However, the fact that the tanks had now been raised to such a pitch of technical perfection that they could cross our undamaged trenches and obstacles did not fail to have a marked effect on our troops.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Despite explicit warnings, the consequences of the invasion were underestimated.
If the tanks succeed, then victory follows.
I saw that the war could not be prevented. The time had passed.
We should have a time to reflect on the accomplishments of the military, of their sacrifices, of their failures.
Tanks being deployed far forward is an indication of offensive action; tanks in depth is an indication of defensive action.
All we know is that, at times, fighting the Russians, we had to remove the piles of enemy bodies from before our trenches, so as to get a clear field of fire against new waves of assault.
The conclusion that many uniformed military came away from Vietnam with was that political interference, dominance of strategy and even tactics were a very bad way to conduct a war, and that indeed, if that was going to be our practice, that we shouldn't wage conflict again.
Think tanks do have points of view, and they are absolutely entitled to defend them.
Another adverse factor was the way the Russians received continual reinforcements from their back areas, as they fell back. It seemed to us that as soon as one force was wiped out, the path was blocked by the arrival of a fresh force.
But nobody predicted anything of this magnitude in terms of resistance. And in part, the magnitude of the resistance was spurred by our failures in reconstruction.
No opposing quotes found.