What would you have done in Vietnam?

[Dazey]

It is early 1964. Kennedy is dead as is Diem. You are a Democratic President. You don't have the gift of hindsight.

Because of Diem's death, the South Vietnamese government, which was frail under Diem, has totally crumbled and lost all credibility in a series of coups. The government over there as Buddhists revolt and generals vie for power. North Vietnam has just decided to aid the Viet Cong and has won decisive victories over the South.

Over 200 American servicemen have lost their lives in Vietnam as of 1964, and America has not yet retaliated.

There are currently over 15,000 military personnel on the ground in Vietnam. The right wing wants to take the war home to Vietnam and talks of how the Democrats 'lost China' and will lose Vietnam. Many of the military experts are telling you that if you leave Vietnam, a good chunk of South East Asia could fall to Communism, and who knows what then. The left wants to leave.

Theodore Sorensen, one of former President Kennedy's most trusted aides, writes you with advice to oppose the neutralization of South Vietnam as proposed by French President Charles de Gaulle and others. Sorensoen states to you that neutralization would result in a communist takeover of South Vietnam, weaken the U.S. position, in Asia, and cause political problems for the Democratic Party. Your other Kennedy holdover advisers, including Dean Rusk, Robert McNamara, McGeorge Bundy, and Walter Rostow -- echo Sorensen's view

Max Taylor, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, urges you to bomb select targets in Vietnam.

Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara writes a memo stating that up to 40 percent of South Vietnam is now controlled by the Viet Cong and the Khanh government is ineffective, the South Vietnamese apathetic, and the Americans in South Vietnam frustrated. He recommends that the U.S. finance a 50,000 man increase in the size of the South Vietnamese army (ARVN). He also recommends that the U.S. air force be prepared to initiate bombing of North Vietnam.

Robert Kennedy in an interview states that his brother had "strong, overwhelming reason for being in Vietnam and that we should win the war in Vietnam" and denies his brother would've withdrawn.

Senator Richard Russell tells you you might face impeachment if you pull out, and that: "I don't know how in the hell you're gonna get out unless they [the Senate Republicans] tell you to get out."

Richard Nixon, former Vice President, accuses you of weakness, compromise and inconsistency in Vietnam; He advocates that the US should use it's military power to end and win the war decisively and suggests that the U.S. should "take a tougher line toward Communism in Asia" and expand the war to North Vietnam and Laos.

Former Presidents Truman and Eisenhower in consultation tell you in essence there is no war to win the war, but that to pull out is to lose and make American look weak to the world.

What do you do?

[TNF]

Help North Vietnam crush and conquer the landlordist state in South Vietnam (normal)

[ElectionsGuy]

Pull the troops home and end the war immediately. There's no way to stop Vietnam from going communist, just let it happen. I don't care about 'weakness' or 'impeachment'. Aggressive wars don't prove 'strength', they only prove a dedication to aggressive military action which leads to violence and worse relations with the rest of the world. Real 'strength' is having the strongest economy in the world and having the largest military in the world, going to war should be a last resort and it should be defensive.

[Mr. Smith]

Pull the troops home and end the war immediately. There's no way to stop Vietnam from going communist, just let it happen. I don't care about 'weakness' or 'impeachment'. Aggressive wars don't prove 'strength', they only prove a dedication to aggressive military action which leads to violence and worse relations with the rest of the world. Real 'strength' is having the strongest economy in the world and having the largest military in the world, going to war should be a last resort and it should be defensive.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Pull out all troops and cut off all aid to South Vietnam.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

I'm not getting into a shooting war with a Soviet proxy state. You can't win that, because you can't escalate enough to win without creating a larger war.

I pull the troops out, salute and honor those who have already fought, and strong-arm Congress into a robust military aid package to South Vietnam. The goal should be to hold the line and make North Vietnam pay a hefty price if they continue the war. Ideally, we'll salvage half the country like in Korea.

[Attorney General & Senator Dwarven Dragon]

Pull the troops home and end the war immediately. There's no way to stop Vietnam from going communist, just let it happen. I don't care about 'weakness' or 'impeachment'. Aggressive wars don't prove 'strength', they only prove a dedication to aggressive military action which leads to violence and worse relations with the rest of the world. Real 'strength' is having the strongest economy in the world, going to war should be a last resort and it should be defensive.

