Nationalism

Boy, speaking with my home family about Vietnam sure is weird. They make little cracks (not derisive) about Dien Bien Phu and the fleeing of the French colonial (imperialist) control. This entire trip has made me question more and more the nature of the Vietnam War. When I was younger, I used to think that my father fought because it was for freedom and equality and etc. All the things that school teaches you is wrong with communism. But there is such a nationalist perspective that is lost in the midst of the whole COMMUNISM = BAD, DEMOCRACY = GOOD argument. People weren't fighting for corrupt governments; they were already in corrupt governments. The only difference was that it wasn't their own people. Who can deny a man (sorry, I'm using non pc language) the right to self-determination? It is the same story with every nationalist rise for independence across the world. I should probably go more in depth with this, I will later. The biggest question on my mind right now is "Dad, why did you fight for the South?" Don't mistake me for a communist, but you can take me for a nationalist.