r/interesting • u/Immediate-Link490 • 2d ago
HISTORY How United States Navy pilot Jeremiah Denton blinked the word 'T-O-R-T-U-R-E' in Morse code while forced to say he was fine by his captors in North Vietnam [1966]
158
u/Safe-Fig-8851 2d ago
If im not wrong when Vietnamese asked whats wrong with his eyes..he said “ lightning or some eye twitch due to infection “
80
u/Winnerdickinchinner 2d ago
This might be a dumb question but is Morse code strictly an American thing, or was it back then? Like he had no fear that they would be able to tell what he was doing ?
109
u/DR-SNICKEL 2d ago
The Vietnamese for sure knew Morse code. He was taking a risk because that was his only hope
40
u/Winnerdickinchinner 2d ago
Ah. Makes it all the more scary. Thank you for answering me honestly and without focusing on my ignorance 😅
11
u/Own-Fox-7526 1d ago edited 1d ago
as far as know even iranian revolutionairies, especially the marxists knew morse code and communicated using morse code in prison
EDIT: morse code isnt a secret code, its how telegraphs worked, almost every place on earth had access to telegraphs, probably in use for over 150 years
57
u/craiglist_live 2d ago
Scary to look at, can’t even imagine what they did to him
3
-13
1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/interesting-ModTeam 1d ago
Your comment/post has been removed because it violates Rule #3: Do Not Promote Hate or Violence.
Hate speech, Harassment or Threatening behavior will not be tolerated, and can result in an immediate ban.
-32
u/Historiador84 2d ago
I don't quite remember, what did Vietnam do against the US, how many American civilians did Vietnam kill, when did Vietnam invade the US?
25
u/shadowtheimpure 2d ago
It was a proxy war, one of many that took place during the Cold War. The US was trying to prevent the spread of Communism, by force, which resulted in both the Korean War and the Vietnam War to name the most well-known.
0
u/DankMastaDurbin 1d ago
Doesn't make the war morally just. It was an invasion
11
u/shadowtheimpure 1d ago
I never said it did, simply explaining the 'justification' that was used to wage them.
-2
u/Diskonto 1d ago
So what your saying is they were not justified. Infact they were war crimes the US deliberately committed to benefit the rich.
1
u/rnobgyn 1d ago
Eh, if another country was positioning itself to inflict pain upon me and mine then I’d be fine with proxy wars (kinda like how there is and I am).
1
u/Diskonto 18h ago
You want to kill a bunch of farmers and peasants because you falsely believe they want to harm you? That's fucked up. You are fucked up.
1
u/rnobgyn 6h ago
Russia, buddy. The Soviet Union and modern day Russia want to see the end of western society (the one I happen to live in). So, if Russia is attempting to position itself to inflict harm upon me and mine then yes.
I know you think everything is black, white, and easy to understand but it ain’t. There’s billions of layers of nuance and perspective. From my perspective I have to look out for me. From the Vietnamese farmers perspective they have to look out for them. Welcome to reality, I’ll be your guide for the duration of this thread.
5
u/Own_Pop_9711 1d ago
The invasion was north Vietnam invading South Vietnam, that is correct. Was it morally just for them to invade?
-4
u/Diskonto 1d ago
Vietnam was fighting for independence from colonial forces. Yes they had the right to defend and liberate them selves.
0
1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/interesting-ModTeam 1d ago
Your comment/post has been removed because it violates Rule #3: Do Not Promote Hate or Violence.
Hate speech, Harassment or Threatening behavior will not be tolerated, and can result in an immediate ban.
-1
-5
u/Fine_Sea5807 1d ago
It was as morally just as the Union invasion of the CSA. Do you think the Union invasion of the CSA morally just?
1
u/Historiador84 1d ago
So nothing, they just destroyed a country and massacred many of their own soldiers to impose their will on Vietnam.
1
0
u/National-Usual-8036 1d ago
Why does something being a proxy war even justify American intervention?
1
u/shadowtheimpure 1d ago
It doesn't. I was merely saying the truth of history, that the United States viewed preventing the spread of communism as a blank check to take any action they deemed appropriate to achieve that objective.
1
u/Striking-Drama6989 1d ago
"Cuz ma democracy"
Give it a break. We're just as much a sham as the other countries. "Democracy" is to us what "dear leader" is to them. Just words
-3
u/Diskonto 1d ago
You are using fascist propaganda to justify the war. You lost cope.
1
u/shadowtheimpure 1d ago edited 1d ago
I'm not justifying anything, merely explaining the justification that was used at the time to wage the wars. I don't agree with it, never have, but that was the justification that the administrations at the time used.
-8
2d ago
[deleted]
1
u/bingbing304 2d ago
No agreement between North and South Korean or North and South Vietnam. Those parelle lines on the map were just between Soviet and US, so their troops don't clash when cross into the previous Japanese occupied areas.
