Thoughts on reenactors?
Gentlemen,
My deepest and sincerest thanks for all your sacrifices made on behalf of our freedom. I am the son of a VN vet and know his story (as much of it as he will let out) better than any.
Never having served, I never would begin to imagine how I could sully the names of those who actually sacrificed everything by claiming to have been among them.
For the purposes of teaching my students about history, I re-enact the Civil War. I also got into it to better understand the lives of the men who served their country and what hardships they had to endure so that I may relay some of that knowledge to someone else who is interested in learning and to preserve our nation's heritage. This is still fake though and no matter how much I read or how much I learn from going through the motions as they did, I will not truly understand what they endured.
I know there is also a growing number of "Vietnam War Reenactors" that are beginning to appear. My question to you gentlemen, which, may or may not help me understand the sacrifices of our armed soldiers in all our wars is this: what authenticity do you feel should be portrayed by a reenactor of your experiences for the public? Would you consider it an affront to you and your comrades if someone were to reenact the conflicts that you took part in? I am sure it would be more upsetting if someone were to misrepresent your hardships and experiences. I know how you feel about fakers!
I am quite interested to hear your thoughts and feelings on the matter of reenacting modern warfare for public demonstration.
Thanks and Best Regards!
My deepest and sincerest thanks for all your sacrifices made on behalf of our freedom. I am the son of a VN vet and know his story (as much of it as he will let out) better than any.
Never having served, I never would begin to imagine how I could sully the names of those who actually sacrificed everything by claiming to have been among them.
For the purposes of teaching my students about history, I re-enact the Civil War. I also got into it to better understand the lives of the men who served their country and what hardships they had to endure so that I may relay some of that knowledge to someone else who is interested in learning and to preserve our nation's heritage. This is still fake though and no matter how much I read or how much I learn from going through the motions as they did, I will not truly understand what they endured.
I know there is also a growing number of "Vietnam War Reenactors" that are beginning to appear. My question to you gentlemen, which, may or may not help me understand the sacrifices of our armed soldiers in all our wars is this: what authenticity do you feel should be portrayed by a reenactor of your experiences for the public? Would you consider it an affront to you and your comrades if someone were to reenact the conflicts that you took part in? I am sure it would be more upsetting if someone were to misrepresent your hardships and experiences. I know how you feel about fakers!
I am quite interested to hear your thoughts and feelings on the matter of reenacting modern warfare for public demonstration.
Thanks and Best Regards!
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All civil war vets are dead, they can't complain
Re-enact the VN war when we are all dead and no one will complain0 -
Being a VN era Vet I'd have to say it doesn't bother me! My thoughts are that if ANY group remembers the VN Vets and what when on in VN in a positive light, I say it's GOOD! ...My $0.02!!! 0 -
I say make it one of those audience participation theaters, where the audience becomes part of the play. Rub them down with a box full of used kitty litter, have them roll in the mud for awhile and then have them inhale enough dust, so when they cough, a little cloud of powder comes out. Kind of an olfactory and comfort level experience, just to set the mood.
Maybe dinner theater, serve up enough C-Rats or MRE's to constipate them for a week.
(tongue in cheek, no real rancor intended)
Chuck0 -
...OR eat some C-rats with the local "fish sauce"! *L* 0 -
And wash it all down with a warm bottle of 33 w/crushed glass! 0 -
quote:Originally posted by 11echo
...OR eat some C-rats with the local "fish sauce"! *L*
LOL, Nuc Mum (or Nuoc Mam) is some good stuff. The two best brands are Phue Phok and Me Pyouk. Maybe sprinkle a little around the battlefield for ambiance. But use the stuff sparingly, it has been known to set Frenchmen in rut, on a rampage.0 -
I don't have any problem with Vietnam War Reenactors, just take the uniforms off before you go home. 0 -
Can't be done!! In many place it is FORBIDDEN to even own a 'gun' that even looks like those we and the NVA used in combat. If you can get these unconstitutional laws changed, go for it!!! 0 -
Hollywood has beat you to it with more versions than Andy Griffith.
They are all very lame attempts to re-create RVN. The only one that
comes even close to being 'real' is "The Boys of Company C" . If
anybody knows where I can get that movie on CD please let me know.
They should have shot those movies from the soldiers perspective, but hollywood likes to misrepresent history from what I see.0 -
Our government did not try to win that war, and the war protesters turned on the military personnel with the express blessings of the media. Consequently, a great many of the Vietnam vets believe they were scapegoats for a certifiably corrupt government and a bunch of cowards. These vets did appreciate that most of their family and friends supported their patriotism. There you have it, in that the NAM vets basically fought for themselves and their buds. And, I feel absolutely positive that if Iraq had been even half as costly as the NAM, that we would have been out of there years ago. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by VinhlongVet71
Hollywood has beat you to it with more versions than Andy Griffith.
They are all very lame attempts to re-create RVN. The only one that
comes even close to being 'real' is "The Boys of Company C" . If
anybody knows where I can get that movie on CD please let me know.
They should have shot those movies from the soldiers perspective, but hollywood likes to misrepresent history from what I see.
Have you tried E-bay? I have gotten some scarce movies there, search movies. I thought Full Metal Jacket was realistic E.Z.0 -
quote:Originally posted by VinhlongVet71
Hollywood has beat you to it with more versions than Andy Griffith.
They are all very lame attempts to re-create RVN. The only one that
comes even close to being 'real' is "The Boys of Company C" . If
anybody knows where I can get that movie on CD please let me know.
They should have shot those movies from the soldiers perspective, but hollywood likes to misrepresent history from what I see.
e-mail sent.0 -
Seriously? Vietnam War Reenactors? Wow. No problem with that; it honors us, actually.
Have them sit in a sauna, fully clothed and equipped, to get the feel of things. Pipe in a concentrated smell of crushed foliage and rotting fish, and have human sewage flow across the floor. Add lots of insects, from ants to mosquitos. Large mosquitos. Then turn a hose on them every now and then if it's supposed to be monsoon season. Then hand them a hot beer that's been standing in the sun for three weeks. Not warm; hot.
This should pretty much set the feel of Binh Thuy on a pleasant afternoon, on the lovely shore of the Song Hau channel of the Mekong. Then start throwing lit firecrackers into the sauna, and have them jump into the sewage.
Amereican Civil War reenactments will start looking pretty attractive, I'd think.0
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