Posted on Feb 14, 2018

Kennedy authorizes U.S. advisors to fire in self-defense - Feb 14, 1962 - HISTORY.com

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President John F. Kennedy authorizes U.S. military advisors in Vietnam to return fire if fired upon. At a news conference, he said, “The training missions we have [in South Vietnam] have been instructed that if they are fired upon, they are of course to fire back, but we have not sent combat troops in [the] generally understood sense of the word.” In effect, Kennedy was acknowledging that U.S. forces were involved in the fighting, but he wished to downplay any appearance of increased American involvement in the war. The next day former Vice President Nixon expressed hopes that President Kennedy would “step up the build-up and under no circumstances curtail it because of possible criticism.

Kennedy authorizes U.S. advisors to fire in self-defense - Feb 14, 1962 - HISTORY.com

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Posted 6 y ago

Responses: 11

Maj Marty Hogan

Posted 6 y ago

Morning Mark- thanks for the history and fire in self- defense only is a weird way to wage war

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SrA Christopher Wright Sgt Randy Wilber SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl (Join to see) Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth LTC (Join to see) MSG Frederick Otero SFC Pete Kain SSG David Andrews LCDR (Join to see) PO1 Tony Holland SCPO Morris Ramsey SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Jim Arnold SFC William H. PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT Charles H. Hawes SFC Craig Dalen CPL Dave Hoover

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SSG David Andrews

6 y

Thanks for the tag Capt. Hogan. It is very difficult to win a Defense only war.

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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter

6 y

The gist of the order was that the Advisors were sent there to train the South Vietnamese Military but not engage in Combat themselves. What this did was not make them stand there and get shot at and not respond but to defend themselves and return fire. The stand was that We were there to train the Vietnamese only not to fight in their war. That of course all changed as We later sent US Combat units into Viet Nam as opposed to only advisors and instructors earlier.

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LTC John Griscom

6 y

In some cases, units have call Saigon to get permission to fire on the enemy. Screwed up some good ambush opportunities.

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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter

6 y

LTC John Griscom - True, the good old MACV ( Military Assistance Command Viet Nam) Rules of Engagement, which the enemy sure appreciated, they had no such restriction. That was NOT a good situation and got a lot of Americans and South Veitnamese Troops killed ! This took stupidy to a whole new level !

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