In1945,anAmericanintelligenceteamparachutedintothejunglesofVietnamtohelpabandofguerrillasfightingtheJapanese.Theyfoundtheguerrillas'leader,HoChiMinh,seriouslyillfrommalariaanddysentery."Thismandoesn'thavelongforthisworld,"exclaimedtheteammedic,buthesuccessfullynursedhimbacktohealth.ThegratefulleaderagreedtoprovideintelligenceandtorescueanydownedAmericanpilotshecouldfindinreturnforammunitionandweapons.
ThefollowingyearHoChiMinhpleadedwithPresidentTrumantosupporthismovementtogainindependencefromtheFrench,buttonoavail.From1964to1975,60,000AmericansdiedintheVietnamwar,battlingaformerallywhoselifetheUSoncesaved.
一九四五年,美國一支情報隊跳傘降落越南叢林,協助一支抗日游擊隊。他們發覺游擊隊領袖胡志明患了瘧疾和赤痢,病情沉重。情報隊醫生說:「這人活不多久了。」但在他照料之下,胡志明終於恢復健康,對這支情報隊十分感激,答應提供情報,假如發現被擊落的美國飛行員,也會出力救助,換取美國的軍火和武器。
次年,胡志明要求杜魯門總統支持他從法國人手上爭取國家獨立,但沒有結果。一九六四年到一九七五年,六萬美國人在越戰之中喪命,對手正是曾獲美國救回性命的這個舊盟友。
*Guerrilla或拼作guerilla,但一般會用兩個r的拼法,因為這個字出自西班牙語的guerra,所用也是兩個r。