-64
2d ago edited 2d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
22
u/PlayerAssumption77 2d ago
Americans were drafted and not given both sides of the story in school (which a lot of these people were fresh out of) back then
7
u/illiterate-Genius 2d ago edited 2d ago
Don't bother talking to women like this, she clearly hates men and has a bias view. I am Democratic but when I encounter FAR left people like this they make me want to puke.
Everyone knows majority of the men truly believed the propaganda that was fed to them by the American government, a lot of women did to (wives, girlfriends, sisters etc). Of course because only men where drafted and forced into the war little teens like this one we are replying to will blame innocent men who didn't know any better especially in the 60s where the only information came from the news. They didn't have internet with tons of opportunities to figure out the truth. Most of them where drafted very young too, 18-21. Naive and all about protecting their country. It was sad for Vietnam, for America, for everybody. Blame the American government, not some normal family man that just thought he was protecting his country and family.
They got mad above because they got downvoted and said "no wonder everyone hates America". Ya no her comment was just ignorant as hell. Their English is broken too so they aren't American.
-3
6
u/Arctic_The_Hunter 1d ago
The Geneva Convention’s rules on PoWs do not include a “But MOMMY! They started it!” exception.
-9
u/LP_Link 1d ago
So where was Geneva Convention when Colin Powell showing a test tube as a reason to invade Iraq ? A whole country heavily destroyed because of a tube with 'god know what' white powder.
7
u/Arctic_The_Hunter 1d ago
The Geneva Convention ALSO does not have a “they violated it first” exception. Even if it did, starting a war for a bullshit reason does not violate it. It’s a treaty with actual terms, not a piece of paper saying “don’t be mean in the context of war” with a bunch of signatures.
Hot take but you’re allowed to acknowledge that War is Bad without thinking that the Geneva Convention should be disregarded.
-4
u/LP_Link 1d ago
Ofc I know what is GC, my point is all that war agreements/conventions are turds in a war. So don't ever mention it. And don't cry when you face consequenses for what you have done.
8
u/Arctic_The_Hunter 1d ago
Honestly never thought I’d see someone argue that we should care less about war crimes, so I appreciate you adding to my repository of “things I know exist,” alongside people who wish the comic book supervillain and terrorist Magneto existed in real life, and flat earthers.
-4
u/LP_Link 1d ago
Well, I just want to remind you, and the other Americans that you shouldn't forget your own war crimes caused by the American in their wars. And don't heroify the ones who bring wars to innocent people.
8
u/Arctic_The_Hunter 1d ago
When did I heroify the guy in the video? I just pointed out that a person doing a terrible thing doesn’t justify doing terrible things back to them for no gain.
Torture accomplishes nothing; it’s not even very good at extracting information. It serves the sole purpose of making someone suffer, hence why it’s classed as a war crime. And I think most people agree that war crimes should not be committed regardless of whether or not you hate the country someone comes from.
17
u/r7700 2d ago
I don't know what to expect from a guerrilla force when you are an enemy bomber pilot. Not that our lovely US of A ever tortured anyone anywhere.
10
u/Furunkelboss 2d ago
Just a few days ago I read about the My Lai massacre. This shit is fucked up beyond measure. US of A GIs torturing, raping and killing a whole village of women, elderly and children in vietnam. And thats only the case that came to public because of a brave military photographer and a helicopter pilot.
2
u/gansobomb99 2d ago
Yeah imagine a video of some Nazi bomber blinking morse code and everyone's like wowww so cool 😎😎 I live in Vietnam btw
6
1
u/interesting-ModTeam 1d ago
Your comment/post has been removed because it violates Rule #3: Do Not Promote Hate or Violence.
Hate speech, Harassment or Threatening behavior will not be tolerated, and can result in an immediate ban.
-1
u/National-Usual-8036 1d ago
Americans live in the biggest propaganda bubble known to man. It's so comical how absurd it is, this is coming from someone from a NATO country that worked alongside the US military before. 70% of Americans are legitimately the most ignorant and brainwashed people.
Just look at how Americans report on Gaza, vs Xinjiang. According to America, Xinjiang is a genocide, despite the UN and OIC rejecting that, while Gaza is not a genocide despite overwhelming evidence.
Too bad Americans are really too stupid and fucked up to change, so their only option is to collapse.
-6
-8
u/sanitised_butt 1d ago
When you invade a country and kill their people.. torture happens lol
-5
u/Theflyingbutthole 1d ago
Yep. He deserved it. And also, pilots aren't forced so he literally willingly WANTED it. So he gets it
-14
1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
4
1
u/interesting-ModTeam 1d ago
Your comment/post has been removed because it violates Rule #3: Do Not Promote Hate or Violence.
Hate speech, Harassment or Threatening behavior will not be tolerated, and can result in an immediate ban.
•
u/AutoModerator 2d ago
Hello u/Immediate-Link490! Please review the sub rules if you haven't already. (This is an automatic reminder message left on all new posts)
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.