...The Vietnam War Before the war, almost all of Americans really trusted their Congressmen, their universities, and other official institutions. At the beginning of the 1960s that trust begin to change as the world around them changed as well. Two basic viewpoints began to evolve during this time. One group felt that though intentions had been good for getting into the conflict, it was a losing battle that carried too great of burden both socially and economically and at the United States needed to get out of Vietnam. The other group felt that we had gone to Vietnam for a purpose and we shouldn't leave until the job was done. Most of the large demonstrations to protest the war took place on college campuses. During the Vietnam War, the draft was instituted for the first time since 1942. This meant that men and women of the Baby Boom era were eligible to be sent off to fight in a conflict that was being questioned for the American involvement. Draft deferments and exemptions were available for college students and this meant that young men in the working class who did not go to college because they could not afford it far outnumbered those of the middle or upper class. Students who avoided the war by going to college were aware of the injustice of the situation and used protests as a way of communicating this to the powers-that-be. In addition, once the students graduated, they would then be eligible to be sent off to Vietnam. This gave them added incentive to protest and try...
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...The Vietnam War The Vietnam War The Vietnam War was hard on all countries; one in particular was the United States. As Americans thought the end was near they soon found out that it all was going to begin with the Vietnam War. This particular war caused hardships for not only the financial aspect of the country, but for the citizens of it as well. To put it simply it divided much of the country. Student Unrest One of the main groups of people that the Vietnam War affected was college students. As the war escalated, the draft began. College students were affected by this mostly because of the military’s rules for joining. The poor and underclass usually could not pass the tests to get in the war and many others had jobs, such as teaching or engineering that was cause for the military to not draft them. This is when student unrest began. As time went on and the war continued to drag on, students all over the country began to question the war. Students began to question the president’s decisions when it came to the war, as well as began questioning what they were fighting for. Martina Bexte 2002 wrote that “People realized that the glowing reviews of the war effort their government had been releasing were “sanitized” and far from the truth.” Students all over the country began protesting against the war. They were angry at the president for what he was doing to the Vietcong’s, as well as the fact that Americans were fighting for a cause that no one believed in anymore...
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...Most Americans sent to Vietnam were chosen by the draft. The Selective Service System, as it was called, favored the middle and upper classes. College students could avoid service, as could those in “critical” occupations, such as teachers and engineers. As the war escalated, the draft was changed so that some students were called up through a lottery system. Still, those who knew the medical requirements might be able to produce a doctor’s affidavit certifying a weak knee, flat feet, or bad eyes—all grounds for flunking the physical. Of the 1200 men in Harvard’s class of 1970, only 56 served in the military, and only 2 of them in V The poorest and least educated were also likely to escape service, because the Armed Forces Qualification Test and the physical often screened them out. Thus the sons of blue-collar America were most likely to accept Uncle Sam’s letter of induction. Once in uniform, the sons of Hispanic and black Americans who had fewer skills were more often assigned to combat duty. The draft also made it a relatively young man’s war. The average age of soldiers serving in Vietnam was 19, compared with the average of 26 for World War II. Most American infantry came to Vietnam ready and willing to fight. But physical and psychological hardships took their toll. An American search-and-destroy mission would fight its way into a Communist-controlled hamlet, clear and burn it, and move on—only to be ordered back days or weeks later because the enemy had moved in again...
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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 (Vietnamese: Chiến tranh Việt Nam), also known as the Second Indochina War,[32] and also known in Vietnam as Resistance War Against America (Vietnamese: Kháng chiến chống Mỹ) or simply the American War, was a Cold War-era proxy war[citation needed] that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955[A 1] to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War (1946–54) and was fought between North Vietnam—supported by the Soviet Union, China and other communist allies—and the government of South Vietnam—supported by the United States and other anti-communist allies.[37] The Viet Cong (also known as the National Liberation Front, or NLF), a South Vietnamese communist common front aided by the North, fought a guerrilla war against anti-communist forces in the region. The People's Army of Vietnam (also known as the North Vietnamese Army) engaged in a more conventional war, at times committing large units to battle. As the war wore on, the part of the Viet Cong in the fighting decreased as the role of the NVA grew. U.S. and South Vietnamese forces relied on air superiority and overwhelming firepower to conduct search and destroy operations, involving ground forces, artillery, and airstrikes. In the course of the war, the U.S. conducted a large-scale strategic bombing campaign against North Vietnam, and over time the North Vietnamese airspace became the most heavily defended in the world. The U.S. government viewed American...
