Hi there DAVID F...

Thank you for your piece concerning the war in SV. As far as the historic political machinations of the war, I shall graciously defer to your (purported) greater knowledge.

It matters little to the average 'grunt', whether there was some alleged violation of the Congressional hierarchy of United States Government, perpetrated by the three Presidents you've cited herein, Messrs KENNEDY (Dem), JOHNSON (Dem) and NIXON (Rep). The fact is, our (Australian) government sent us over there, and as such it was our duty to go. That's the military way.

Perhaps morally the war may well have been wrong, perhaps we were all hoodwinked into taking part. But as soldiers, you do as you're told ? Soldiers cannot moralise, pontificate, or scrutinize the legalities or otherwise ? If your government sends you there, it's incumbent that you go !

I guess this part is extraordinarily difficult for those who've never earned the 'Queen's Shilling' to understand ! If you're in the Australian, Army, Navy or Air Force, you do as you're told, there's no room for debate !

Regarding the American traitor Jane FONDA. Many millions DID NOT agree with, and were vehemently antagonistic to the Vietnam War, and I respect that. But they DID NOT go to the heart of the enemy capital Hanoi, and give moral, psychological and emotional succour to the enemy chiefs. Particularly when her own countrymen, not 350kms, south, were being slaughtered in the steamy jungles of South Vietnam. Some were as young as 19 or 20 years, hardly old enough to shave ?

One particular news picture had Ms FONDA (traitor) posing with NVA Officers, beside an old French canon, within walking distance of the infamous 'Hanoi Hilton' prison where many of her countrymen were being held in appalling conditions. Because of a self-imposed standard of propriety, I cannot add further comments concerning this treacherous individual.

It should be remembered DAVID F. Governments start wars. Soldiers merely fight and die in those wars ? Whether or not they're right or wrong !

Dear o sung wu,

To call a person a traitor means you are charging the person with giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

The north Vietnamese were not our enemy since the US people had not determined that a state of war exists between the US and North Vietnam.

At the Nuremberg trials it was not allowed as an excuse for war crimes that a soldier was just doing as he was told and following orders. Soldiers are human beings with feelings.

Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon in carrying on an illegal war did great harm to the Vietnamese and US peoples. Jane Fonda stood with the leaders of the North Vietnamese people. that partially made up for the crimes of Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon. They were the criminals - not Jane Fonda.

"If you can demonstrate that there is a link between business and peace and the growth of business, the conditions for doing business, then I think you get people's attention."

I agree.

There is an excellent website which highlights what one Australian business person has done in this area - and it is an inspiring story to read, where change is being made with no violence being involved.

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2009/s2640325.htm

War has become very much like a case of State and Federal Politics where one party has to win over the other regardless of the impact on the day to day person - with the victims left behind. Its really to good to see some however in Australia doing more towards a better world, despite our current Federal government cutting our foreign aid budget recently.

Again violence over peace as a belief, and another belief of a war torn solution - neither are a fact, as their is no evidence they will give us a good outcome.

Dear o sung wu,

Soldiers and civilians suffer in wars regardless of what side they were on. However, those who protested the war on our side were exercising their rights as citizens of a democracy. When attempts to bring questions of legality and illegality cannot be resolved by law protests are in order. During the Vietnamese War there were attempts to bring the legality of the war into question through the courts. The US government managed to prevent all attempts to do so. One man was conscripted. His mother then brought suit against the government for conscripting her son to fight in an illegal war. The army discharged her son, and the government managed to get the suit dismissed by maintaining the woman no longer had a direct interest in the legality of the war. The other law suits were also dismissed by one means or another so the government prevented adjudication of the legality of the war. Protests against the criminals, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, for their crimes were called for. Jane Fonda stood by the victims of US criminal acts.

Dear O Sung Wu,

This is just for your information...

I read an article that the photo taken of Jan Fonda
sitting on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun
targeting US planes laughing and clapping with
enemy soldiers in 1972 - haunted her throughout her
career.

It earned her the nickname "Hanoi Jane" and as a result
she was vilified by her critics every since.
The image of Jane Fonda, Barbarella, Henry Fonda's daughter,
sitting on an enemy (anti aircraft gun) was a betrayal.

She acknowledged in her biography and she told Oprah Winfrey -

"I will go to my grave regretting that photograph of me.
It hurt so many soldiers. It galvanized such hostility.
It was the most horrible thing I could possibly have done.
It was just thoughtless."

Hi Nathan,

Yes, why can't people just get along - I rend my hanky and tear my hair every day at man's folly.

But then I remember the heroes at Kokoda and Tobruk, fighting against enemies who had to be confronted - ergo, they were fighting a just war, a war not of their choosing but one which they had to win.

Your alternative in those situations would be ..... ?

Joe