Vietnam War Veteran Describes Experience Returning to U.S.

Caesar Smith was a career military officer who served two tours in Vietnam. In this segment from Iowa Experience: Vietnam, Smith describes the political climate in the United States as he and other soldiers returned from the war. The panel discussion was recorded at Iowa PBS in Johnston, IA on September 10, 2017.

Dean Borg, Moderator: As you came back to this nation, Caesar, you said you had a great deal of patriotism as you went over for these two tours. As you came back and witnessed this nation, what was the reception?

Caesar Smith: I think it's very difficult for an American and in terms of patriotism I don't think any soldier, I don't think any American questions their own patriotism, it's there. They don't talk about it but it's there. So whether you're in a war or not it's there if you're truly an American. But one of the difficult things for our country and the people in our country is to separate three things, patriotism of being an American, politics and war. Soldiers go to war to do the job they were asked to do, everybody should support that soldier no matter what your politics are. But politics get involved and mess up the whole thing.

(applause)

Caesar Smith: I think part of the problem we were running into -- I never understood now some of my guys when they got back home they got spit on. I wore my uniform all the time, I was not there trying to dare somebody to spit on me, but nobody ever did, which I'm glad because I'm not sure whether or not I'd be sitting here or in jail at this particular time. But we weren't accepted back, my radio man lives in Florida and I'm worried about him right now, but when he came back he got spit on. But, again, it's back to if you really pinpoint the person down and ask them why, what are they upset about that that soldier did, I'm not sure they could give you a true answer. But we were -- after World War II we went into Korea, this country is fed up just like it is now with Afghanistan. We were fed up with war. But you don't take it out on the military, the military is there to do the job that the country is asking them to do. If you want to change that then you're getting away from, you're getting into politics. But no one should ever treat a soldier the way we were treated when we came back from Vietnam.

(applause)