Dear Mr. President,
I am writing in response to your request for my input with regards to the ongoing conflict in Vietnam. Although there is no perfect answer I can give you, I will provide to you the best course that I feel should be followed.
With the invention and popularity of the television, this war is the first to be brought into Americans’ living rooms. Once peaceful dinnertime meals are being interrupted by the violence of this war. People see what the media puts out there, which abstractly is not always the complete and total truth. Do not let the media dictate the direction of this war. Walter Cronkite is not the General here, do not allow him to steer this war. Public opinion is important, even more so with regards to reelection. But do not let it cloud your judgment. War is never a pretty thing and is to be avoided whenever possible. This is not something we want to initiate unless there is absolute necessity. There will be civilian casualties. Get as many people out as you can and then attack full-force. The international community will be dealt with later. Our allies will stick with us. Once the full impact of our victory is learned, we will be viewed in a positive light.
The attacks need to come on the Vietcong quickly. We are giving them a chance to watch and learn. They can be in a position to study us and, given their knowledge of the area, learn how to overcome us easily. We need to surprise them with an all out attack. Make it impossible for the Chinese and Russians to further supply the Vietnamese and focus attacks on supply routes near the border. Worry less about the number of lives lost on their side, and worry more on bombing strategic locations. Power plants need to be taken care of, as well as industrial locations. Focusing on key military installations before they are completed would work to our advantage.
Also, keep in mind what worked in Europe with the last World War, which proved very successful. It is an unfortunate consequence of war, but civilian lives will be lost. The more we can keep the numbers down the better. Attack key cities now. If we allow this war to continue ineffectively, the total number of civilian lives will turn out to be higher. So make the attacks quick, hard, and decisive.
In conclusion, it is the military that needs to make the decisions on how we should proceed. It is not the politicians looking to be reelected and benefiting themselves, and the media’s place to run this war, and boosting their ratings. If we are to win this war, it will be with a firm hand and an iron will. Speak regularly with the public in numerous addresses to update them. Give the media something to follow. Do not allow people to make their decisions based on selective information given by the press.
Showing posts with label President Johnson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label President Johnson. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Friday, February 2, 2007
Vietnam Way - History Assignment
The United States became involved in the war against the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong in 1959 under the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The North Vietnamese were under communist control, which threatened South Vietnam, which was a United States ally. The United States was in a position to stop the spread of Communism throughout the world and soon took an interest in Vietnam. When Lyndon B. Johnson became president after John F. Kennedy’s assassination he appointed William Westmoreland to be the commander of the US army.
In 1965, the United States started a full-scale aerial attack on North Vietnam. By the end of the year, there were nearly 200,000 troops fighting in the war. By mid-1966, there were approximately 430,000. Westmoreland believed that the North Vietnamese could be defeated in no time at all, within a few years of that time. The final battle didn’t occur until 1975; long after President Johnson’s presidency was over.
Walter Cronkite was a well-respected journalist for CBS news during the Vietnam War, who, for a while, was in support of the war. But on February 27, 1968, he made a personal speech that would affect the president in a very profound way. After an attack on the US embassy in Saigon he felt that the United States was not able to win the war in the way that they wanted to. In fact, he felt that there was essentially a stalemate. Continuing would mean the war would escalate and the enemy would always match us.
Clark Clifford was the Secretary of Defense during the Johnson administration. He was very pro-war and was in support of the president’s decisions. He also gave Johnson advice when it came to the war, most notably regarding the request for more troops. Eventually, he pushed for the withdrawal of the troops.
There are also a number of similarities between the mission in Vietnam and the current mission in Iraq. For one thing, support for the war started out strong. Eventually it became very unpopular. Protests soon began and the nation was torn. President Johnson began with high approval ratings and found himself with low ratings with the unpopularity of the war. President Bush decided to run for reelection, and won, whereas President Johnson found himself haunted by the war and chose not to run for reelection.
Troops were having a hard time fighting the enemy because he blended in so well with everyone else. Killing innocent civilians became an ill effect of the war. Another similarity is that of the locals. The locals welcomed the troops and seen them as saviors. The same thing is going on in Iraq; the people there appreciate what our troops are doing for them. The news media’s front line coverage of the war was new. People all over the world seen up close the death and destruction of the war. It seemed very real.
The war finally ended in 1973, with the withdrawal of the last of the United State’s troops. Saigon eventually ended up succumbing to the Viet Cong in 1975.
