--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What really happened in Vietnam was- all…" description: "\"What really happened in Vietnam was- all these things are away games for the American military. We're not on our home turf, which means to succeed ther..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/william-j-clinton-302_american-military_what-really-happened-in-vietnam-was-all_2603324.jpg" --- # What really happened in Vietnam was- all these things are… ![“What really happened in Vietnam was- all these things are away games for the American military. We're not on our home turf, which means to succeed there has to be a partner. And the definition of partnership is someone willing to risk their lives in their home area to prevail because they think…” quote by William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/william-j-clinton-302_american-military_what-really-happened-in-vietnam-was-all_2603324.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/william-j-clinton-302_american-military_what-really-happened-in-vietnam-was-all_2603324.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/william-j-clinton-302_american-military_what-really-happened-in-vietnam-was-all_2603324.jpg) > “What really happened in Vietnam was- all these things are away games for the American military. We're not on our home turf, which means to succeed there has to be a partner. And the definition of partnership is someone willing to risk their lives in their home area to prevail because they think it's necessary to build a decent life and a better life for their people.” [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. U.S. forces must rely on local allies who risk their lives to improve their communities. **In simple terms:** American success needs local partners willing to sacrifice. Key Takeaway Build genuine partnerships with locals. Themes military foreign policy partnership risk community Mood reflective serious Type political strategic When to use this quote - peacebuilding - development projects - military training - humanitarian aid Key Concepts counterinsurgency local empowerment strategic alliance Questions to Reflect On - How can foreign powers ensure equitable partnerships? - What safeguards protect local allies from exploitation? A Different Perspective Local partners may have conflicting interests or limited capacity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-military/) [Decent life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decent-life/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Partnership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partnership/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) ## Related quotes > [God willing, the occupation forces will be driven out as happened in Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muqtada-al-sadr/god-willing-the-occupation-forces-will-be-driven-out-as-happened-in/) [Muqtada al Sadr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muqtada-al-sadr/) > [You can't criticize people for wanting to have a decent life or wanting to live decently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/you-can-t-criticize-people-for-wanting-to-have-a-decent-life-or/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [A decent life was the train that hadn’t hit you, the slumlord you hadn’t offended, the malaria you hadn’t caught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/a-decent-life-was-the-train-that-hadn-t-hit-you-the-slumlord-you-hadn/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [What we have done with the American Indian is its way as bad as what we imposed on the Negroes. We took a proud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/what-we-have-done-with-the-american-indian-is-its-way-as-bad-as-what/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I decided that I was ready to assume this position when I discovered that the chance to save the country was very meager. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdel-fattah-el-sisi/i-decided-that-i-was-ready-to-assume-this-position-when-i-discovered/) [Abdel Fattah el-Sisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdel-fattah-el-sisi/) > [If there is a God, you owe him far more than a morally decent life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-there-is-a-god-you-owe-him-far-more-than-a-morally-decent-life/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/overcoming-poverty-is-not-a-gesture-of-charity-it-is-an-act-of-justice/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What was wrong with me? I had a decent life. I was healthy. I wasn't starving or maimed by a land mine or orphaned.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/what-was-wrong-with-me-i-had-a-decent-life-i-was-healthy-i-wasn-t/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Sunja-ya, a woman’s life is endless work and suffering. There is suffering and then more suffering. It’s better to expect it, you know. You’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/min-jin-lee/sunja-ya-a-woman-s-life-is-endless-work-and-suffering-there-is/) [Min Jin Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/min-jin-lee/) > [Sustainable development is not an option! 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I have observed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/it-is-important-that-our-relationship-with-farm-animals-is-reciprocal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [The need for de-development presents our economists with a major challenge. They must design a stable, low-consumption economy in which there is a much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holdren/the-need-for-de-development-presents-our-economists-with-a-major/) [John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holdren/) ## More by William J. Clinton > [When personal freedom's being abused, you have to move to limit it. That's what we did in the announcement I made last weekend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-personal-freedom-s-being-abused-you-have-to-move-to-limit-it/) [William J. 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Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [One of the things that I think we have learned is that we should all be very careful about making predictions about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/one-of-the-things-that-i-think-we-have-learned-is-that-we-should-all/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Only astrophysicists new about the Internet 20 years ago. Today my cat has a website.