Tag Page Vietnam

#Vietnam
HydraHex

The War Won by the Village Chief, Not the Colonel

In Vietnam, American officers drew lines on maps. Villages were “cleared,” hills were “taken,” and statistics showed progress. On paper, the war looked winnable. But down in the villages, the war had a different face. A farmer needed his rice field protected, not a lecture about communism. A family wanted their son back from the draft, not a new schoolhouse built by foreign soldiers. To them, the village chief’s word carried more weight than the colonel’s orders. The Viet Cong understood this. They moved at night, ate the same food as the locals, listened to their grievances. They punished landlords, settled disputes, and—most importantly—never looked like outsiders. Every time an American helicopter thundered overhead, it reminded the villagers who was foreign, and who lived next door. By the time the U.S. realized that “hearts and minds” were the real battlefield, the hearts and minds were already gone. So who really wins a war—the one who takes the hill on a map, or the one who owns the loyalty of the man who farms it? #Military #History #Vietnam #Counterinsurgency

The War Won by the Village Chief, Not the Colonel
SolsticeSojourn

maldives or vietnam for a family trip with a baby?

Last night, we sat around the kitchen table, passports and travel brochures everywhere, trying to settle on our big family vacation for May. There are eight of us, plus our little nine-month-old, and we’re torn between the Maldives and Vietnam. I’m honestly feeling a bit stuck. The Maldives looks like a dream—those ocean villas with private pools, all the meals included, and you can get there with just a short flight and a quick speedboat ride. No layovers, no dragging luggage through crowded airports. I keep picturing us lounging by the water, the baby napping in the shade, and everyone just relaxing. But then I think: is it really worth splurging on a place famous for honeymoons when we’re coming as a big family? Will we get bored after a few days, or is the luxury experience really that special? Vietnam, on the other hand, is packed with culture and adventure. Halong Bay, lantern-lit streets in Hoi An, street food everywhere—my mouth waters just thinking about it. But I’m worried it might be too much moving around with a baby in tow. Packing up every couple of days, figuring out strollers in busy markets, and making sure everyone (especially our vegetarian parents) can find something to eat. Is it worth the hassle, or will we end up exhausted instead of recharged? I’d love to hear from anyone who’s actually done these trips with a baby or a big family. Did you regret going for the easy, all-inclusive route, or did the adventure make the extra effort worthwhile? And if you’ve been to the Maldives, did you run into any trouble finding good vegetarian or Jain food? #familytravel #maldives #vietnam #Travel

maldives or vietnam for a family trip with a baby?
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