I find it difficult to get to the substance of Ms. Willis’ article when the premise seems to be that the socialist party started making promises to the Vietnamese people and then took over following the Vietnam War.
The North Vietnamese army, the military vestige of a communist totalitarian state, defeated the South Vietnamese in battle and seized control. I don’t think there were any promises made by socialists to achieve this.
And the force behind all of this was not redistribution but Vietnamese nationalism. The idea that “Their rhetoric worked. The people conceded to allow the government to enact their promises” is so farcically out of line with history I am surprised the editor of this paper allowed such drivel without at least an editor’s note.
I am sure Ms. Willis is a very nice person and her intent is certainly there for all to see. However your audience does not all watch Fox News and some of us actually care about some form of historical reality.
So, please, Ms. Willis. At least start out in the ballpark and we can allow you some poetic license ….
Timothy J. Parker
Peachtree City, Ga.