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...Vietnam War Taylor Davis MLS 2006 McDonough Vietnam War The Vietnam War was a disaster from the start for America. America was outnumbered and did not have a clear strategy going into the war. Technically, congress never declared war on Vietnam, so America nor did win or lose the war (Triebwasser). Neither America nor Vietnam won the war as it is still considered as stalemate. As Stewart said, “Meanwhile, the war appeared to be in a state of equilibrium. Only an extraordinary effort by one side or the other could bring a decision” (Stewart, 2010, pg. 330). This war did not go according to plan and the outcome of this war did not favor America. Many men were killed in this war and other injured from enemy fire and gases that were used during the war. America lost the fight (war) in Vietnam. Between the Government and the landscape of Vietnam made it difficult for America to win the war. There are many reasons why America did not succeed in Vietnam and lost the war. The effect of the Cold War was the Vietnam War. The war was to stop Vietnam from becoming a communist nation. America was out to stop communist from spreading into other countries. The effect of Vietnam becoming a communist country would not affect anyone in the world except Vietnam itself. As Pagel stated, “The actual value of Vietnam as a territory, economy or political presence on the world stage was insignificant” (Pagel, 2012). As an outcome of the war, Vietnam is still a communist nation. America failed...
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...The Vietnam War was the war that most young Americans in the United States did not understand. The Americans did not understand why thousands of men were being killed over there and what was being accomplished for these deaths. The Vietnam War dragged out from 1960 – 1975 and many young adults was scared about their outcome in the end. The major connection between the Vietnam War and student unrest was that it was the first and only time that there was a military draft. On a young man’s eighteen birthday, he was required to register for the selective service and would be eligible for a draft for two whole years. With casualty rates, increasing every day, these young men had a better chance to be drafted and this scared them even more. There was only one way to have a temporary postpone chance of being selected, if you were attending college. This did not mean that young men that attended college were exempt from the draft but that as soon as they finished college they would be drafted. As young men grew closer and closer to graduation, they realized they were going to have to go to Vietnam and fight. These young men were left with only two options, either they dodge the draft and flee to Canada or they could protest for Congress to end the draft. These young men were scared, running out of options since college is for four years, and the war lasted fifteen years they did not know what to do. Thousands of young men fled to Canada, but the majority of the students...
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...Task - How significant was the Domino Theory as a reason for US involvement in the conflicts in Vietnam? Involve- * Bibliography * 1 Primary source – 1950’s/1960 * 5 books – Secondary sources * Watch films, documentaries and videos. * Historians point of views(opinions) Geneva Agreement – election to be held in 1956 to reunify Vietnam but did not happen because Ngo Dinh Diem cancelled it because he knew he would not win it. If Ho chi Minh wins 1956 elections: * Vietnam will re-unify as a communist country * Other surrounding countries will follow – communism will spread ‘Domino Theory’ (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Bangladesh, and India. Geneva Agreement – election to be held in 1956 to reunify Vietnam but did not happen because Ngo Dinh Diem cancelled it because he knew he would not win it. If Ho chi Minh wins 1956 elections: * Vietnam will re-unify as a communist country * Other surrounding countries will follow – communism will spread ‘Domino Theory’ (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Bangladesh, and India. Communist Communist Vietnam was split into North and South in 1954 – Geneva agreement officially split into North led by Ho Chi Minh and South ruled by Ngo Dinh Diem. Vietnam was split into North and South in 1954 – Geneva agreement officially split into North led by Ho Chi Minh and South ruled by Ngo Dinh Diem. Capitalist Capitalist Primary Sources Finally, you have broader considerations...
