Greetings

[Kookoman]

Good day to you all. I am 18 years of age and very interested in learning more about communism and revolutionaries in general. Though I registered quite a few months ago I am just starting to view this forum now, and I like what I see. It is good to see people... comrades speaking openly of their political views in a seemingly friendly atmosphere. This summer I started my revolutionary reading by reading such novels as Ho Chi Minh: A life, by William J. Duiker and A Vietcong Memoir, by Truong Nhu Tang. I wish to expand my knowledge and participate in conversations, though I am not sure I have the knowledge to form a good argument. Learning more about these revolutionaries that I enjoy to read about would be great however. So about me...

I live in a small town in New England where not all that much happens
I enjoy a good croquet game, basketball game, just about any sport game to pass the time.
Recently I have been enjoying reading up on revolutionaries.
For music I like the oldies, Beatles, Floyd, Who, Kinks, Hendrix, Queen
My favorite revolutionary is Ho Chi Minh because of his incredible love of his country.
Anyways I hope to get involved in this forum, and in politics in general.

*tips hat* --Phill

[apathy maybe]

Hi ya.

I am the one to whom you will report. You get your orders in the morning.

Also, don't listen to anything that anyone says in this thread. Esp. about how I'm a bit crazy. You're in the army now, and you will obey!

[Nickademus]

welcome to the board... i hope you can find peoplehere that will engage you in some good conversation

[T_SP]

Hello and welcome, the knowledge of people here seems to know no bounds so I'm sure you will learn whatever you need to. And have a goodtime while your at it! It's a pleasure to have you hear see you on the boards.

[The Forum Idiot]

Welcome Comerade. Erm...However I am a little unsure about your fascination with Ho Chi Minh...He may not be the worst leader out there but you have to remember, he wasn't completely innocent in the war. He did terrible things just like the americans

[Ziggy]

welcome to the board, sit down have some coffee, a scone, maybe some nice reading material or something to listen to...
cheers

*tips hat back*

[Kookoman]

Ahh on the topic of reading material, would any of you be able to point me to a list of reading? Although summer is creeping to a close I could probably get in quite a few books before off to college. First year by the way, University of Vermont, history major. Thanks for the warm welcome.

[The Forum Idiot]

His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman?

The Man In The High Castle by Philip K Dick

err....some manga?

[h&s]

...in a seemingly friendly atmosphere
Oh thats just what we want you to think...(!)

His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman? Well they are blatantly anti-theist and are on the CofE's banned list, which automatically makes them brilliant according to me (I know its a joke) but I would recommend stuff like

The Communist Manifesto, by Marx & Engles
Das Kapital, by Marx
State and Revolution, by V I Lenin
Guerilla Warfare, by Enersto 'Che' Guevara
Motorcycle Diaries, by Enersto 'Che' Guevara
Oh yeah and, of course, anything from the brillant "Where's Wally" series would help.

[The Forum Idiot]

LOL, What about Garfeild? now that's hardcore leftist text...

[CubanFox]

Originally posted by The Forum [email protected] 29 2004, 03:58 AM
He did terrible things just like the americans
I don't recall Uncle Ho ever firebombing civilians or killing 504 old men, women, children and babies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_massacre).

Anything bad the Vietcong may have done in the war was vastly overshadowed by American brutality.

[The Forum Idiot]

But they still did it. Didn't they torture americans or something? Put Americans to brutal deaths...NO1 was in the right of that war.

[Kookoman]

First off Ho Chi Minh was not alive for the latter 6 years of the American Vietnamise war. The three years that he was alive he was basically a figurehead and "uncle" of his country. Ho Chi Minh was actively contributing during the first war against the french, where he led the Vietminh. This is when the famed Dien Bien Phu battle occured where the Vietnminh forces achieved a total victory, despite heavy casualties, against the isolated French base. This was a mere days before the Peace treaty in (I think Paris) took place (I think the Geneva Accords). After this Ho Chi Minh's power as president began to decline because he never sought absolute power like Stalin, or Mao. Counterrevolutionary measures were initiated by the more radical of the VCP where rich people were brought out onto the streets and killed in front of peasants. Uncle Ho despised these witch-hunts, but he never spoke out publicly against him. On several occasions however he saved a former fighter of the Vietminh, and friend, from the slaughter that occured.

During the Vietnam War all of the American's there were soldiers, most of the Vietnamise there were civilians. Now I have heard statistics that 14% of the Vietnamise population died in this war.... Other instances such as the Mi Lai Massacre are haunting. Though the torturing of POWs by the Vietcong is despicable, it is almost understandable from the slaughter they were facing. --Phill

[Sabocat]

Originally posted by [email protected] 28 2004, 11:15 PM
Ahh on the topic of reading material, would any of you be able to point me to a list of reading? Although summer is creeping to a close I could probably get in quite a few books before off to college. First year by the way, University of Vermont, history major. Thanks for the warm welcome.
Ahh....a fellow New Englander (At least while you're at school). Welcome to the board.

[The Forum Idiot]

However you look at it, BOTh sides did bad stuff in the war. Even though the Americans did worse, they were just kids, when kids have power they use it. Which is no excuse, but they weren't the only "bad guys". They both did wrong, but the Americans did worse, it doesn't stop the fact that the North Vietnamese and Vietcong weren't exactly running aroundhugging people.

[Nickademus]

there's a sticky of recommended reading in the literature forum.