McNamara’s folly has entered the chat. In October 1966 the pentagon lowered the IQ requirement for enlistment. This was done to increase the ranks by 100,000 per year. This led to lots of dumb, and mentally ill soldiers being enlisted. A good fictional media portrayal would be Forrest Gump and his beloved pal Bubba being shipped to where the war actually was. Inductees of the project died at three times the rate of other Americans serving in Vietnam. So yeah, some of the troops were dumb enough to leave a trail of cigarette butts behind them compromising their location.
It was more that the administration needed bodies to throw at the war, and the administration didn’t want to make the unpopular decision to force college kids to take leave from school for a draft. They weren’t trying to kill these guys on purpose. It was more like throwing shit against the wall and praying that something stuck.
American forces in Vietnam were not poorly trained. Maybe some of the like special forces guys.
They sent disabled people to try and “re-educate” them
Doesn’t mean gheg were trained.
McNamara’s folly has entered the chat. In October 1966 the pentagon lowered the IQ requirement for enlistment. This was done to increase the ranks by 100,000 per year. This led to lots of dumb, and mentally ill soldiers being enlisted. A good fictional media portrayal would be Forrest Gump and his beloved pal Bubba being shipped to where the war actually was. Inductees of the project died at three times the rate of other Americans serving in Vietnam. So yeah, some of the troops were dumb enough to leave a trail of cigarette butts behind them compromising their location.
Another good film on this is Full Metal Jacket
We see it with Private Pyle clearly being unfit for service intellectually and physically. He snaps and kills his drill sargent and himself.
You also see it throughout the war half of the movie such as with the helicopter gunner gleefully massacring civilians indiscriminately.
Did you mean ‘sergeant’, by any chance?
If I was of a cynical mindset (and I assure you I am), that almost sounds like a deliberate eugenics plan.
It was more that the administration needed bodies to throw at the war, and the administration didn’t want to make the unpopular decision to force college kids to take leave from school for a draft. They weren’t trying to kill these guys on purpose. It was more like throwing shit against the wall and praying that something stuck.
I can totally see it being more stupidity than malice, but just the way that was put together in that comment had me looking askance.
My brother in cynicism from another mother. 🤣
I only just now noticed your username :) [fistbump]
You’re taking the reverse of my meaning.
They were so poorly trained they only had 3 attacks.
They’re Americans; none of that took any training.
Where did you learn that? You might want to reconsider other things you learned in the same place as well.
Talked to some of the survivors; they weren’t trained at fucking all. Thanks for making me explain the joke. I’ll talk down more in the future.
Then I think you said your first sentence backwards on accident because it directly conflicts with your second sentence.
No way, poor training is different to no training.
No, I’m saying poor training is still … Never mind. Fuckers here have no sense of humor.
Sarcasm is difficult in text. Use /s
It’s not. Everyone just reads for outrage/self gratification.
Ooooh. Loook at me. I’m soooo good at sarcasm i don’t even have to explain my sarcastic joke.