Why We Lost, Etc.

It seems to me that we could have won the Viet Nam War if we
had chosen to be totally committed to winning. In any other 
war we've always prevailed with no regard of the "will" of 
the other side, like another writer suggested. From what I 
understand Korea and WWII were not social events, and the 
various "wills" of our enemies did not discourage us from 
victory. Neither did the bloodshed of many Americans in both 
wars discourage us. Popular opinion in the U.S. from a new
generation that had never had their collective freedom 
threatened may have had the most impact on America losing 
the war. Many of the same generation had the gall to spit 
on returning soldiers who had fought gallantly in an unpopular
war. As a veteran I have the utmost respect for the men and
women who chose to fight in that war, rather than sit around
questioning their moral duty instead of their duty to their 
country. Once when I was in the Navy, I was complaining 
a little about having to stay awake 36 hours to a first class.
He listened awhile, and then said " My dad had to stay awake
all night too, but he had people shooting at him." That one 
sentence made me realize how precious a thing freedom is and
one that should not be taken lightly.