Vietnam rewritten

Press, 24 July 1986, Page 24

Vietnam rewritten

Sir,—Your editorial on Vietnam (July 19) misrepresents: Vietnam “... suffered under 30 years of Communist struggle, under bitter resistance to that struggle, and subsequent years of economic depression and a tough political regime.” The truth is that Ho Chi Minh’s communists had almost liberated Vietnam from Japanese and collaborating French when World War II ended. France reinvaded, America funding 80 per cent of the second four years. She was beaten, too. America broke the peace accords, extended the country’s temporary division, prevented the democratic reunification election, imposed collaborationist dictators and horrendous, ever-escalating warfare on the struggling nation. Vietnam suffered far, far more under American firepower, bombing, napalm, deforestation and dike destruction (causing flooding) than under the Cong. America defaulted on its reparations (it

made Germany and Japan economically and militarily powerful). America’s devastation, default and economic shut-out, plus serious weather disturbances, caused most economic depression; her subversion and propaganda helped create politiccal toughness. — Yours, etc., SUSAN TAYLOR. July 20, 1986.