Black Quote by Chalmers Johnson
“None of the people's wars of the sixties did very well, including the one in Vietnam. Vo Nguyen Giap himself has admitted a loss of 600,000 men between 1965 and 1968...Moreover, by about 1970 at least 80% of the day-to-day combat in South Vietnam was being carried on by regular NVA troops...Genuine black-pajama southern guerrillas had been decimated and amounted to no more than 20% of the communist fighting forces.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire, 2000
The quote argues that the Vietnam war was largely fought by regular North Vietnamese forces, not the idealized guerrilla fighters, highlighting the scale of conventional combat and the high human cost.
In simple terms: Vietnam war relied mostly on regular troops, not just guerrillas.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the reality of conventional warfare in conflicts.
Themes
war
military
history
politics
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
historical
political
When to use this quote
- military analysis
- policy debate
- historical research
Key Concepts
counterinsurgency
statecraft
human cost
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recognizing conventional forces change our view of the war?
- What lessons does this have for modern conflicts?
A Different Perspective
The quote may oversimplify complex insurgency dynamics and ignore other factors.
