Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam

[MarkDY]

by Nick Turse

Based on classified documents and first-person interviews, a startling history of the American war on Vietnamese civilians

Americans have long been taught that events such as the notorious My Lai massacre were isolated incidents in the Vietnam War, carried out by "a few bad apples." But as award‑winning journalist and historian Nick Turse demonstrates in this groundbreaking investigation, violence against Vietnamese noncombatants was not at all exceptional during the conflict. Rather, it was pervasive and systematic, the predictable consequence of orders to "kill anything that moves."

Drawing on more than a decade of research in secret Pentagon files and extensive interviews with American veterans and Vietnamese survivors, Turse reveals for the first time how official policies resulted in millions of innocent civilians killed and wounded. In shocking detail, he lays out the workings of a military machine that made crimes in almost every major American combat unit all but inevitable. Kill Anything That Moves takes us from archives filled with Washington's long-suppressed war crime investigations to the rural Vietnamese hamlets that bore the brunt of the war; from boot camps where young American soldiers learned to hate all Vietnamese to bloodthirsty campaigns like Operation Speedy Express, in which a general obsessed with body counts led soldiers to commit what one participant called "a My Lai a month."

Thousands of Vietnam books later, Kill Anything That Moves, devastating and definitive, finally brings us face‑to‑face with the truth of a war that haunts Americans to this day.

[zboy1]

by Nick Turse

Based on classified documents and first-person interviews, a startling history of the American war on Vietnamese civilians

Americans have long been taught that events such as the notorious My Lai massacre were isolated incidents in the Vietnam War, carried out by "a few bad apples." But as award‑winning journalist and historian Nick Turse demonstrates in this groundbreaking investigation, violence against Vietnamese noncombatants was not at all exceptional during the conflict. Rather, it was pervasive and systematic, the predictable consequence of orders to "kill anything that moves."

Drawing on more than a decade of research in secret Pentagon files and extensive interviews with American veterans and Vietnamese survivors, Turse reveals for the first time how official policies resulted in millions of innocent civilians killed and wounded. In shocking detail, he lays out the workings of a military machine that made crimes in almost every major American combat unit all but inevitable. Kill Anything That Moves takes us from archives filled with Washington's long-suppressed war crime investigations to the rural Vietnamese hamlets that bore the brunt of the war; from boot camps where young American soldiers learned to hate all Vietnamese to bloodthirsty campaigns like Operation Speedy Express, in which a general obsessed with body counts led soldiers to commit what one participant called "a My Lai a month."

Thousands of Vietnam books later, Kill Anything That Moves, devastating and definitive, finally brings us face‑to‑face with the truth of a war that haunts Americans to this day.

This doesn't surprise me at all, since I was in the military and saw the blatant racism and prejudice that American soldiers had towards "non-Americans" in the world. You should see how little Americans regard foreigners--especially those of the 'non-White persuasion.' Even in England, (where I was stationed) Americans were resented greatly by the local Brit population. Fights were a frequent occurrence between Americans and Brits near locations around the base.

[C.J.]

This doesn't surprise me at all, since I was in the military and saw the blatant racism and prejudice that American soldiers had towards "non-Americans" in the world. You should see how little Americans regard foreigners--especially those of the 'non-White persuasion.' Even in England, (where I was stationed) Americans were resented greatly by the local Brit population. Fights were a frequent occurrence between Americans and Brits near locations around the base.

When I hear about the anti-communist soldiers dying/dead/disabled, I simply laugh. If I could reach military cemetaries without being killed, I'd piss on their graves. They are worthless fodder. I'm a fan of the communist forces, who managed to kill a lot of enemies, even though they were clearly outnumbered, they had true survival skills.

[Dark_Sol]

by Nick Turse

Based on classified documents and first-person interviews, a startling history of the American war on Vietnamese civilians

Americans have long been taught that events such as the notorious My Lai massacre were isolated incidents in the Vietnam War, carried out by "a few bad apples." But as award‑winning journalist and historian Nick Turse demonstrates in this groundbreaking investigation, violence against Vietnamese noncombatants was not at all exceptional during the conflict. Rather, it was pervasive and systematic, the predictable consequence of orders to "kill anything that moves."

