us. I thought this would set the pattern for the future. I
massacre of 2,800 civilians in Hue during Tet ’68, and the hund