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| Little Girl in Front of a Memorial to the People Killed by Communists No doubt some of her grandparents, uncles, and aunts. The kids played on the memorial and would not get out of the photo. |
150 million people were murdered by Communist countries in addition to those killed in war. The United States and Great Britain were joined by our old enemies and other allies against our former allies, the USSR, China, and other Communist countries. Many people believe the Cold War to oppose Communism was necessary and justified.
Communism was everywhere on the attack from 1945 to 1985. Communism expanded from Russia into Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Albania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Tibet, North Vietnam South Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, and a number of other countries. Their goal was to bring Communism to all nations.
Communists used conquest, terrorism, murder and subversion to destabilize countries. Political murder and terrorism were an integral part of the “Wars of Liberation.”
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| Young Boy in Front of a Memorial near Angkor Wat |
The anti war movement changed American policy. Many of them believed that the war was immoral and that the U.S. was there for oil. They contended we were imperialist fascist war mongers. They believed that war is evil and to be avoided at all costs. Many of them considered Ho Chi Minh and Pol Pot to be Freedom Fighters. "Ho, Ho, Ho Chi Minh, NLF is sure to Win". They thought Communism was an excellent system. They believed that Communists were fighting for freedom and self determination. They contended that the war in southeast Asia was a civil war.
The antiwar movement succeeded in their goals. The Congress elected in 1974 withdrew support leading to the Communist takeover of South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos in 1975. This led directly to the massive genocide that took place in all three countries.
The antiwar movement succeeded in their goals. The Congress elected in 1974 withdrew support leading to the Communist takeover of South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos in 1975. This led directly to the massive genocide that took place in all three countries.
I believe an individual and a nation must oppose evil, especially when their avowed policy was to take over the world. And genocide must be opposed. We were both moral and right to oppose Hitler, Tojo, Stalin, Mao, Ho Chi Minh, and Pol Pot.
We have largely prevailed peacefully over Communism. The old Soviet Union was dismembered. It has been abandoned in Europe. It is liberalizing and improving in Asia. China, Laos, North Korea and Vietnam remain totalitarian police states. This was largely a result of communism failing to compete against democratic capitalism. But the benefits of this detente could not have been achieved if the west did not halt the expansion of communism with strong military forces.
I believe that most of the anti war folks were sincere in their beliefs. And they were successful in their efforts to halt financial and military support for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. But millions of people are dead, tortured, ethnically cleansed and enslaved partly as a result of their success.
Never again. Until the next time.
Photos from the killing fields of Cambodia. Vietnam and Laos were just as bad but the people who committed the genocide and ethnic cleansing are still in charge and don't publicize what happened after the Communist takeover.
References on Murder
The late Professor Rudy Rummel of the University of Hawaii has published extensive referenced and documented estimates on murder by government, which he terms democide. He has reviewed all academic studies of the various genocides in the world. The estimates of the number killed vary widely - since totalitarian regimes are secretive about their actions.
Rummel generally eliminates the high and low estimates and chooses a median for his estimates. The table below summarizes some of his work.
1.Laos, Pathet Lao regime (1975- )
o Rummel:
* Democide in Laos: 130,000 (33% blamed on Laos; 67% blamed on Vietnam)
* Laotian war dead: 54,000
* TOTAL: 184,000 (1975-87)
o SIPRI 1989, civil war, 1977-90:
* military: 10,000
* civilian: 30,000
* TOTAL: 40,000
o Polish Press Agency, 3 Dec. 1998: 300,000 killed for political reasons, acc2 dissident Laotian Council for Independence and Democracy.
The numbers below were extracted from Rummel's work.
http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat5.htm
The Boat People
http://boatpeople75.tripod.com/
vietnamholocaust.blogspot.com
The antiwar movement is proud of what we accomplished. We stopped the US imperialists in their tracks. The Vietnamese War was a grab for oil. The Vietnamese people had the right to choose their government.
ReplyDeleteIt is unfortunate that a few people died. But there would have been far fewer deaths if the US had kept their nose out of what was an internal affair.
The Vietnames,Cambodian, and Laotion people are proud of their achievements. And we are proud to have helped them beat the imperialist war mongers.
Interesting viewpoint, Morgan. Pretty much sums up the anti war view.
ReplyDelete"It is unfortunate that a few people died"
None of the murder would have taken place if the US had kept its nose out of other peoples affairs. Same with the middle east.
ReplyDeleteI am proud to have marched to stop both wars
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