An Anti-War Vietnam Vet

In response to my recent article, “Who Can Stop the Drive to War?,” this anti-war Vietnam Veteran writes:

I couldn’t agree more that the soldiers must be the ones to stop the wars.

I speak from personal experience. From 1969-71 I was a soldier in the Army at Fort Bragg, NC, and a member of GIs United Against the War in Vietnam. Our primary activity was trying to convince other GIs to turn against the war through our newsletter, Bragg Briefs. I believe that we, along with literally hundreds of other GI anti war organizations and newspapers, were a significant factor in forcing the US government to abandon its criminal presence in that small country that was never a threat to us. When I entered the Army, I was very alone in my opposition to the war; but, by the time I left, it was socially unacceptable in my barracks to be for the war.

This growing disaffection with the war by the soldiers led to a situation in which the brass realized they could not longer trust us to carry out their orders. I heard from other GIs returning from the Nam of many refusals by the soldiers on the front lines, including incidents when whole battalions refused to fight.

Something like the GI Movement in those days must happen now. I don’t know of any organized antiwar efforts by soldiers currently, but civilian organizations who support soldiers questioning their role still exist. The Quaker House in Fayettevill, NC, which supported our efforts against the war back then, still exists after 45 years, and needs as much support as they can get.

Posted with the permission of this veteran.

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