The answers are also fairly obvious, but their discussion and resolution is complicated by the fact that the external force which is chiefly responsible for the protracted suffering of Indochina is the United States of America. Its power was enormous at the time of the Vietnam War; it is even greater today, when the American empire dominates the planet and a growing portion of outer space.

That dominance extends to the interpretation of history, and there is little to indicate that the United States as a whole is willing to confront the magnitude of its destructive impact on Indochina.

On the contrary: The current conventional wisdom in the United States, as expressed by the government, influential mass media and much of the population, is characterized by denial and distortion. The same kind of propaganda that was orchestrated to justify the Vietnam War in the first place has once again become widely accepted.

It can be a risky business to challenge that distorted view of history. Among other things, there is some concern that digging up the ugly past could result in additional harm to the people of Indochina, since there are powerful interests in the United States which continue

to seethe with resentment at the superpower’s military defeat in the Vietnam War. This is a very real threat, one not to be taken lightly. But to give into it would be to render meaningless the concepts of ethics and law that are at issue here. Evading or ignoring the truth is not an option in this context.

It is therefore essential to review the background and history of the Vietnam War. To anyone who is unfamiliar with or confused about the facts, perhaps due to exposure to the standard Hollywood version of the war, the following account may be very difficult to accept or even tolerate.