...The Vietnam War was the longest lasting military conflict in American History. What was originally fear of communist expansion became one of America’s most expensive and strenuous efforts, consuming over fifty eight thousand American lives. As casualties increased throughout the 1960’s, so did the domestic opposition to the war. In turn, large-scale protests and a lack of trust between government and its people rose. Today many of the war’s details remain unclear; however, Hollywood has had its hand at depicting what occurred. This paper provides an analysis of the Vietnam War, as well as its depiction in the 21st century film industry. “The Deer Hunter,” “Born on the 4th of July” and “Casualties of War” are three different interpretations of the war in both foreign and domestic settings. Each film offers a different point of view, varying from social, political, and military perspectives. Following the Second World War, the French set forth an effort to regain their former colonial possession of Indo-China, which had been occupied by the Japanese throughout the war. After nearly a decade, the French were unable to establish a presence in what they called their “inheritance”, and as a result withdrew under the Geneva Accord in 1954. Meanwhile conflict within the regions of Vietnam created instability. A communist regime called the Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN), headed by Ho Chi Minh obtained power of the North. In contrast Ngo Dinh Diem established an interim government that...
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...during the famous bombing that lead to a firestorm that wiped out the city of Dresden, Germany. That dreadful experience of war would forever intrude on his mind for the rest of his life. In 1955 the Vietnam war began, the United States became involved and the American people were not supportive. This war would lasted until 1975 and it was detrimental in many ways. In 1968, the Viet Cong initiated a massive...
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...Located in Southeast Asia, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is bordered to the north by the People’s Republic of China, to the west by Laos and Cambodia, and to the east and south by the South China Sea. The country is a mere 127,000 square miles but has a population of almost 86.2 million. The language is Vietnamese, and the principal religion Buddhism, although there are a number of small minorities, including Confucian, Christian (mainly Catholic), Caodist, Daoist, and Hoa Hao. In recent years, the country’s economy has been up and down, but average annual per capita income still is in the hundreds of dollars as the peasants remain very poor. One of the reasons that Vietnam has lagged behind its fast-developing neighbors in Southeast Asia, such as Thailand and Malaysia, is its isolation from the industrial West, and the United States in particular, because of the Vietnam War. From the mid-1970s, the country had close relations with the U.S.S.R., but the collapse of communism there forced the still-communist Vietnamese government to work on establishing stronger economic ties with other countries. The nation recently has worked out many of its problems with China, and today, the Chinese have become a useful economic ally. And Vietnam is well on its way in establishing a vigorous trading relationship with the United States. Efforts toward this end began over a decade ago, but because of lack of information concerning the many U.S. soldiers still unaccounted...
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...Lessons Learned The Vietnam experience was a war that lasted for approximately twenty years. The American military and leadership appear to have learned some lessons from our involvement in the Vietnam War. Many issues transpired during the Vietnam War. There were many lessons to be learned from this war by many people starting with the president of the United States to the soldiers battling in the fields. Diplomatic Negotiations Diplomatic negotiations are defined as negotiations between nations. The lesson learned in regards to diplomatic negotiations for the United States is effective communication. The American leaders and the Vietnamese leaders both were unwilling to come together and negotiation on a clear solution to put an end to the war. Their unwillingness to discuss any solutions caused the deaths of millions of people. The war that took place in Vietnam was avoidable and should not have happened, Once the war was stated there were several opportunities for the leaders of both sides to discuss negotiations, however they waited extremely too long. Presidential Leadership Presidential leadership styles differ from president to president. President Eisenhower to President Nixon had their own way of handling negotiations. The office of Presidency changed several times during the time America initially got involved in the events that took place in Vietnam. President Eisenhower and his administration functioned as advisors during his term in office. By the...
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...The Vietnam War was the longest lasting military conflict in American History. What was originally fear of communist expansion became one of America’s most expensive and strenuous efforts, consuming over fifty eight thousand American lives. As casualties increased throughout the 1960’s, so did the domestic opposition to the war. In turn, large-scale protests and a lack of trust between government and its people rose. Today many of the war’s details remain unclear; however, Hollywood has had its hand at depicting what occurred. This paper provides an analysis of the Vietnam War, as well as its depiction in the 21st century film industry. “The Deer Hunter,” “Born on the 4th of July” and “Casualties of War” are three different interpretations of the war in both foreign and domestic settings. Each film offers a different point of view, varying from social, political, and military perspectives. Following the Second World War, the French set forth an effort to regain their former colonial possession of Indo-China, which had been occupied by the Japanese throughout the war. After nearly a decade, the French were unable to establish a presence in what they called their “inheritance”, and as a result withdrew under the Geneva Accord in 1954. Meanwhile conflict within the regions of Vietnam created instability. A communist regime called the Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN), headed by Ho Chi Minh obtained power of the North. In contrast Ngo Dinh Diem established an interim government that...
