Was it worth it

I have read alot of casualty reports about vietnam, not being an american I cannot begin to understand the motivation for that which went on. All I can say is that what I have read is something which no matter how many times I read it or see the images also makes me wonder was it all worth it?

Countless young men gave their lives to fight in a war which I cannot see as having produced a better end. Thousands of men have yet to have their fate determined as even after all this time they are still classified as missing in action or body not recovered.

I read a comment made on this site about a reader giving a marine alot of grief about his actions and why he joined the marines. In my eyes the bottom line is that tens of thousands of men did the job that they were ordered to do, they gave blood, sweet and tears to follow the tasks that were set for them. Thousands were injured and nearly 60,000 paid the ultimate price. 2,500 have never been found and the government they supported so loyaly is allowing them, alive or otherwise to stay in a country that they do not want to remain.

Everyone in the world is full of critism for americans but the one trait I have noticed is that they always support their own. Every American regardless of colour, race or religion always supports and stands behind their troops and yet during the height of the war certain parties saw fight to spit on soldiers in airports and give them the abuse that the government deserved.

Instead of fighting with each other of who's unit/ of granch of armed forces done the better job why not think of those who didn't make it, why not turn and acknowledge that Vietnam was a nasty sandwich and every young man who went their had to take a bite.

Fighting amongst each over trivial matters could be construed as an insult to those who were their and those who stayed there.