The Changing Nature of the American Way of War
As American advisors go back to Iraq, I am reminded that President Truman sent the first American advisors to Vietnam in May 1950 and established the military assistance and advisory group (MAAG) in Saigon in September that year. We all know how that war turned out 25 years later. Time and fading memories have tempered our appreciation for the challenges and costs in blood and treasure of extending American power to distant corners of the world in support of unstable regimes.
While we celebrate our WWII veterans as “The Greatest Generation,” their methods at that time were more lethal and devastating than anything we apply today. Back then our civilian and military leader’s prosecuted a worldwide conflict by carpet bombing Berlin, firebombing Dresden and Tokyo, flattening Monte Casino, dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and compelling our enemies to accept unconditional surrender. They accomplished in four years in a worldwide conflict what we have been unable to achieve in 13 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Some question if our country is tough enough to defeat Muslim extremist enemies. They argue we’re too PC to fight wars that end in victory, at least for us. Since the end of WWII, we no longer appear to have the stomach for the brutal realities of war—leveling cities, destroying the enemies industry, inflicting enormous pain and suffering on the populations that harbor and support our enemies. While this may seem harsh, I remind the reader of General Sherman’s admonition that “war is hell.”
Our Army has evolved from the battle-hardened victors of WWII to an Army that is riddled with political correctness where commanders seek legal counsel before taking actions and drill sergeants speak softly but don’t carry a big stick for fear of hurting somebody’s feelings. As such, we can’t swear at the guys or wink at the gals in this Army. No, we’re kinder, gentler and fearful of making a mistake. We also cannot openly express an opinion about sexual orientation, cannot pray in public and can’t tell off-color jokes. While we glorify the warrior sprit, we modify the performance standards so the ladies can make the cut for duty in front line combat units and many of our leaders are fearful of speaking truth to power. Today, wars end by walking away because we no longer have the will to fight. For many of us who fought in Vietnam, we empathize with Iraq War veterans who are seeing defeat being snatched from the jaws of “victory” by an inept Iraqi leadership.
To those who believe we should remake the world in our image, I say “attempting to create Jeffersonian democracies in barbarous countries is a gigantic waste of blood, treasure, and time. If they want to behead, burn, and mutilate their enemies, then let them have at it, but keep us out of it. However, if they attack us, leave them in smoking ruins.” America needs to get tough or get out—NOW.
Bob Ulin, a former enlisted Soldier, is a retired Army Colonel who fought in Vietnam for 2 ½ years and served in the Army for 33 years. He is the President of the Center for Transitional Leadership, a nonprofit supporting the transition of military personnel to the private sector.