Letters to the Editor: Historical Perspectives and Cultural Insights
The Ho Chi Minh Trail: Different Perspectives
Thomas W. Rash Jr., Charleston, South Carolina:
Journalist comparisons between George Washington’s Delaware River crossing and the Ho Chi Minh Trail are exaggerated. Portraying the North Vietnamese Army solely as heroes ignores their brutal actions.
Dean C. Nelson, St. Paul, Minnesota:
The article on the Ho Chi Minh Highway lacks diverse viewpoints. By focusing on communist perspectives and neglecting the experiences of those in the south, the author missed crucial insights.
The Vietnam War: Missed Opportunities
Jeffrey D. Sokolow, Atlanta, Georgia:
Author David Lamb’s argument overlooks the role of the United States in escalating the Vietnam War. If elections had been held as agreed upon in the Geneva Accords, Vietnam’s reunification might have been achieved peacefully.
Quincy Jones and the Legacy of African-American Music
Elliott S. Hurwitt, New York, New York:
While Quincy Jones is a significant figure, the article fails to acknowledge his predecessors. W. C. Handy, the composer of “St. Louis Blues,” was the first African-American to combine musical success and entrepreneurship. Benny Carter, another trailblazer, composed for films and arranged for famous musicians like Louis Armstrong and Mel Torme.
Rediscovered Recordings: A Window into the Past
Edward T. Howell Jr., Indian Rocks Beach, Florida:
The article about long-lost recordings at the Paris Opera resonates with a similar experience at the Thomas Edison Historical Site. By unlocking an upstairs room and uncovering forgotten phonograph discs, researchers have cataloged thousands of Edison sound recordings, offering a glimpse into the musical past.
Historical Figures and Missed Connections
Jeffrey D. Sokolow, Atlanta, Georgia:
Ho Chi Minh’s early pleas for U.S. support of Vietnam’s independence went unanswered by the Truman administration, contributing to the outbreak of the first Indochina war. Similarly, President Wilson’s failure to heed Nguyen Ai Quac’s (later known as Ho Chi Minh) call for Indochina’s independence at the Paris Peace Conference set the stage for decades of conflict.
Cross-Indexing the Musical Past
Edward T. Howell Jr., Indian Rocks Beach, Florida:
The discovery of cross-indexed musicians and phonograph discs at the Thomas Edison Historical Site provides a valuable tool for researchers. By linking early 20th-century musicians to their recordings, these records enhance our understanding of the musical landscape of the past.