Acts of War

Dear Sir
    I  hope that your generalization of all Vietnam Vets
was written because of lack of information.  So I will inform you.
The massacres that took place in Vietnam, during the US involvment
were commited by both sides, US and VC/DRV.  To fully understand why
these acts were commited you must first look at the players involved, 
which was 17-22 year old boys, and the enviroment it took place.  People 
in a combat setting tend to step out of themselves, that is to say that 
they behave completely different than they would normally.  Seeing your best
friend get cut down by automatic weapons tends to do that.  I'm not saying that
everyone changes to a psychopath in a combat situation, the seeds of disaster 
have to be there in the first place.  Indeed the actions of a few demented
individuals have made you generalize about all vets.  When in fact most people in
Vietnam were waiting for the 356th day when they could get on the plane home.
Survival was the goal not causing needless violence.  I'm sure Kenya has vets,
and I'm sure atrocities have been commited in your country.  Violence is a fact
of war sometimes it spills over into the civilian populations.  War is senceless
and destructive yet it happens.  It is ignorant to condem those who have had to 
live through it.  

Erik Jacobsen