A FOOL’S ERRAND: LESSONS FROM THE VIETNAM WAR

Insights into Vietnam Uncensored

Regarding the purpose of the Vietnam War, I must admit to Eintein’s observation, “The difference between stupidity and genius is genius has its limits.”

From my experience in the military, taken together with many civilian incidents, I will add to Einstein’s reflection there is a particular genius to absolute stupidity!

As Cipolla stated in his Laws of Stupidity, “Intelligent people underestimate the number of stupid people in circulation.”

It is not hard to discover these individuals everywhere, mainly in positions requiring public service. But they specifically congregate in the military, government, and banks.

If ever a useless and purposeless war existed, Vietnam was it. Bad decisions by successive incompetent, if not insane, U.S. administrations sent more than 58,000 American boys to their deaths and injured another 150,000.

Army Intelligence proved the existence of an oxymoron. The CIA’s moral compass perhaps made it to 20 of 100. Millions of bombs and artillery barrages were only sure to hit the ground. It took a genius to create the incredible stupidity of death and destruction comprising the impossible eleven years of the conflict.