Here, Auden is saying that the only reason the United States is in Vietnam is because they can be. Not only does the Vietnam War have no clear purpose, it is only being fought for the sake of war.

             Several options present themselves for interpretation in the next line, "Deeds quite impossible for Man." First, Auden is saying that Vietnam is an un-winnable war. This was becoming a common sentiment, especially among those who were already opposed to the war. Guerilla wars are difficult to fight as it is, and in the wake of the Tet Offensive, the North Vietnamese had gained a strong advantage. In a larger sense, Auden could be saying something about the larger purpose of the war. The United States originally got involved to stop the spread of communism. This line also hints at the futility of holding back ideals, especially in areas where such ideas have already spread.

             "But one prize is beyond his reach," is the line that lead me to this interpretation, that the poem is about the Vietnam. The United States was never quite in control, and was never really in position to deal a knockout blow. In the wake of Korea, which was also fought as an anti-communist war, it started to seem that ridding the world of communism was an impossible ideal.

             The next three lines can be grouped together, as they seem to convey a single idea. "[The Ogre"s] Speech," seems to either be the "Ogre"s" justification or its planning. Since the third line refers to the "desperate and slain," it is more likely that the Speech is a justification for the atrocities of war. The "subjugated plain," in the context of this interpretation, is Vietnam itself.

             Finally, Auden concludes the poem with an image of the Ogre with its hands on its hips, talking nonsense. The pose that the Ogre is standing in is generally considered to be a confident, if not arrogant pose.