US beheaded prisoners in Vietnam

Much has been made in the media and by western leaders – most recently taoiseach Enda Kenny - of the so-called Islamic States’ unpleasant habit of beheading prisoners and destroying ancient monuments.

I agree this is a tragedy on both counts. But in the interests of balance may I remind your readers that US marines in Vietnam not only occasionally beheaded their VC prisoners, but also kept their skulls as grisly souvenirs. The photos still exist to prove it. The extensive My Son temple site in Quang Nam province of Vietnam once contained around 71 beautiful Hindu temples, many built between the 4th and 14th century.

I say ‘once’ because many, if not most of them, were destroyed by US aerial bombardment during the Vietnam war.