The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #67120   Message #1119524
Posted By: Rapparee
19-Feb-04 - 05:56 PM
Thread Name: BS: worst president ever?
Subject: RE: BS: worst president ever?
I'm on neither side here, but let's do look at some historical facts.

"Germany never attacked us: Japan did."
True, but German U-boats sank "Reuben James" and other vessels before Japan bombed Peal. Japan also attacked an American gunboat in China prior to 1941.

"North Korea never attacked us."
There were US troops in Korea and these were most definitely attacked (and damn near defeated) when North Korea invaded in the 1950.

"John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962."
There were already US "advisors" in Vietnam, they'd been there for quite some time.

"Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire."
Yup, he sure did, and I completely agree, 'cause it ruined the lives of more than one person I know and flat-out disrupted mine. But let's not forget that everyone wanted to run the war: the Congress, the President, the Executive Branch, the Protesters. Fer godsakes, there are records that show naval supporting fire being directed not from the shore, but from Eagle One -- the White House! Vietnam was a military action that was ruled by politicians. At the same time, such programs as Head Start were also begun....

Also:

Republican William McKinley led the US into the Spanish-American War.

Democrat Woodrow Wilson led the US into WWI.

Republic Abraham Lincoln could be said to have caused The War Between
The States by taking office as President.

Democrat James K. Polk led the US into the Mexican War.

Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower put the first US troops into Vietnam (then called Indochina).

As I said, I'm not taking sides here, but I do think that the history is more than a little simplified and revised.