Letters, May 15, 1995

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"ietnam . haunts us still." what haunts us? Is it the war itself or the 20 years of constant whining about losing? Twenty years of books, magazine articles and movies have portrayed the soldiers who fought in the war as innocent farm boys, armed with nothing more than smiles and pictures of Mom, going to a far-off place to be slaughtered by the evil Viet Cong. And of course each and every soldier, had he not gone to Vietnam, would have become a prosperous and successful individual. Right? Not! Even if the U.S. had won the war, we would still see the Vietnam vets who fill the bars across the country in the same places-only instead of whining about Vietnam, they would be bragging about it. It's time for the whiners of the Vietnam War to find some other crutch or reason for their failures. Let's have sorrow for the dead and sympathy for the maimed, but to those who complain about being victims, I say give it a rest.

Joseph G. Sampson Lafayette, Colorado

Sooner or later, the '60s generation has to face Vietnam. There were solid positions on both sides of the argument, and its resolution tore the country apart. It still reverberates. We need to be honest with ourselves and with one another. I opposed the war and demonstrated against it. My folks were for it. My mistake and that of others of my generation was that we didn't pat the troops on the back. Many of those who served held our views but didn't accept our methods. We were wrong in that respect, but not wrong to oppose the war. Now we have to have the backbone to say so.

Dave King Columbia, South Carolina Via America Online

WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE LEARNED

For me, the real lesson of the vietnam War [COVER, April 24] is to realize that compromise is in everyone's best interests. That would result in a world ruled by international law and courts, rather than by the mighty and powerful.

Hyman H. Haves Pacific Palisades, California

The U.S. had financed the French wars against the Vietnamese; it therefore had no credibility when it tried to persuade those people that America knew what was best for them. Today, by persisting in saying the Vietnam War was unwinnable, we explain nothing and run the risk that the U.S. will never again fight for anything unless success is ensured. That is dangerous.

Helen J. Lukievics New York City

MCNAMARA'S CONFESSION

Just because former secretary of Defense Robert McNamara has finally admitted that the Vietnam conflict was wrong [COVER, April 24] does not excuse the fact that too many Americans, Europeans and Asians died for what we now call a "mistake.'' It is right to forgive when a mistake is made, but when it involves the death of someone, then the person who erred must live with his conscience for the remainder of his life.

Walter Kimbrough Garland, Texas AOL: WLen

Shame on McNamara for trying to assuage his guilty conscience by making us share his pain. He should have been man enough to carry his guilt in silence.

Steve Altig Las Vegas, Nevada