In 1965, the United States started a full-scale aerial attack on North Vietnam. By the end of the year, there were nearly 200,000 troops fighting in the war. By mid-1966, there were approximately 430,000. Westmoreland believed that the North Vietnamese could be defeated in no time at all, within a few years of that time. The final battle didn’t occur until 1975; long after President Johnson’s presidency was over.
Walter Cronkite was a well-respected journalist for CBS news during the Vietnam War, who, for a while, was in support of the war. But on February 27, 1968, he made a personal speech that would affect the president in a very profound way. After an attack on the US embassy in Saigon he felt that the United States was not able to win the war in the way that they wanted to. In fact, he felt that there was essentially a stalemate. Continuing would mean the war would escalate and the enemy would always match us.
Clark Clifford was the Secretary of Defense during the Johnson administration. He was very pro-war and was in support of the president’s decisions. He also gave Johnson advice when it came to the war, most notably regarding the request for more troops. Eventually, he pushed for the withdrawal of the troops.
There are also a number of similarities between the mission in Vietnam and the current mission in Iraq. For one thing, support for the war started out strong. Eventually it became very unpopular. Protests soon began and the nation was torn. President Johnson began with high approval ratings and found himself with low ratings with the unpopularity of the war. President Bush decided to run for reelection, and won, whereas President Johnson found himself haunted by the war and chose not to run for reelection.
Troops were having a hard time fighting the enemy because he blended in so well with everyone else. Killing innocent civilians became an ill effect of the war. Another similarity is that of the locals. The locals welcomed the troops and seen them as saviors. The same thing is going on in Iraq; the people there appreciate what our troops are doing for them. The news media’s front line coverage of the war was new. People all over the world seen up close the death and destruction of the war. It seemed very real.
The war finally ended in 1973, with the withdrawal of the last of the United State’s troops. Saigon eventually ended up succumbing to the Viet Cong in 1975.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Condoleezza Rice & Hilary Clinton - Writing Essay
Condoleezza Rice & Hilary Clinton
An unprecedented Presidential election will take place in 2008 if Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Senator Hillary Clinton, or both, battle it out for the title of the first female Commander-In-Chief. Just who are these two incredibly strong and powerful women? Where do they stand on today’s important issues?
Dr. Condoleezza Rice, often affectionately nicknamed “Condi,” entered humble beginnings on November 14, 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama. Her father was a minister and her mother a music teacher. In fact, her name comes from a musical expression “Con dolcezza”, meaning “with sweetness”. Her father was a peaceful man, who taught the same to his daughter.
Condi's father…told her that, in America, all things were possible, in spite of racism. When faced with racism, Condi's father took control, organized armed patrols of his neighborhood…and saw to it that his daughter received an education and excelled. Young Condi, in return, told her father that one day she would be in the White House. (“Americans for Dr. Rice” par 2)
As an adult, she went on to pursue an intensive education, beginning with a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Denver in 1974, when she was only 19 years old. She went on to obtain her master’s from the University of Notre Dame a year later and received a doctorate from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver in 1981. In addition, she has received honorary doctorates from seven different universities including the University of Alabama, the University of Notre Dame, and the National Defense University. (“Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State” par. 8)
In December 2000, she was the National Security Advisor, under George W. Bush. In this role she offers advice to the president on national security issues, especially during a time of crisis. In January 2005, she was sworn in as the 66th Secretary of State. In early years, the position of Secretary of State was viewed as a stepping-stone to the presidency. Many Secretaries of State have gone on to become president, including Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and others. In fact, today, the Secretary of State is fourth in line to the presidency, after the Vice-President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and President pro tempore of the senate.
Secretary Rice is a Republican and believes in the concept of transformational diplomacy when it comes to foreign nations. In essence, she believes that the United States has a place in the world to help the people of other countries make the most of themselves and to become self-sufficient, productive, contributors to the world as a whole. She also believes, with regard to the war in Iraq, this is a time where the United States takes a country, once terrorized by its own dictator, and makes it an independent democracy. This is unprecedented in a historic sense. A lot of criticism arises because people do not know what the outcome will be and do not know what it takes to create a democracy. Secretary Rice believes that the United States will succeed and that credit needs to be given to the Iraqi people for their victories, as well. For the most part, she is very strong in national security issues. To her, that is one of the most important issues to be dealt with today.
Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, was born Hillary Diane Rodham in Chicago, Illinois, on October 26, 1947. She is the oldest of three children. Her father was a textile worker, and her mother was a homemaker. Like Condoleezza, her beginnings were very humble. As a child, she was active in sports, church, school, and Girl Scouts. In high school she served as class president and won many awards.
