Insight of mind-set.

One of the most memorable and potent of statements heard came from an NVA officer POW when asked if the North Vietnamese would eventually give up the unequal struggle against the United States superior firepower, he answered as:

“No you are the invader and if we have rice we can fight you and if we fight then we can win, to win we have to endure, you cannot kill all of us. Eventually you will leave and when you leave we will still have our land.”

The POW’s statement encapsulated the resilience, determination, and long-term perspective of the North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War, and it was important intelligence for us. For it showed the mind-set our forces mind-set was pitted against.

That POW officer framed the conflict as one between an invading force, the United States, and defenders of their homeland, North and South Vietnam:

He said, "If we have rice we can fight you" which emphasized the Vietnamese ability to sustain their war effort with minimal resources.

He said, "If we fight then we can win" reflecting their belief that continued resistance was their path to victory.

He said, "To win we have to endure" highlighted their strategy of outlasting our forces rather than trying to match our military might.

He said, "Eventually you will leave" showing their confidence that the United States would ultimately withdraw from Vietnam.

He said, "When you leave we will still have our land" underscoring their commitment to their country and culture, which they saw as enduring beyond the conflict.

Taken as a whole, the POW’s defiant statement encapsulated the North Vietnamese perspective on the war. It emphasized their determination to resist foreign intervention and their belief in the ultimate futility of our war effort. It reflected the asymmetric nature of the conflict and the different metrics for victory held by each side.

Southlands Snuffys

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