Ed Rasimus wrote:

:On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 16:35:38 -0700, "Robert" wrote:
:
:"Vince" wrote in message
m...
: Fred J. McCall wrote:
:
: Along about 1964 we should have sunk everything in Haiphong Harbor,
: leveled Hanoi and put a million men in the country marching north.
:
: Except that the Russians quite clearly let us know that we risked nuclear
: war if we did that. Not to mention That we didn't have the million men in
: 1964 to spare from confronting the Warsaw Pact.
:
:You REALLY need to view Vietnam in context, not in hind sight.
:
:View it as the war after Korea.
:Where when the west was in danger of 'wining' militarily the ChiComs sent in
:large numbers of troops instead of just supplies. And kicked butt.
:
:That was why all the 'pussy footing' around happened. Fear of getting into
:an actual shooting war with China, again.
:
:Then, review Korea. The Korean war was a UN action. The Security
:Council voted to deploy UN forces (not USA) and that was to maintain
:the integrity of the south from a manifest invasion. Fixed,
:conventional military forces, not revolutionaries. You are correct
:that the Chinese intervened when it was apparent that their proxies
:could not get the job done.
:
:Note that the intervention was NOT nuclear. Note that the Soviets were
:NOT involved either.

Also note that there was bombing just pretty close to Chinese
territory (if not actually in it) which may have had a bit to do with
their decision to send troops.

:Now, review the relationship between Vietnam and China. Vietnam was
:and is NOT a friend of China. There was NOT an invasion (until well
:into 1968) and the war was not a conventional fixed piece, traditional
:front sort of conflict. The US forces did not move N. of the 17th
arallel and weren't anywhere near the Chinese border, even if China
:were a supporter of NVN.
:
:Much different situation than Korea.

And, as I said, if we'd just said we'd stop well short of the Chinese
border there probably wouldn't have been a Chinese reaction at all.

--
"We come into the world and take our chances.
Fate is just the weight of circumstances.
That's the way that Lady Luck dances.
Roll the bones...."
-- "Roll The Bones", Rush