Steve,
Let's get something straight. The Vietnam war was NOT something we could  
have won. Unless we would have been able to erect a fence around the entire  
country and stop infiltration of the VC, it wouldn't have mattered what we did.  
In order to win, you have to have the hearts and minds of the people you are  
fighting for supporting you, and simply put, the Vietnamese didn't care. 
The Arvin soldiers (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) were some of the worst  
soldiers you could imagine. They were only in the army to earn a paycheck and  
free cigarettes. As soon as the fighting started, all you would see is ass 
holes  and elbows. The majority of the people didn't care who won the war, just 
so  the death and destruction would end.
JFK made the promise to support the South Vietnamese government and all the  
wealthy rubber plantation owners. It was not a smart decision. When I left  
country in 1971, there wasn't any usable timber in the country because it was  
all full of shrapnel which destroys saw blades.
 
Rummy