This episode delves deep into the Vietnam War, specifically focusing on the My Lai Massacre. The guest, Marshall Poe, an expert historian on the Vietnam War, discusses the causes and implications of the My Lai Massacre, drawing parallels with modern military conflicts. He emphasizes the complexity of war, the difficulty in distinguishing between civilians and combatants in counterinsurgency, and the psychological and operational challenges faced by soldiers. The conversation also explores the broader context of the Vietnam War, including its impact on American public perception and its comparison with subsequent conflicts like those in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Key Quotes:

1. On the Nature of Modern Conflicts: “When you’re involved in what they call a war of counterinsurgency the risk of this kind of thing happening is obviously heightened.”
2. On the Perception and Reality of War: “It’s true. There was a draft, but I think if you take the entire, we sent two million Soldiers to Vietnam in total. Most of them are volunteers.”
3. On the Impact of My Lai Massacre: “The magnitude of it made it different in the American mind. And, for good reason.”

The Reality of the My Lai Massacre and the Myth of the Vietnam War by Marshall Poe https://www.cambriapress.com/pub.cfm?bid=981

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