Drawing on more than a decade of research in secret Pentagon files and extensive interviews with American veterans and Vietnamese survivors, Turse reveals for the first time how official policies resulted in millions of innocent civilians killed and wounded. In shocking detail, he lays out the workings of a military machine that made crimes in almost every major American combat unit all but inevitable. Kill Anything That Moves takes us from archives filled with Washington's long-suppressed war crime investigations to the rural Vietnamese hamlets that bore the brunt of the war; from boot camps where young American soldiers learned to hate all Vietnamese to bloodthirsty campaigns like Operation Speedy Express, in which a general obsessed with body counts led soldiers to commit what one participant called "a My Lai a month."

Thousands of Vietnam books later, Kill Anything That Moves, devastating and definitive, finally brings us face‑to‑face with the truth of a war that haunts Americans to this day.

This doesn't surprise me at all, since I was in the military and saw the blatant racism and prejudice that American soldiers had towards "non-Americans" in the world. You should see how little Americans regard foreigners--especially those of the 'non-White persuasion.' Even in England, (where I was stationed) Americans were resented greatly by the local Brit population. Fights were a frequent occurrence between Americans and Brits near locations around the base.

Interesting. I was with a unit that was mostly made up of foreigners. Guys from South America(made up most of the unit), E. Europe , Africa and from Wales. Now the most racism I saw was guys from supply. It was mostly the blacks, one Sargent had a grudge against me. Cause I was hitting on a girl from his squad and didn't like a "whitey" hitting on his "people". Even though he was married to a white women.

Also, CJ, you did know that they were treated like trash, poorly equipped and trained(Russia and other communist). They weren't outnumbered, cause they had the biggest death counts in the war(russia and china during ww2). Maybe you play to much call of duty or believe all the hype from TV and youtube. Maybe you read to much books on ideology. Another note was the atrocities they did during the wars. Funny how you point out how horrid "Anti-Communist" soldiers are, but praise communist soldiers? Is this not being a hypocrite? Also, it is not hard to get to a soldier's cemetery and you wont be killed. So go ahead and piss on one, actually if you are to paranoid. Just go to a regular cemetery and find a veteran's grave. It will most likely have on his head stone about serving his country and blah blah blah.

[C.J.]

Also, CJ, you did know that they were treated like trash, poorly equipped and trained(Russia and other communist). They weren't outnumbered, cause they had the biggest death counts in the war(russia and china during ww2).

I didn't say they were well equipped, I said they have good survival skills. Take a look at the numbers again. The Western "anti-communist" forces were basically set to stomp the North and their "communist" forces. Why do I say this? Because wounded soldiers = incapacitated. The western "anti-communist" forces were hit hard in this respect. Unless the soldier wanna keep fighting through all their pain like a dumbass, the wounded are pretty much dead to the enemy. If we're gonna go by numbers, they don't lie.

Maybe you play to much call of duty or believe all the hype from TV and youtube. Maybe you read to much books on ideology.

I don't play video games that much anymore. They drain your mental/psychic energy. I enforce this rule in my home, by not buying game consoles, or the games. Since I'm a game programmer, I can make my own games. Free from satanist ideals, and just as fun to play!

Another note was the atrocities they did during the wars. Funny how you point out how horrid "Anti-Communist" soldiers are, but praise communist soldiers? Is this not being a hypocrite?

No, I'm for communism. I didn't say they were nicer. But when you see the future your "anti-communist" masters have in store for you, maybe you'll change your tune.

Also, it is not hard to get to a soldier's cemetery and you wont be killed. So go ahead and piss on one, actually if you are to paranoid. Just go to a regular cemetery and find a veteran's grave. It will most likely have on his head stone about serving his country and blah blah blah.

The western military don't like me.
To put it simple so even a brainless chimp could understand, I take good luck from the military. In exchange, they take my bad luck to fill the void. I get really lucky and get free stuff, and the western military as a whole gets unluckier. The bad guys don't like it when you attack them with their own stuff.

I was also at the DMV, and I got in line to obtain my NJ state ID. There was an ex-military personnel a couple of folks ahead of me. He didn't know who I was, but he kept staring at me and groaning. He got out of line and approached me, to the point where I felt uncomfortable. No one did anything but went on;I decided to get my ID by mail instead. I would've fought him, but the west is a very hostile environment. If you get f***ed up, it's YOUR fault. That's why I was taught by my mentor never to physically fight, but attack the government indirectly by abusing their own system - that way, everyone who chooses to worship the west suffers.

I've also been attacked by their microwave weapons, and had to get surgery.

YOU can say I'm paranoid, but then again you don't even know what an archon is, so I'm not even gonna waste anymore of my time. When you stop wasting time thinking about p***y and start thinking about getting rich and powerful off the common idiot, then we can talk.