European views on American involvement in the Vietnam war.

[garbon]

Sure it was a defensive war, but it was a war in defence of a local dictator the US had selected, whom the US maintained in the face of overwhelming opposition from the populace, and whom the US countenanced being overthrown when they soured on him sufficiently.

That's a pretty textbook case of propping up client regime, it seems to me.

No, Bao Dai was the king the Frogs had selected.  Diem was a president chosen by the Vietnamese people in an election.

Didn't Diem takeover in a rigged election?

At any rate, I agree that Jacob's telling of the events seems kinda slanted considering that we knew he'd be ousted because the North would invade when we left.

[Valmy]

Diem was a president chosen by the Vietnamese people in an election.

Yeah with 112% of the vote.

[derspiess]

Diem was a president chosen by the Vietnamese people in an election.

Yeah with 112% of the vote.

It was just 98%

[Razgovory]

Diem was a president chosen by the Vietnamese people in an election.

Yeah with 112% of the vote.

Yeah so we don't know how many people actually supported Diem.

[derspiess]

Diem was a president chosen by the Vietnamese people in an election.

Yeah with 112% of the vote.

Yeah so we don't know how many people actually supported Diem.

Well we know dude who set himself on fire apparently didn't care for Diem.  So that's one against.

[Razgovory]

Wonder what happened to the Buddhist monks under the communist rule.  Maybe they found someone else to light them on fire.

[Jacob]

Yi, what's your definition of an imperialist war?

A war fought to aquire colonies and/or subjugate states.

In your opinion, has the US ever engaged in such a war?

[Jacob]

No, Bao Dai was the king the Frogs had selected.  Diem was a president chosen by the Vietnamese people in an election.

You mean the one where he won by receiving 98.2% of the vote, including 133% of the votes in Saigon? Whereas his American advisors had recommended a more modest 60% to 70% victory when rigging the election?

[Admiral Yi]

In your opinion, has the US ever engaged in such a war?

Of course.  Spanish-American War.

[Jacob]

Didn't Diem takeover in a rigged election?

At any rate, I agree that Jacob's telling of the events seems kinda slanted considering that we knew he'd be ousted because the North would invade when we left.

Slanted how?

Is our disagreement over what happened and how it went down, or is it about whether it's okay to call it "imperialistic"?

[Admiral Yi]

You mean the one where he won by receiving 98.2% of the vote, including 133% of the votes in Saigon? Whereas his American advisors had recommended a more modest 60% to 70% victory when rigging the election?

OK.  But does that get you to a US-installed dictator? 

A semi-honest question.  I've heard the same thing said a about Syngman Rhee in South Korea, where the basis of the charge rests on the fact that Rhee was educated in the US and spoke English.

[mongers]

No, Bao Dai was the king the Frogs had selected.  Diem was a president chosen by the Vietnamese people in an election.

You mean the one where he won by receiving 98.2% of the vote, including 133% of the votes in Saigon? Whereas his American advisors had recommended a more modest 60% to 70% victory when rigging the election?

Hmm, Republicans make a habit of tweaking voter turn out, no wonder Yi approves of Diem. 

[Jacob]

Of course.  Spanish-American War.

... but since then, no imperialistic adventures? The Spanish-American War is about as far as you can go in describing a war as being imperialistic?

What are, in your opinion, the salient differences that make the Spanish-American War imperialistic, but not the Vietnam one?

[garbon]

Didn't Diem takeover in a rigged election?

At any rate, I agree that Jacob's telling of the events seems kinda slanted considering that we knew he'd be ousted because the North would invade when we left.

Slanted how?

Is our disagreement over what happened and how it went down, or is it about whether it's okay to call it "imperialistic"?

I think what you provided was an edited view on what happened.

That said I can see how one would could describe the Vietnam War as imperialistic but I don't think anyone has provided a concrete definition yet that encompasses how the Vietnam War would fit in - but not other wars like WWI and WWII (i.e. European theatre) where the US had a compelling self-interest in joining the war.

[Admiral Yi]

... but since then, no imperialistic adventures? The Spanish-American War is about as far as you can go in describing a war as being imperialistic?

What are, in your opinion, the salient differences that make the Spanish-American War imperialistic, but not the Vietnam one?

I could swear I've answered this twice already. 

Aquisition of colonies.  Subjugation of states.