I missed an important date last week. April 30 was the fiftieth anniversary of the fall of Saigon, the end (sort of) of the Vietnam War. We Americans often look at the world through the lens of 1945. Wars end when the enemy surrenders, signs a piece of paper, and submits to an occupation. The reality is, most wars end when one or both sides decide it's just not worth it anymore. We decided it wasn't worth it anymore a lot earlier than 1975. It took a few years to negotiate a peace agreement because national honor kept two Presidents form just walking away. The Paris Peace Accords that ended American combat operations were actually announced on January 23, 1973, a date I'll always remember because it was my eighteenth birthday, the day I became eligible for the draft.
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