If you could go back and change one piece of military history, what would it be and why?

I wish the US Congress had not kicked the legs out from under the Government of South Vietnam by withdrawing the financial, supply, and equipment resources we promised to continue providing under the policy of Vietnamization in the South East Asia campaign.

If it were not for this one fatal mistake the outcome would have been very different and we would not have developed a reputation for bagging out on our promises of critical support.

This was a critical turning point in world history, self perception, and international respect.

Today is the 148th anniversary of the death of Lt. Gen Winifield Scott who was ordered by President Andrew Jackson to effect the expulsion of Cherokee Indians from Georgia. I would change this particular aspect of our military history.

I would also like to go back to Novembr 30, 1864 and slap the **** out of Gen. John Bell Hood in order to prevent the useless deaths suffered at the Battle of Franklin, TN.

If I could go back to Gettysburg I would insist that Lt. Gen Ewell assault and capture Culp's hill July 1, and ensure that Lt. Gen. Longstreet's march was expedited to ensure he was able to reach the Round Tops before reinforcements arrived.

For that matter, I would like to go back to Charleston in April, 1861, pull General P. G. T. Beauregard aside and say "Dude, Lincoln WANTS you to shell Sumter."

I would like to go back and find the genius who suggested we could spend our way to victory in Afghanistan and throttle him.

I would reverse the uniform decisions of the 21st century and return the army to the pinks and greens of WWII.

I would send a terminator back in time to kill the inventor of powerpoint.

I would go back in time and patent the PT belt.

I would make the Air Force fall in love with the A-10.

I would return the miniature Tabasco sauce bottles to MREs.

so many possibilities...

I would not have provided military aid and support to the Soviet Union during World War II and hopefully would have avoided the Cold War. The Germans and Russians were going to go at it hard and it's likely the Germans would have eventually won but only at a great cost. I believe this would have still allowed the allies to conduct the war as they did anyway.