After completing high school she enrolled at Wellesley College in Massachusetts majoring in political science. She served, at one time, as the President of the Wellesley College Chapter of the College Republicans, but as time went on her views changed and she joined the Democratic Party (Wikipedia. Par 4). In 1969, Hillary enrolled at Yale Law School to work for her Juris Doctor degree. She spent most of her time doing work with various children and migrant worker causes.
In 1975, she married fellow Yale Law School student, Bill Clinton, and moved to Little Rock, Arkansas. A year later, in 1976, she joined the Rose Law Firm and became a full partner in 1979. She became the First Lady of Arkansas when her husband, Bill, was elected as governor in 1978.
When Bill Clinton was elected as President of the United States in 1992, Hillary became the first First Lady to hold a post-graduate degree. Her husband appointed her in 1993 to head up the Task Force on National Health Care Reform. She unsuccessfully worked to pass a national health care system, known as “Hillarycare.” (Wikipedia par 13) There was much controversy at the time over the First Lady having such a central role in public policy matters. In fact, many people referred to the Clinton Presidency as “Billary”, since it appeared that there were actually two presidents at that time. Also well known at the time was her husband’s infidelity, which caused quite the controversy, and led to his impeachment.
The White House changed political hands in 2000 with Republican George W. Bush elected as President. At the same time, Hillary moved to New York State, ran for a seat in the Senate, and won. She was commonly referred to as a carpetbagger, or a politician who moves someplace to exploit the natives and enrich themselves at the natives’ expense (Carpetbagger par. 9)
With regards to the military action after September 11th, Hillary expressed support for action in Afghanistan, but felt different about the United States’ involvement in Iraq. She felt that Iraq, in February 2005, was functioning well, elections had succeeded, and that the insurgency was failing. (Wikipedia par. 29) She felt as though pulling out of Iraq would be a big mistake, but felt as though the Bush administration was misguided in its commitment to stay in Iraq. This two-sided stance on Iraq has caused some war activists much frustration.
Senator Clinton’s political views are an almost opposite parallel to President Bush’s. She is against the Administration’s tax cuts, Supreme Court Judicial nominations, and the Federal Government’s response to Hurricane Katrina. She has also expressed interest in running for the Presidency in the 2008 elections.
Although Condoleezza Rice has not officially expressed interest in the 2008 Presidential elections, will her position change if Hillary Clinton is formally in the running? With the possibility of some voters in the United States intrigued by the idea of the first female president, regardless of political affiliation, will this become an advantage for the Democratic Party? Or will Secretary Rice commit to running to balance the scales? This is something that will be left to be seen in the next few years. Regardless of where you stand in your own personal political views, you have to admit that both are intelligent, well-educated, powerful women. But their political views and aspirations would make for two completely different outcomes for the United States. What it will come down to is what are the most important concerns for American’s at that time, and who stands the strongest on those issues.
Works Cited
“Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State.” The White House..
“News and Commentary Archive for December, 2005.” Americans for Dr. Rice.
“Hillary Rodham Clinton.” Wikipedia 9 April 2006
“Carpetbagger.” Wikipedia 6 April 2006
An unprecedented Presidential election will take place in 2008 if Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Senator Hillary Clinton, or both, battle it out for the title of the first female Commander-In-Chief. Just who are these two incredibly strong and powerful women? Where do they stand on today’s important issues?
Dr. Condoleezza Rice, often affectionately nicknamed “Condi,” entered humble beginnings on November 14, 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama. Her father was a minister and her mother a music teacher. In fact, her name comes from a musical expression “Con dolcezza”, meaning “with sweetness”. Her father was a peaceful man, who taught the same to his daughter.
Condi's father…told her that, in America, all things were possible, in spite of racism. When faced with racism, Condi's father took control, organized armed patrols of his neighborhood…and saw to it that his daughter received an education and excelled. Young Condi, in return, told her father that one day she would be in the White House. (“Americans for Dr. Rice” par 2)
As an adult, she went on to pursue an intensive education, beginning with a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Denver in 1974, when she was only 19 years old. She went on to obtain her master’s from the University of Notre Dame a year later and received a doctorate from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver in 1981. In addition, she has received honorary doctorates from seven different universities including the University of Alabama, the University of Notre Dame, and the National Defense University. (“Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State” par. 8)
In December 2000, she was the National Security Advisor, under George W. Bush. In this role she offers advice to the president on national security issues, especially during a time of crisis. In January 2005, she was sworn in as the 66th Secretary of State. In early years, the position of Secretary of State was viewed as a stepping-stone to the presidency. Many Secretaries of State have gone on to become president, including Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and others. In fact, today, the Secretary of State is fourth in line to the presidency, after the Vice-President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and President pro tempore of the senate.