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...The Vietnam War started in 1955 after the Ho Chi Minh rose to power. More than three million people died in the war (History). The Vietnam War proceeded over a long period of time. The war changed the United States’ role in the world because it was the first time that people argued that Americans “lost” (English). Soldiers all over America either volunteered or were drafted into the war. It was a war between North and South Vietnam. The United States was trying to keep the South from becoming communist. The Vietcong were successful because they were on their homeland, the United States had not jungle combat experience, and the Vietcong were skilled at using Guerilla Warfare and booby traps. At first, Americans thought it was a good idea to...
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...Name: Tutor: Course: Date: Asian Immigration to the United States Most American immigrants are thought to be people who are escaping civil war or poverty and are generally perceived to be with little or no education. While there are some Asians who they indeed fit this image, it is worth noting that there exists another group of Asian immigrants who are well educated and they have skilled or professional occupational backgrounds. This essay majorly looks into the American connection which led to mass immigration from Asia after World War II. It is worth noting that prior to the 1940s, the only Asian region where America had dominance was the Philippines, which was an American colony since 1898 (Cheng and Liu 74). The advent of the Second World War changed this economic and configuration as the U.S interests seeped into regions where previously they exercised little influence. Progressively, wartime involvement affected the political and economic alignments which occurred after the post-war period. When the war ended, the Soviet Union and America became interlocked in a political supremacy war. This turf led to a chain of wars which involved the two countries, but the wars were fought in regions that belonged to neither, mostly in the Southeast Asia like Vietnam. The economic and political elites, alongside the ordinary people who were fleeing from the war created a notable group of Asian immigrants to America. Due to its dominating role in the area, the United States became...
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...Vietnam War IP2 Alicia Stephens AIU Abstract In this paper it discusses the Vietnam War and some consequences of it. It also provides information about the war and the impact that it had on the United States, the reason for the war and the results of it. It also discusses the outcome weather it was beneficial or detrimental to the United States. It also describes details about the war and things that happened during this war/conflict. Vietnam War The Vietnam War was the longest most unpopular war in American History, The toll they paid wasn’t just monetary, it cost the people involved dearly, physically and mentally; causing suffering, sorrow and national turmoil because of bad press meant that Americans divided (History.com/Vietnam war). During the Vietnam War the U.S. forces were made up of draftees, whose average age was 19 years old. They were inexperienced and unwilling to fight; they would spend about a year in Vietnam and then return home. During the war over 200,000 were killed. Vietnam went from a major exporter of rice; to a country that couldn’t feed itself. Large areas of countryside were ruined. Many traps were left, and still are there in many cases (History.com/Vietnam War). Staggering influence on one country’s culture is no more evident than in America’s involvement upon entering the war the United States government were convinced and assured the public of its confidence in very quick and consequences free resolution to their problem...
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...amongst the generation itself, and the Vietnam War could be considered the hottest issue. The personal interviews presented in Discovering the American Past conducted on baby boomers, asking about their experiences revolving the Vietnam War, effectively displays the variety of reasons young individuals at the time believed the war was being fought for; some individuals shared similar reasons and others had differing reasons. In...
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...The Vietnam War Elizabeth Guerra Chamberlain College of Nursing The Vietnam War had first started as a “police action” for the United States. In 1954, France had lost control of Korea and they signed an agreement with Vietnam called the Geneva Accord. The country was separated into North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The terms of the agreement stated that each side would not have a leader until 1956 when an election would be held to determine if they wanted the country to be unified. The United States was afraid that because North Vietnam was a pre dominantly communist country, that the spread of communism would flow to South Vietnam. In 1955, Unites States helped Ngo Dinh Diem win the presidential election. Early into his term, Ngo Dinh Diem claimed that North Vietnam, which was called the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, was attacking South Vietnam. In 1957, America began to give military aid to help South Vietnam stop the spread of communism. President Eisenhower started the ‘police action” and it continued through until after President Kennedy was assassinated. In August of 1964, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam attacked two American ships that were anchored in the gulf of Tonkin. The gulf of Tonkin was supposed to neutral waters. This gave President Johnson the ammunition he needed to use his Congressional resolution that gave him broad war powers. In 1964, the police actin ended and Johnson started to send troops to South Vietnam. Johnson wanted to fight this war...
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...Windou Mimy November, 24th2014 Vietnam: a 20th Cent. Experience HIST-415N-71123 Donald Burnette President Johnson’s Rules of Engagement During the Vietnam’s War, President Johnson has implemented the Rules of Engagement (ROE) in order to maintain control of the war and also to prevent its escalation into global nuclear warfare. The Rules of Engagement precisely dictated who and when the American soldiers were supposed to attack. Thus, from the first junior rank and up to the chain of command, a specific set of rules were enacted. Indeed, rules of engagement training at all level of leadership has allowed each officer to make responsible choices in the battlefield in a conventional war. Unfortunately, Vietnam was no conventional warzone and the Vietcong do not abide to this rule of engagement. It was easy for Washington to set these rules but they have greatly affected the field soldiers and the military through the chain of commands. A look into this rule of engagement (ROE) will show how it has paralyzed the soldiers from carrying out their mission in Vietnam. Moss (2010) confirms that “the rules of engagement paralyzed the soldiers from attacking even when they were shot at because the rules stated that they must be sure that their target was real and not terrified civilians.” The American soldiers were only allowed to attack those in combat uniforms and carrying weapons. They were to follow these rules which prevented them to effectively defend themselves...
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...Jasmine Wright Prof. Riveland ENG 102-078 March 4, 2015 War Experiences: Vietnam Between the 1950-1980’s, soldiers were busy with fighting for our country. The Vietnam War had a huge impact on America. It began in 1954 and more than 3 million people were killed. In class, we read three pieces of literature related to the conflict, Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen, and Vietnam: The Loss of American Innocence by Terry Leonard. Two of the literatures giving a feel of what it was like to fight a war or even be living during the time of the war and the last one telling the events that took place during the time of the war. No one that wasn’t living during the time of the war does not know exactly what it was like, but can give an opinion on what it might have been like. In Things They Carried and Dulce et Decorum Est, two stories that convey the experience during the war. Things They Carried conveyed the way of life. The author, Tim O’Brien, kept emphasis on the things they carried, which symbolized things that meant the most to them. He did not incorporate the bad, ugly and terror of the war, but gave an idea when he included Ted Lavender’s death. Family and loved one’s that the soldiers left back home meant the world to them. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross was a character that showed how their loved ones were missed. He was in love with a girl back home, Martha, he kept her letters with him everywhere he went. When Lavender was killed...
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...Abstract This paper discusses how the Vietnam Conflict impacted American society. The topics explored involve how the U.S. was affected socially, economically, and politically. Impact of Vietnam Conflict on American Society The enormity of the damage caused by the Vietnam Conflict is still felt in American society today. While public attitude toward Vietnam Veterans is changing, and faith in the military has returned, there is still a lot of skepticism toward the U.S. Federal Government. Americans don’t want to send their sons and daughters into another seemingly pointless war. One of the major consequences on U.S. society created by the Vietnam Conflict was the enormous strain on the American economy, due to the estimated $167 billion spent on the war. Inflation and increasing federal debt had a major negative effect on the US economy and seriously lowered living standards from the late 1960’s until the 1990’s. Another consequence on society was the public rejection of the war and the soldiers who fought in it. Vietnam vets were considered vicious killers, immoral human beings, drug addicts; they were treated like the lowest form of human existence ("Cold war in," 2011). The Vietnam conflict was a viewed as a devastating loss and resulted in a loss of pride and self- confidence in the American people. The U.S. experienced a reappraisal of American power and glory. At the beginning of the war the American public supported it, because they believed it was part...
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...Anyone know about the symbolism in ‘A Quiet American’ by Graham Greene? | Pyle represents the idealistic New Age America, thirsty for heroism. Phuong represents pre-war Vietnam, passive, innocent. What exactly does Fowler represent? Is it the wisdom and world-weariness of Old Europe or Britain’s involvement in the war simply for personal gain? | The symbolism of the individual characters has to be placed within the context of colonialism, since that was the relationship between the nations they each represented. Pyle's motives are far from heroic. An idealism that is motivated by interventionism in a Third World country's affairs can be dangerous and destructive, not only in the way Graham Greene saw it in the early fifties, but as history proved it by the events that unfolded years later, leading to the US war in Viet Nam. Or for what is happening now in Iraq, if you will. Fowler had the "old colonialist" wisdom that questioned Pyle's justification for violence. He had already learned that "democracy" is something many countries neither understand nor want, and any foreign attempt to impose it is doomed to failure. I don't know that this helps, but I can't see the novel any other way. | | Outline of characters | Thomas Fowler is a British journalist in his fifties who has been covering the French war in Viet Nam for over two years. He meets a young American idealist named Alden Pyle, who is a student of York Harding. Harding's theory is that neither Communism...
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...In the spring of a graduating college students last semester, many look forward to summer relaxation or starting a new career, for Tim O’Brien, he received a draft notice. O’Brien, like the majority of college students in the country opposed the war in Vietnam, but against his own personal beliefs, laced up his boots for his country and touched down in Vietnam in the winter of 1969. As a young man who was dropped dead center in a war he did not even support, the twenty-two year struggled in every sense of the word. Luckily for generations to come, O’Brien keep journals of the horrific daily situations soldiers had to endure. The short story collection of The Things They Carried written by Tim O’Brien is regarded as one of the most important...
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