The Vietnam War
The pro-Hanoi Vietcong many years ago
In the 1950's Diem's government
they'd overthrow
All opposition was crushed killed or jailed
These
elected ones to their people they failed
This Buddhist country
so religious in belief
Now politically torn apart, impending future
grief
In the early 1960's with the CIA in place
Discussing with
Vietnam's generals, Diem, assassinated in disgrace
With the
Vietcong army, growing from strength to strength
Another communist
foothold, going to any lengths
In 1965, with 3500 U.S. Marines in
place
By December of that year, 200,000 in many a base
These
U.S. Marines, in their defensive mode
Over the coming months, peace
would soon erode
With the Tet Offensive upon us, and the "Battle of
Hue"
The Americans were now involved, this bloody war now brews
One
decision to end this conflict, came in 1969
Nixon sent 18 B-52s,
bordering Soviet airspace line
He wanted to show he was capable, to
end this bloody war
But as the months and years progressed, the body
count would soar
The anti-war movement was gathering strength,
also in 1969
But the "Green Beret Affair" started to undermine
A
U.S. Army platoon raped and pillaged, the village of My Lai
Where
civilians were massacred, and many left to die
In 1970-71,
Cambodia incurred wars wrath
Where they and the country Laos, were in
the U.S. bombing path
Also in 71, there was the cutting of the Ho
Chi Minh trail
But arms and supplies got through, this mission to no
avail
Later in the same year, the Anzac's withdrew their soldiers
The
U.S. also reduced, many of theirs from Vietnam's borders
In 1973,
Nixon declared the suspension of offensive action
The Paris Peace
Accords took place, peace with this warring faction
Between the
years 73 - 74 under Trà, the Vietcong grew in strength
There was no
mass offensive, to lure the Americans to their trench
Gradually they
marched to their target, to see their enemies eyes
To their city of
Saigon, now over a million humans have died
The average age of
the American to die in this bloody war
Was just nineteen years old,
never knowing what they were fighting for
So many came home from this
horror, leaving themselves behind
Because so many came home
different, home with a different mind
Even to this day, many
Americans look back and ask
Why their elected Congress, feed them to
these tasks
The sad thing about Vietnam, it continues to this present
day
Where governments make decisions, asking guns to hear their say