Secretary Rice is a Republican and believes in the concept of transformational diplomacy when it comes to foreign nations. In essence, she believes that the United States has a place in the world to help the people of other countries make the most of themselves and to become self-sufficient, productive, contributors to the world as a whole. She also believes, with regard to the war in Iraq, this is a time where the United States takes a country, once terrorized by its own dictator, and makes it an independent democracy. This is unprecedented in a historic sense. A lot of criticism arises because people do not know what the outcome will be and do not know what it takes to create a democracy. Secretary Rice believes that the United States will succeed and that credit needs to be given to the Iraqi people for their victories, as well. For the most part, she is very strong in national security issues. To her, that is one of the most important issues to be dealt with today.
Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, was born Hillary Diane Rodham in Chicago, Illinois, on October 26, 1947. She is the oldest of three children. Her father was a textile worker, and her mother was a homemaker. Like Condoleezza, her beginnings were very humble. As a child, she was active in sports, church, school, and Girl Scouts. In high school she served as class president and won many awards.
After completing high school she enrolled at Wellesley College in Massachusetts majoring in political science. She served, at one time, as the President of the Wellesley College Chapter of the College Republicans, but as time went on her views changed and she joined the Democratic Party (Wikipedia. Par 4). In 1969, Hillary enrolled at Yale Law School to work for her Juris Doctor degree. She spent most of her time doing work with various children and migrant worker causes.
In 1975, she married fellow Yale Law School student, Bill Clinton, and moved to Little Rock, Arkansas. A year later, in 1976, she joined the Rose Law Firm and became a full partner in 1979. She became the First Lady of Arkansas when her husband, Bill, was elected as governor in 1978.
When Bill Clinton was elected as President of the United States in 1992, Hillary became the first First Lady to hold a post-graduate degree. Her husband appointed her in 1993 to head up the Task Force on National Health Care Reform. She unsuccessfully worked to pass a national health care system, known as “Hillarycare.” (Wikipedia par 13) There was much controversy at the time over the First Lady having such a central role in public policy matters. In fact, many people referred to the Clinton Presidency as “Billary”, since it appeared that there were actually two presidents at that time. Also well known at the time was her husband’s infidelity, which caused quite the controversy, and led to his impeachment.
The White House changed political hands in 2000 with Republican George W. Bush elected as President. At the same time, Hillary moved to New York State, ran for a seat in the Senate, and won. She was commonly referred to as a carpetbagger, or a politician who moves someplace to exploit the natives and enrich themselves at the natives’ expense (Carpetbagger par. 9)
With regards to the military action after September 11th, Hillary expressed support for action in Afghanistan, but felt different about the United States’ involvement in Iraq. She felt that Iraq, in February 2005, was functioning well, elections had succeeded, and that the insurgency was failing. (Wikipedia par. 29) She felt as though pulling out of Iraq would be a big mistake, but felt as though the Bush administration was misguided in its commitment to stay in Iraq. This two-sided stance on Iraq has caused some war activists much frustration.
Senator Clinton’s political views are an almost opposite parallel to President Bush’s. She is against the Administration’s tax cuts, Supreme Court Judicial nominations, and the Federal Government’s response to Hurricane Katrina. She has also expressed interest in running for the Presidency in the 2008 elections.
Although Condoleezza Rice has not officially expressed interest in the 2008 Presidential elections, will her position change if Hillary Clinton is formally in the running? With the possibility of some voters in the United States intrigued by the idea of the first female president, regardless of political affiliation, will this become an advantage for the Democratic Party? Or will Secretary Rice commit to running to balance the scales? This is something that will be left to be seen in the next few years. Regardless of where you stand in your own personal political views, you have to admit that both are intelligent, well-educated, powerful women. But their political views and aspirations would make for two completely different outcomes for the United States. What it will come down to is what are the most important concerns for American’s at that time, and who stands the strongest on those issues.
Works Cited
“Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State.” The White House.
“News and Commentary Archive for December, 2005.” Americans for Dr. Rice.
“Hillary Rodham Clinton.” Wikipedia 9 April 2006
“Carpetbagger.” Wikipedia 6 April 2006
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