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

The only thing these communists understand is force.

Inform the North Vietnamese that they will surrender unconditionally within 7 days or Hanoi will be destroyed by an overwhelming nuclear strike. If they refuse, a city will be destroyed every three days until they agree to peace.

[SWE]

Help North Vietnam crush and conquer the landlordist state in South Vietnam (normal)

[TNF]

The only thing these communists understand is force.

Inform the North Vietnamese that they will surrender unconditionally within 7 days or Hanoi will be destroyed by an overwhelming nuclear strike. If they refuse, a city will be destroyed every three days until they agree to peace.

Nothing like genocide to get those damn commies to come to the negotiating table!

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

The only thing these communists understand is force.

Inform the North Vietnamese that they will surrender unconditionally within 7 days or Hanoi will be destroyed by an overwhelming nuclear strike. If they refuse, a city will be destroyed every three days until they agree to peace.

Nothing like genocide to get those damn commies to come to the negotiating table!

Better to render the country a smoking, irradiated crater than to see it enslaved to the forces of international communism.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

The only thing these communists understand is force.

Inform the North Vietnamese that they will surrender unconditionally within 7 days or Hanoi will be destroyed by an overwhelming nuclear strike. If they refuse, a city will be destroyed every three days until they agree to peace.

Nothing like genocide to get those damn commies to come to the negotiating table!

Better to render the country a smoking, irradiated crater than to see it enslaved to the forces of international communism.

So your solution is to risk global thermonuclear war?

[TNF]

The only thing these communists understand is force.

Inform the North Vietnamese that they will surrender unconditionally within 7 days or Hanoi will be destroyed by an overwhelming nuclear strike. If they refuse, a city will be destroyed every three days until they agree to peace.

Nothing like genocide to get those damn commies to come to the negotiating table!

Better to render the country a smoking, irradiated crater than to see it enslaved to the forces of international communism.

Yeah man, how terrible it would be for the South Vietnamese to be guaranteed medical care, a home, a job, and an education. Just awful.

[BaconBacon96]

The only thing these communists understand is force.

Inform the North Vietnamese that they will surrender unconditionally within 7 days or Hanoi will be destroyed by an overwhelming nuclear strike. If they refuse, a city will be destroyed every three days until they agree to peace.

Nothing like genocide to get those damn commies to come to the negotiating table!

Better to render the country a smoking, irradiated crater than to see it enslaved to the forces of international communism.

Well you're certainly an awful person.

[SWE]

Another day, another nazi outed

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

Another day, another nazi outed

And I would have gotten away with it too, if not for the heroic forces of Internet Socialism.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

Another day, another nazi outed

hahaaaa and just a day ago he was all like

no. [neonazism] will, however, continue to be used as a smear to silence people with socially objectionable beliefs.

protip, mr. clash: if you're terrified that people will shun you by calling you a nazi, … it turns out the best way to avoid that is not being a fcking nazi

[Samantha]

I would have eliminated aid to the capitalist puppet government and supported the workers' state.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Depends on the year-
1963- Not assassinated Diam

1964- Not sent in combat forces and left the advisers there to be there for negotiation role and trainning South Vietnam army

1968(Too much of quagmire to leave by then)- Invaded North Vietnam after Tet to force a cease fire, under condition that both sides will reduce there armies to only a defensive force and not an offensive force

1975- Keep military aid to South but dont go back in

[H. Ross Peron]

I'm not getting into a shooting war with a Soviet proxy state. You can't win that, because you can't escalate enough to win without creating a larger war.

I pull the troops out, salute and honor those who have already fought, and strong-arm Congress into a robust military aid package to South Vietnam. The goal should be to hold the line and make North Vietnam pay a hefty price if they continue the war. Ideally, we'll salvage half the country like in Korea.

This probably.

[Del Tachi]

The United States cannot appear weak on the international stage, and the time has come to stand-up to the Soviets in Vietnam.

Follow McNamara's recommendations and increase aid to the ARVN and initiate a strategic bombing campaign in North Vietnam accompanied with a full naval blockade of North Vietnamese ports.