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/only-astrophysicists-new-about-the-internet-20-years-ago-today-my-cat/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Our military superiority is so great - it's far greater than it was in the Gulf War, and the Gulf War was over in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/our-military-superiority-is-so-great-it-s-far-greater-than-it-was-in/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [You know, I've always been really interested in this stuff, and I'm going to read this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/you-know-i-ve-always-been-really-interested-in-this-stuff-and-i-m/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [If you believe in making change from the bottom up, if you believe the measure of change is how many people's lives are better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/if-you-believe-in-making-change-from-the-bottom-up-if-you-believe-the/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [ We \[Democrats\] have got to be strong. When we look weak in a time where people feel insecure, we lose. when people feel uncertain,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-democrats-have-got-to-be-strong-when-we-look-weak-in-a-time-where/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [It's the economy, stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/it-s-the-economy-stupid/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The Republicans could mess up a two car parade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-republicans-could-mess-up-a-two-car-parade/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [We're all in this together is a far better philosophy than you're on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-re-all-in-this-together-is-a-far-better-philosophy-than-you-re-on/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) [Explore all 712 William J. Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) ## More American military quotes > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [As a soldier and combat veteran, I believe American military forces should only be used in the defense and furtherance of our nation's vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-ernst/as-a-soldier-and-combat-veteran-i-believe-american-military-forces/) [Joni Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-ernst/) > [I'm post-cynical on this stuff. I look at the El Salvador model as the glory days: Why don't we just fund the death squads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/i-m-post-cynical-on-this-stuff-i-look-at-the-el-salvador-model-as-the/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [The U.S. couldn't play a military role in different areas like Iraq and Afghanistan without huge quantities of oil. So a shortage or disruption…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-klare/the-u-s-couldn-t-play-a-military-role-in-different-areas-like-iraq/) [Michael Klare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-klare/) > [It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zell-miller/it-is-the-soldier-not-the-poet-who-has-given-us-freedom-of-speech/) [Zell Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zell-miller/) > [I learned to be far more skeptical of what I'm told by presidents, no matter who the presidents are, and also to be much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-learned-to-be-far-more-skeptical-of-what-i-m-told-by-presidents-no/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“The South Pacific was once the playground for ship-sick European sailors. Then it became the roistering barricade of the last great pirates. Next it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/the-south-pacific-was-once-the-playground-for-ship-sick-european/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [Want to depose the government of a poor country with resources? Want to bash Muslims? Want to build support for American military interventions around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/want-to-depose-the-government-of-a-poor-country-with-resources-want/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Unlike the Afghans and Iraqis, the South Korean people solidly supported the American military presence, which was part of a United Nations operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eisenhower/unlike-the-afghans-and-iraqis-the-south-korean-people-solidly/) [John Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eisenhower/) > [Old Glory represents our great American military and their sacrifices to ensure our freedom. This isn't a political issue. This is about Patriotism, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/old-glory-represents-our-great-american-military-and-their-sacrifices/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/among-the-men-who-fought-on-iwo-jima-uncommon-valor-was-a-common/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [The campaign in Iraq illustrates the continuing progress of military technology and tactics, but if there is a single overriding lesson it must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/the-campaign-in-iraq-illustrates-the-continuing-progress-of-military/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [National Review once opined, many years ago, that, every year, the Nobel peace prize should go to the U.S. secretary of defense: The American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-nordlinger/national-review-once-opined-many-years-ago-that-every-year-the-nobel/) [Jay Nordlinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-nordlinger/) > [“had never heard a president explicitly frame a decision as a direct order. With the American military, it is completely unnecessary. As secretary of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/had-never-heard-a-president-explicitly-frame-a-decision-as-a-direct/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [Some of the American military obviously were thinking in terms of fighting a nuclear war. I was opposed to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schmidt/some-of-the-american-military-obviously-were-thinking-in-terms-of/) [Helmut Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schmidt/) [Browse all 103 American military quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-military/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What really happened in Vietnam was- all these things are away games for the American military. We're not on our home turf, which means to succeed there has to be a partner. 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