Vets weren’t always appreciated

What was it like being a military veteran in the early 1970s?

At the time, the ongoing Vietnam War with no winning strategy had caused most Americans to oppose the conflict. Young people forced into the service by the draft, as well as patriotic volunteers, were still dying by the thousands.

Demonstrations against the war were everywhere — especially on college campuses. The most noted for the time was Kent State in 1970 when inadequately trained National Guard soldiers opened fire on unarmed student protesters.

American troop strength in Vietnam had been dramatically escalated in the 1960s by President Lyndon Johnson. It reached a high point in 1968 of 536,000.

Various writers and journalists have more recently revealed that Johnson showed signs of bizarre behavior during that time. He was known to have meetings in front of people while relieving himself. According to journalist Ronald Kessler, He walked the aisles of Air Force One naked in the presence of others.

He had an insatiable appetite for sexual affairs. He also was described as moody and depressed. These behaviors went unreported by the media.

Because of his failure to prosecute the war successfully, Johnson announced in 1968 that he would not run for reelection. Instead, Richard Nixon was elected with the promise of a “secret plan” to end the war under the premise of “peace with honor.”

But the North Vietnamese knew they had the upper hand. They delayed peace talks for as long as possible by arguing over such things as the shape of the negotiations table. Finally in 1973, an agreement was made to exit all remaining U.S. troops from Vietnam in exchange for U.S. prisoners being held by the North.

Terms of the negotiations were questionable. The United States had allowed North Vietnamese troops to remain in the South — a decision that would be regretted less than two years later. Also, the U.S. Congress had drastically reduced military aid to the South, leaving them vulnerable and finally defeated in 1975.

People in the United States were very emotional in their opposition the Vietnam War, and who could blame them? Countless American dollars spent and loss of life continued until the conclusion of the Paris Peace Accords of 1973.

A majority of Americans had no interest fighting a war in a country that most had never heard of. Young men who had grown up in an age of 1950s prosperity did not want their lives disrupted to engage in a conflict that even Lyndon Johnson reportedly once said to Bill Moyers: “Light at the end of the tunnel? We don’t even know where the tunnel is.”

So how did the emotionalism of the war affect our veterans? When people turn to their feelings rather than facts and logic, often the innocent can get caught in the turmoil. Scapegoats are sought to blame for one’s fears and helplessness at not being able to control a situation.

And so it was with the veterans. Service people returning from an unwanted and drawn out conflict were not welcomed home with open arms and patriotic parades. Some were ignored, but many were cursed, spat upon and blamed for something they had no more control over than those who hated them.

After their incredible sacrifices, a number of service people were surprised at their unwanted receptions and had no idea how to cope with the encountered hostility.

Some joined with the aggressors by hating their own military service, engaging in so-called “peace marches,” and even throwing their hardearned medals away in ceremonial exercises encouraged by the mobs.

Others tried to erase the whole experience by simply pretending the horror never existed.

But reoccurring nightmares, as well as other signs of post traumatic stress disorder, made this objective difficult to achieve.

Self-hatred, depression, drug abuse and alcoholism led some veterans down a road of despair, helplessness and sometimes suicide.

Still others took a more rational approach by either continuing their service and hoping public attitudes would change, or by joining organizations supporting those who had also experienced similar trauma. Psychotherapy was sought by some to make sense out of a scenario that made no sense.

It seemed America had lost its empathy and compassion for those who were innocent pawns in a powerful political game.

As for my own experience, I remember walking out of a restaurant in Monterey wearing my class A uniform and being taunted by several college-aged jerks, who called me a “baby killer,” among other pejoratives. That was my “welcome home” committee.

Fortunately for veterans today, it’s different. People seem more accepting of those who risk life and limb in service of their country. If I wear a veterans hat in public, there usually is someone who will say, “Thank you for your service.”

They don’t need to do that. But after all these years, their recognition is appreciated.