Also undermines the massive amount of organization, logistical planning and war strategy the vietnamese had to do. The quote is also a great display how "benign" expression with the intend to disparage american exceptionalism can actually further engrain it. After all the quote raises the unsaid notion that the vietnamese were primitive and incapable and that it should be have been expected that the "superior" american military/culture should have won.

This is the insidious nature of cultural imperalism- even our speech and thoughts are trained to help support the system.