8 Things Vietnam War Movies Leave Out (By an Enemy Soldier)

Our thoughts about the famous Cracked.com.

8 Things Vietnam War Movies Leave Out (By an Enemy Soldier)

Postby idontlivehere1122 » Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:08 pm

http://www.cracked.com/article_22206_8- ... -cong.html

Might have missed it, but I don't think we have a topic about this excellent article yet. As a neutral observer, I can't say I have strong emotions about any of the participants in the war. By all accounts it was a terrible experience for all involved.

This is probably where my lack of life experience and naivety comes in but I must say I was genuinely taken aback by some of the comments where the commentor expresses he or she had extremely negative views of the vietnamese (as a people) prior to the article. I guess I'm always surprised at how much we can hate the 'other' we have a warped view of. I'm certainly guilty of it myself, to be fair.
  • 13

Still alive, not a good thing. Fuck life.
idontlivehere1122
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
 
Posts: 181
Joined: Wed Apr 17, 2013 10:35 am
Show rep

Re: 8 Things Vietnam War Movies Leave Out (By an Enemy Soldi

Postby Marcuse » Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:26 pm

That was, by far, the single best Cracked article I've read in over a year. An interesting subject, delivered with shocking frankness from an uncommon perspective, injected with enough humour to be accessible without denigrating the subject matter. Gotta say, I'm finding it hard to fault it.
  • 14

User avatar
Marcuse
TCS Sithlord
TCS Sithlord
 
Posts: 6592
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 8:00 pm
Show rep

Re: 8 Things Vietnam War Movies Leave Out (By an Enemy Soldi

Postby Taluun » Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:05 pm

I completely agree, this is the level that all of their articles should aspire to be. It was informative, interesting, humorous and haunting all at the same time.
  • 10

User avatar
Taluun
Jedi Knight
Jedi Knight
 
Posts: 819
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:54 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Show rep

Re: 8 Things Vietnam War Movies Leave Out (By an Enemy Soldi

Postby Deathclaw_Puncher » Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:15 pm

But....but Murrika!
  • 4

Image
User avatar
Deathclaw_Puncher
Knight Writer
Knight Writer
 
Posts: 12452
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:42 pm
Location: Fair Oaks, CA
Show rep
Title: Queen of the Furrets

Re: 8 Things Vietnam War Movies Leave Out (By an Enemy Soldi

Postby Marcuse » Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:27 pm

I know you're being sarky Eric, but I think it brings up an interesting thing. This article is by no means anti-American, or really anti-anyone. It's a bit critical of the French, but in a way that's detached and rather oblique. I liked how Nguyen said he'd forgiven the Americans because they at least apologised for their intervention into Vietnam, whereas France and China couldn't give a shit so he disliked them more.
  • 10

User avatar
Marcuse
TCS Sithlord
TCS Sithlord
 
Posts: 6592
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 8:00 pm
Show rep

Re: 8 Things Vietnam War Movies Leave Out (By an Enemy Soldi

Postby SandTea » Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:30 pm

All i could think of when they were talking about US weapons being shitty was that they should have used protection.

I was hoping for an NVA perspective when I clicked but good article nonetheless.
  • 4

"Draw me not without reason; sheath me not without honor."
User avatar
SandTea
Time Waster
Time Waster
 
Posts: 1257
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2015 5:01 pm
Show rep
Title: 3rdAeolus

Re: 8 Things Vietnam War Movies Leave Out (By an Enemy Soldi

Postby krankittoeleven » Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:49 pm

Wow, that was a pretty impressive article, well worth the read.
  • 10

User avatar
krankittoeleven
TCS Redshirt
TCS Redshirt
 
Posts: 164
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:40 am
Show rep
Title: The Real Sleaze Teaser

Re: 8 Facts About The Vietnam War (I Learned As A Viet Cong)

Postby Edgar Cabrera » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:04 am

I can't say anything more than what Marcuse said, both in that it's the single best Cracked article I've read in over a year, with its shocking frankness ande humor without denigrating the subject matter, and that it's by no means anti-American or anti-anyone. In fact, some of the replies in the most voted comments agree that the Vietnamese (and the Cambodian, and the Laotian) view favorably the U.S.
  • 10

James Bond: "Red wine with fish. Well, that should have told me something."
Red Grant: "You may know the right wines, but you're the one on your knees. How does it feel, old man?"
From Russia with Love

"This woman is an idiot without a basic grasp of the English language, and the guy is an abusive creepy weirdo."
– JamesT's review of Fifty Shades of Grey.
User avatar
Edgar Cabrera
Blobber
Blobber
 
Posts: 3085
Joined: Tue May 07, 2013 4:23 pm
Location: Asunción, Paraguay
Show rep
Title: A Masked Brightener

Re: 8 Things Vietnam War Movies Leave Out (By an Enemy Soldi

Postby DamianaRaven » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:13 am

Let's all bow our heads for a moment and send a wave of prayer/toast/chi/respect/wellwishery to Mr. Nguyen Hoa Giai. May he find peace and comfort all over his life.
  • 9

Every once in a while, declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies. (76th Rule of Acquisition)
User avatar
DamianaRaven
TCS Junkie
TCS Junkie
 
Posts: 5978
Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2013 3:37 am
Location: Yippee-ki-yay, motherfuckers!
Show rep
Title: Crazy Cunt

Re: 8 Things Vietnam War Movies Leave Out (By an Enemy Soldi

Postby DomaDoma » Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:51 am

Really, really fantastic.

That the term "Viet Cong" wasn't netting enough clicks and they had to clarify what side the Viet Cong were on over the course of the day is rather worrisome, though.
  • 9

Calves are easily bound and slaughtered,
Never knowing the reason why,
But whoever treasures freedom,
Like the swallow, must learn to fly.
User avatar
DomaDoma
TCS Regular
TCS Regular
 
Posts: 347
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2015 9:18 pm
Show rep
Title: Future Alik'r

Re: 8 Things Vietnam War Movies Leave Out (By an Enemy Soldi

Postby EstebanColberto » Sun Mar 29, 2015 4:15 am

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/11/think-tank-afghans-dont-know-911/

This story reminded me of this story that came out a few years ago. 92% of the Afghan men surveyed were unaware of the events of 9/11. Much like this member of the Vietcong didn't know what socialism was, he just hated the French and lost friends and family and joined whoever was fighting against them, most Afghans had no idea why we showed up one day to start bombing them. Depending on what their personal politics were, we were either the assholes that killed their family or the saviors that ousted the Taliban or maybe something else entirely. Most likely, many of them didn't care which side wins, they just wanted to be left to herd their goats in peace.

I don't know the methodology used in the survey, but I'm inclined to believe it's findings. Much of Afghanistan is very rural and I imagine the Afghan citizens care way more about providing a meal for their family than keeping up on world events and whatever news they do hear was filtered through their totalitarian government.
  • 10

User avatar
EstebanColberto
Time Waster
Time Waster
 
Posts: 1142
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:33 pm
Show rep


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests