...The Vietnam War The War in Vietnam remains a controversial topic. It is considered a war of waste, due to the amount of casualties, the duration of the war, and the money spent to fund it. America’s role in the Vietnam War went from sending assistance to South Vietnam to eventually having to intervene. The mission of the U.S. soldiers in South Vietnam was compared to the same mission of the Europeans, such as Casmir Pulaski, who assisted America in its fight for liberty. During a press conference on June 23, 1964 President Lyndon Johnson stated,” This is not a jungle war, but a struggle for freedom on every front of human activity (Lansdale, 1964, p. 78).” America felt that they were obligated to fight the war against communism in Vietnam. Overtime, the war had a huge impact on Americans and the economy. Through advanced technology such as satellites and light weight cameras it was possible for media coverage on the battlefield; oftentimes with disturbing displays of slain soldiers, civilians, and growing numbers of causalities. Public opinions of the Vietnam War would become negative, making Vietnam, America’s most despised war. America has always been a skilled army, the intentions of the U.S. army was to weaken the army of the North Vietnam by using a strategy they called “attrition”. The U.S. believed they could cause so much damage and inflict so many casualties, that eventually the North Vietnamese would surrender (Brinkley, 2007). “The attrition strategy...
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...One Turning Point in the Vietnam War Valerie L. Kroll September 21, 2014 Professor Melissa Tennyson DeVry University There were quite a few events during the Vietnam War that can be considered “turning points.” One such event was the Buddhist crisis in 1963. The Buddhist crisis is a sorrowful and disheartening portion of history that could have very well been circumvented. Diem the president of South Vietnam provoked the Buddhist community. Diem operated his civilian and military organizations almost entirely with Catholics. Many had recently migrated south, and he saw to it that Catholic villages collected most of the U.S. aid funds (Moss, 2010). These strangers had exclusive pleasures; they did not speak the local languages, and did not understand their individual troubles. Southern Buddhist peasants begrudged having northern Catholics, who looked down on them and were not concerned to their well-being. The preferential treatment the Catholic’s received from Diem created impossibility for Diem’s administration to gain the confidence and devotion of many southern peasants (Moss, 2010). The government prohibiting the flying of the Buddhist flag prompted the Buddhist crisis (Moss, 2010). South Vietnam Buddhists started to gain attention around the world for their religious persecution through the circulation of writings in addition to demonstrations through hunger strikes, extreme acts that included of self-sacrifice, along with peaceful protests (Toong, 2008)...
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...The role of the media in the Vietnam War Media brought the horrors of the Vietnam War into everyone’s house. It showed people the sensational news that were going on in Vietnam during the war. This caused people to have a wrong opinion about the war, soldiers, and what their country was fighting for. For example, Richard M. Nixon said “No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now”. Even though, the media was broadcasting some parts of the war instead of the whole picture, it was better than it used to be. During fifties, people were able to get visual information about the war only in theaters; therefore, it was mostly based on propaganda and not truth. In early sixties, 90 percent of the United States population had TV in their house and they were able to get information about the war. This caused people to create some effective anti- war movements that helped to bring this horrifying war to an end. Television coverage of the war was not balanced and objective. It was not showing the big picture of the war and the truth about it. Television was broadcasting only some sensational news about the war and that influenced American citizens in a bad way. Media almost never mentioned what communism was; therefore, people did not know what their country was fighting for and why so many innocent people were dying. Moreover, American people did not know what should...
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...Mr. Burrows World History 6 May 2016 North Vietnam and the French “It was patriotism, not communism, that inspired me.” --Ho Chi Minh Ho Chi Minh declared independence from France on September 2 1945 for Vietnam. As a response, France asserted its colonial dominance and this caused a war between them and the Viet Minh. The Viet Minh was a group of nationalists who were communist. By 1954 the Viet Minh almost conquered most areas of Vietnam. The French were defeated and the negotiation of the Geneva Accord stopped the war between the French and the Viet Minh. Vietnam was soon divided into North Vietnam and South Vietnam along the 17th parallel in 1956. While the Viet Minh and the French were fighting, the Cold War between the U.S and the Soviet Union began to take form. The U.S tried to prevent communism from spreading...
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...Vietnam Protest: Government Against Civilians Brian Garcia Introduction to Comparative Politics Midterm March 19, 2015 Political violence has been experienced in every country throughout history, whether the government in place has been a democracy, monarchy, oligarchy, or a hybrid regime. Political violence, or collective political struggles, includes events such as riots, civil wars, revolutions, and peaceful protest movements (Neil, 2013). In 1965 the Vietnam War sparked one of the largest protests, in the United States, the world has ever seen. The United States citizens rose against their government in a public forum, in order to convey their message against the casualties that had resulted due to the war in Vietnam. After World War I, Vietnam created the nationalist movement, which formed separate states for each nation. During World War II, Japan invaded Vietnam, causing the Vietnamese leader, Ho Chi Minh, to liberate his people. Minh used guerilla warfare, private non-state affiliated men to attack the Japanese (Neil). Upon Minh’s win, he attained the territories once belonging to France and created a new nation under the communist government, a political system that “eliminates individual freedom to achieve equality” (Neil). Because of Vietnam’s government as a form of communism, the United States was not able to help finance them after the revolutionary, instead, President Truman helped fund France and provided them with militarily aid. Eventually after the...
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...The Vietnam War Vietnam is a small country in the Southeast Asia. It has a population of 80,000,000 people. The official language of Vietnam is Vietnamese. The capital city is Hanoi. Although the country has many strong points, it also has a bloody history that includes wars. One of the greatest wars that the country has been through is the Vietnam War-the War against the US. The war started in 1954 and ended in 1975. The Vietnam War was a great failure to the US on both warfare and domestic issues. The history dates back to the 1940s when Vietnam was fighting for its freedom from the colonial French. The not giving in policies of French triggered the anger in Vietnamese. In the beginning of the twentieth century many has joined numbers of movements to gain back freedom. Later Vietnamese from all over the country would gather under the leader of Ho Chi Minh, (Neu, 2005, p.2). The man who led the revolutionary army of Vietnam to fight for freedom was Ho Chi Minh. He had so much influence to the country and to the world. As Charles E. Neu said of Ho around the time he was a leader “Ho became one of the great revolutionary leaders of the twentieth century”, (Neu, 2005, p.3). He was the man behind all the actions. In 1941, the Viet Minh or the Independent of Vietnam were formed under the lead of Ho Chi Minh, (Neu, 2005, p.3). Through many battles and hundreds of thousands of lives has been taken, Vietnam finally emancipated from France. On May 7, 1954 the end of the battle of...
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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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...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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...To what extent was America's involvement in the Vietnam Conflict the result of the wrong judgments of American policymakers? Abstract In this paper, I will discuss the policy of America during the Vietnam conflict and how this resulted in the unnecessary Vietnam War. I will discuss why the U.S. thought the domino theory would suit the American policies during this time period. Also, I will analyze why the domino effect was not suited well for America. America thought that if communism were to takeover Vietnam, then it would eventually leak out into the surrounding region. This was incorrect and in this paper, I will discuss why it was invalid information. This paper will also examine why American policymakers exaggerated the stakes of the Vietnam War and why this led to unnecessary involvement in the Vietnam conflict. Even as the US realized that the stakes had been exaggerated and that the domino theory was implausible, they continued their involvement in the war. As for sources, I will utilize the sources provided for us by the teacher. These sources are Chapter 10 from LeFeber and History in Dispute: Was US intervention in Vietnam justified? These sources will help me explain why the US’ tried to base their policies off of the domino theory and why this was not the best policy. Also, I will conduct my own research using the online database JSTOR. I will also utilize the Pentagon Papers, a source I found online. Together, all these sources will help me formulate and discuss...
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...On The Vietnam War My grandfather is a Vietnam War veteran. That alone drove me toward choosing this topic for this research paper. A few months ago, my grandfather had let me read his manuscript that he wrote when he had gotten home from his twelve year service for the United States. This novel he wrote is increasing my interest in the Vietnam War each page I turn. People often ask me whenever we’re talking about the war, which side I’m positioned on. I say that we shouldn’t have “helped” in the war. Because in my opinion, we could have done better for the country if we would have kept our noses out if the excitement but as for people like my grandfather, he opposes that perspective. I do have a firm grip on both paradigms of the war but as you can tell, I want a world with no war possible but honestly, who doesn’t? I guess you can call me a dreamer. But I know I’m not the only one. I thank John Lennon and my Mother for that lesson. I love my mother and my grandfather just as much. But, like I said, because of that, I know and understand two, very different opinions or viewpoints of the Vietnam War. My Mom is somewhat a flower child from when she was just a teenager. That all began because she never really got along with my Grandfather all that well. My Grandfather (my mom’s step dad) was the stereotypical; stern but fair, strict yet loving, harsh yet respectful step-father. Due to that reason my Mom was a rebel to the degree of a flour child. She is always opposing war any which...
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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 Undeclared War Known as Vietnam Akilah K. Berry History 105 Professor Joseph Krulder American Intercontinental University The Vietnam War is considered the longest war. It can also be known as the unnecessary war, the war we lost, and an unofficial war. This war demonstrated to the world that the United States of America will defend its beliefs by any means necessary. It unified yet divided it’s own nation while focusing on the conflict at hand. Despite the fact the US Congress never officially declare war, the most decisive (excluding the Civil War) and America’s longest war is known as The Vietnam War. Around 1950, in efforts to protect the Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia known as the French Empire in Indochina the US initiated their involvement. In addition to protecting the French Empire the prevention of Ho Chi Minh’s Nationalist-Communist Viet Minh forces gaining control of the French Empire was also a key objective. At the battle of Dien Bien Phu, the Viet Minh seemed to achieve independence and national sovereignty in addition to their victory, regardless of great assistance from the US. At the 1954 Geneva international conference, the United States (for whom a Nationalist-Communist Vietnamese government was unacceptable) divided the country in two. The southern half was the birthplace of the Republic of Vietnam (RVN). Americans spent the next twenty years defending the RVN which was an artificial country (Buzzanco, 2010). By 1960 the National Liberation...
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...something that everybody should have access to. Alas, history proves that this is not the case. There are those who have experienced prejudice starting centuries ago. However, there are also those who will stand up to protest what they feel is unjust or unfair. The largest anti-war protest in America’s history against the Vietnam war shows just how powerful people’s voices can be. The anti-war movement that occurred during the Vietnam War rose up out of the shadows that they were previously covered by in 1964-65, mainly because of Operation Rolling Thunder, otherwise known as the bombing campaign of North Vietnam. When news of this broke out in the States,anti-war protests and riots began popping up all over the nation. The most well-known protest took place on October 21, 1967 in front of the Lincoln Memorial and involved at least 100,000 demonstrators. Once the veterans had returned home from the war, they were treated as if they were lower than dirt by anti-war leaders. The Washington protest, followed by many more lesser known demonstrations, has wedged its way into U.S history and has left a large effect on the remaining time that the Vietnam war lasted (USHistory.org)....
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...Vietnam: A History By : Stanley Karnow | April 4 2012 | This paper is about Vietnam: A History a novel on America’s involvement on the war in Vietnam and the policies and feelings surrounding the war. | Book Report | Works Cited Karnow, Stanley. Vietnam: A History. New York: Penguin, 1997. Print. The Vietnam War was not just of interest to the government but the world took great interest as a whole. It was like trying to figure out a magician’s illusion. Before reading this book I only had vague general knowledge of the Vietnam War and how the conflict transpired. I knew about the communist insurgents, the Gulf of Tonkin, Saigon and Ho Chi Mihn. I knew about Presidents Johnson and Nixon, posttraumatic stress disorder and demonstrations. What I did not fully understand was why. Why were the North Vietnamese so resilient? Why did the US make such poor judgment? Why were we really there? What was Vietnam's history prior to our arrival? “History is an organic process, a continuity of related events, inexorable yet not inevitable.” (pg 11) The roots of America's involvement in Vietnam were nurtured by what Professor Daniel Bell has called America's concept of its own “exceptionalism.” George Berkeley, an Anglican bishop and philosopher stated in 1726 as he departed from England to America, “Westward the course of empire.” The phrase, “manifest destiny”, was coined...
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...Finally, Military involvements in wars demonstrate how America cared much more for their influences and motives than being passive. General Westmoreland’s involvement in Vietnam war and his military strategy is a great example, as well as the Tet Offensive event that partook in the war. Once more going back to the Vietnam War, General Westmoreland partook an important role. He was the permanent commander of MACV and given command of all US forces in Vietnam. General Westmoreland perceived the escalation of the conflict and had “535,000 troops under his control when he departed in 1968” (Hickman 1). He was a terror, and to no surprise portrayed by their own media as a hero. Even named “man of the year” by Times magazine at one point. Military Expert, Kennedy Hickman...
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