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Civilians and peace time military personnel can set up a daily routine. In the "traditional wars" from Vietnam back; in which there were NO cell phones, computers, GPS systems, mini-TV's, equal opportunity employment, environmental bullets, advanced safety military protection gear (face shields, knee pads, night vision goggles attached to the protective headqear), etc. etc. GI's in the Vietnam War, had to do pretty much what his forefathers did in the Korean War, WWII, WWI, Spanish-American War of 1898, the US Frontier Wars, the US Civil War, etc. And that was (for the men in the field): Sleep when ever possible, because there was NO daily routine. Shooting or explosions could come at any time, from any direction. Or "movement". If anyone saw or heard any "movement", action could commence at any split second. Sleep (or rest) was always wanted. Food and drink, was a constant, especially food. The army only supplied "C" rations in the field (canned food) could be heated (we found other sources to cook our food), army issued "heat tablets" took to long, wouldn't light using a cigarette, and put out eye burning fumes when used in a bunker or inside an armored vehicle. "C" rations had to be eaten COLD at night time because of "night discipline"...lights get shot at during the night, and worse they could draw mortar fire. Then your buddies will be very upset with the GI who showed the light. Other than sleeping, eating, a cold beer (or soda) was excellent entertainment. Cigarettes were part of life. Inside of each "C" ration meal was factory Marlboro, Salem, Pall Malls, Camel cigarettes. SP (Sundries Paks) came Viceroy, Pall Malls, Marlboro, Salem, by the carton! Reading paperback books, and playing cards was common (Gambling). Fishing in rivers was popular, some GI's hunted deer and other small game (no fishing/hunting license REQUIRED!).

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15y ago
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16y ago

Stand Guard, load magazines, clean weapons, sleep, write home, eat, sweat (its hot there), get wet (it rains there), dig deeper fox holes, read mail, plant claymores (mines), and one other thing PRAY.

Some soldiers got involved with the local women and community.

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12y ago

They killed each other for practice. That's why we won.

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14y ago

Read paperback books, played cards, listened to the radio (Good Morning Vietnam type music stationed in Saigon).

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12y ago

I remember drinking and movies. Listening to music also.

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Q: What did soldiers in Vietnam do to pass the time when they were not fighting?
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Continue Learning about Military History

When the soldiers returned from Vietnam what did Americans do for the first time in history?

shunned the soldiers


What advantage did the M-16A1 give the soldiers in the Vietnam war?

In Vietnam, for the first time in US history each and every US fighting man possessed a fully automatic rifle. During WWII, each and every US fighting man possessed a semi-automatic rifle (the M1 Garand).


What did soldiers in the Iraq war do to pass the time when not in the trenches?

Smoke mad blunts


How many soldiers were deployed in the Vietnam War?

500,000 men were maintained in Vietnam during it's height. Rotations from the US maintained that level, allowing for 1 year rotations (one year tours, at least for the US Army). The half of a million men consisted of marines, soldiers, airmen, sailors, and Coast Guardsmen.


Why was the Vietnam war viewed differently from previous wars the United states had fought?

As President Johnsson escalated the war effort, and became a hawk himself, his chief critics became known as “doves” and included antiwar protesters, college students and faculty, liberal Democrats, and many other people in various walks of life who felt that the war was immoral, dragging on to no benefit for the US, and was causing increased casualty lists to mount. Many believed the US was fighting a war against the wishes of the majority of the Vietnamese people. These critics felt the war was a civil war in Vietnam between north and south and we had no business interfering. Some supported the communist effort in Vietnam and hoped for a defeat of the “imperialist capitalist” United States. Many Americans felt we were fighting a small, unimportant county, while the real enemy was China and the Soviet Union. The Vietnam War was not a popular war at home. Troops were rotated in and out of the fighting, rather than "in for the duration." That meant that new recruits to Vietnam would have to "learn" how to fight in the jungles of Vietnam every two/three years. It was the first "televised" war. People saw the death toll of American soldiers climb every night on the national news. Because of civilian deaths in South Vietnam, and the difficulty soldiers had in telling a Viet Cong or North Vietnam Regular from the South Vietnam, many innocent civilians, including children, were killed by mistake. Many Americans thought all US soldiers were "baby killers." Americans did not come home in groups. They usually returned to the US a few at a time. There were no parades or news coverage honoring the soldiers returning home.

Related questions

When the soldiers returned from Vietnam what did Americans do for the first time in history?

shunned the soldiers


Did Turkey have troops fighting in Vietnam?

No. Turkey was not involved in the Vietnam War. However, Turkey did contribute soldiers to the Korean War (which made that war the first time that Turks and Greeks fought on the same side in any conflict).


What advantage did the M-16A1 give the soldiers in the Vietnam war?

In Vietnam, for the first time in US history each and every US fighting man possessed a fully automatic rifle. During WWII, each and every US fighting man possessed a semi-automatic rifle (the M1 Garand).


How do us soldiers describe their time in the Vietnam war?

They just said, "I did my time."


How many soldiers are in the Vietnam military?

At the time of the Vietnam War their was about 2 million. Now their is roughly 760,000.


How were soldiers in Kokoda entertained?

They were busy fighting and surviving - there was no time for entertainment.


What times did fighting take place during the Vietnam war?

Night time was heavily used.


Why is Memorial Day important in the US history?

A time to remember our soldiers, for fighting for our country.


What did soldiers in the Iraq war do to pass the time when not in the trenches?

Smoke mad blunts


Where did most battles often occur?

To pass the time, what did soldiers in the civil war do?


At the same time America was fighting in the Vietnam war what neighboring country was having a civil war?

Cambodia.


How much time did soldiers spend fighting?

24 hour in a day and 365 days in a yr..........