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 "We were winning when I left": a Vietnam War memoir" Mar 04, 2008
A five-term state treasurer of South Dakota, David Volk, in his book "Draftee" about the Vietnam War, presents an epitaph on how the once heroic WWII American military was ultimately undermined from within: "it seemed as if we were caught between the anti-war people at home and the enemy in Vietnam."
Hollywood's Jane Fonda represents a combined image of these dual adversaries, both with the blood of American youth on their hands. "That picture of her grinning on the North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun with an NVA helmet on is one we will not forget," says Volk. He laments that "everyone's vision of Vietnam will always be of us scurrying out of Vietnam, from the rooftop of our embassy, with our tails between our legs."
For Volk, America's defeat in Vietnam simply mirrored a culture-wide lack of military support, known to us as the anti-war sixties. The war was protracted long after it was given up, and countless young lives were sacrificied for no reason. "Also, the notion of us 'losing' the war was particularly galling given the realities of the conflict. Were it not for all the goofy rules of engagements, restrictions, and parameters that were placed on us, the war, for all intents and purposes, could have been over in a matter of months. . . I have nothing but disdain for those who got us into this war and then placed all kinds of 'one hand behind the back' limitations on us..."
Volk reminds us that the combatants themselves never surrendered. "We, of course, did not view the war as as something we had 'lost.' In fact, I have a button that reads: 'We were winning when I left.'"
The hard-bitten honesty of this memoir should be read alongside Dean O. Muehlberg's equally compelling account of soldierly exploits during the war: "REMF 'War Stories'".
Not sure if I knew David Volk at the time, but I was at Fort Lewis for Basic and Advanced Infantry Training in late 1968, a draftee having just graduated from Berkeley.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Another Draftee who served in Vietnam '69-'70 Jan 23, 2008
I appreciated the book as another down to earth description of a Vietnam Veteran's view of his experiences in Vietnam. As an infantryman I had reporters show up once in awhile, so I was very curious about his view.
The author provides a good soul searching description of his experiences.
I recommend the book!!
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