HISTORY Channel - VIETNAM in HD, awesome.

[funkychinaman]

Originally Posted by mjp28

Anyone watch any of these shows?

Some amazing stats were shown throughout the shows like tons of bombs dropped, which was several times the bombs bropped during all of WWII against Germany.

The huge kill ratios, the USA won virtually every battle but lost the war...well the Communist Chinese ran all their men and material through Laos and Cambodia which were out of bounds for our guys.

Just like Korea, you kill 100,000 they send 100,000 more, and more, and more.

Also about 2.5 million US soldiers were in Viet Nam, most all were draftees.

Actually, I've read that only about a third of those who fought in Vietnam were draftees.

[mjp28]

Originally Posted by funkychinaman

Actually, I've read that only about a third of those who fought in Vietnam were draftees.

I've heard that both ways.

When I was in the draft at 19 years in late 1969 old there were about 390,000 there, 2/3 were draftees (or going to be drafted), many knew the'd be drafted before long and enlisted which might count as "volunteered for the draft".

I remember they went up to #202 in my year (my buddy had #205), I had #258. After your 19 year old year was up you were clear and they went to the next 19 year old class.

At the peak there were almost 550,000 Americans in Viet Nam.

[mjp28]

http://www.vietnamwardraftlottery.com/phpnuke/index.php

WELCOME TO VIETNAM WAR DRAFT LOTTERY

The purpose of this site is to collect and share the stories of American men who were subject to the Vietnam war draft lotteries in the years 1969 through 1972. During those years, the Selective Service used a lottery to determine the order in which draft age men would be called up for duty, usually in Vietnam. Many who received a low number were drafted or chose to enlist. Others went to any extreme to avoid being sent to fight in the unpopular war.


If you are one of the millions of men who were subject to the lotteries, we want to hear from you (click SUBMIT STORY tab). Also, you are welcome to read the stories of others affected by the lotteries (click BROWSE STORIES tab); or read a short history of the draft lotteries (click LOTTERY FACTS tab); or follow links to other resources (click LINKS tab); or read the list of top ten well-known draft avoiders (click TOP TEN tab).

To mark the 40th anniversary of the 1969 draft lottery, an article about the lottery, including excerpts from stories on this site, appears in the February 2010 issue of Vietnam magazine, a publication of the Weider History Group. The article is entitled "Live From Washington DC-- Vietnam Draft Lottery Night 1969!" It can be accessed at http://www.historynet.com/live-from-...night-1969.htm.

[SPEMack618]

I watched it with Pops, who is a RVN veteran. (USAF '73-'75)

In addition to him explaining several things as they appeared on screen, it was cool when during the last episode when they were discussing the evacuation for him to point out specific helicopters he had crewed.