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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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...The Vietnam War HIS/135 The Vietnam War Prior to the war in Vietnam, Americans were enjoying post-war prosperity with the acquisiton of homes and new home conveniences such as dishwashers and televisions. They were comfortable, relatively affluent, and becoming quite complacent while living the American dream. The youth of the 1960’s are responsible for the creation of the counter-culture formation. They rejected the perfect American life they inherited from their parent’s generation and many of the fundamental values that their parents tried to instill in them. The children of the post-war generation grew up with many luxuries and advantages their parents had not been privy to. Leaving home to attend college gave many students the freedom to participate in various movements for causes. The lack of parental supervision, and the ability to mobilize with other like minds created the environment that they could correct the wrongs of American society. The War in Vietnam was a perfect platform for their voices to be heard. In the mid 1960’s, a poll showed that more than half the population was opposed to the war. The formation of youth movements were created. The Students for a Democratic Society called on students to help build a society based on “participatory democracy” was the most well known. The U.S. and the South Vietnamese joint invasion on Cambodia triggered more protests on college campuses as the invasion was in violation of international law. Students...
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...The Vietnam War by Robin Davis The Vietnam War sparked a major antiwar movement in the United States-- not only among students who were eligible to be drafted after graduation, but also among civilians protesting in the streets and even soldiers in the military. Following the lead of the recent civil rights movement, which proved that social protest could be effective, the antiwar movement used the same tactics of civil disobedience. College students, while not the only ones to protest, played the biggest part in popularizing antiwar ideas to the nation. One popular national student organization-- the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)-- had been formed in 1960, and by 1966 they were focused almost entirely on the antiwar movement. This was mainly due to the fact that the Vietnam War had brought about a major change in public sentiment towards the government and its officials. While most everyone seemed to know why America was involved in World War II and heavily supported that involvement, questions abounded as to why they were ever involved in Vietnam. As more and more Americans fought and died in this war, and the costs of the war escalated, the student protests not only multiplied, but they also reflected the sentiment of a large percentage of Americans. Then, as the war expanded across Vietnamese borders into Cambodia, the student protests escalated even more. (Davidson, Gienapp, Heyrman, Lytle, & Stoff, 2005) The protests came to a head on May 4, 1970...
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...The Vietnam War was unlike anything that the United States had ever been involved in before. Many were unsure what exactly this war was all about. Since the draft was reinstated, many men were trying to find a way to escape being forced into war. The soldiers were treated like enemies rather than as the brave heroes they surely were. The Vietnam War happened during the “hippie era” of the United States, and in turn there were hundreds of protests on college campuses all across the country. Once the war ended, it was not truly over. The social and political outcomes that followed were not something anyone could have been prepared for. The catalyst to one of the most notorious protests was after President Nixon had recently “…expanded the war beyond Vietnam into Cambodia…” (Davidson, 2005). Students at Kent State University decided to protest this decision on May 4, 1970. About 300 student protestors gathered, and after burning the pages of a the Constitution form a text book, were returning back to campus to “…burn down an old army ROTC building.” (Davidson, 2005). Word of this got back to Governor James Rhodes who in turn ordered the National Guard to the campus. The National Guard had ordered the crowd of protestors to leave immediately, and while a few did, most did not. In fact, some of the protestors began throwing rocks and stood their ground. “The guardsmen suddenly fired into the crowd, many of whom were students passing back and forth from classes.” (Davidson...
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...The Vietnam War Karthik Rao AP World History 3/28/14 The Vietnam War, fought between 1959 and 1975, was one of the most controversial and debated wars in American history. The war was the prolonged struggle between nationalist forces attempting to unify the country of Vietnam under a communist or democratic government. The Vietnam War was part of the Cold War, during which the United States and the Soviet Union were in a sustained state of political and military tension. U.S. involvement in Vietnam created tension among the America public, leading to debates about some of the horrific acts of war that the United States army committed against the civilian population of Vietnam. Authors Nick Turse and James Westheider, provide very different points of view regarding the war. Turse’s novel, Kill anything that moves: The Real American war in Vietnam, draws upon emotion and particularly sympathy for the Vietnamese civilians. His novel describes the unjust military actions that the U.S. army committed against the Vietnamese public. On the other hand, Westheider’s novel, The Vietnam War, provides a point of view showing sympathy for the United States soldiers fighting a war facing horrid conditions. Overall, both books provide different views of one of the most controversial wars fought in the 20th century. The war in Vietnam was perhaps one of the biggest military failures in the United States. Between 1954 and 1964, the United States was merely providing aid to the forces of...
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... The Vietnam War left many scars on the people of the United States and had an even greater effect on the country. The reputation of our country changed as people began to have different views on the government, people’s constitutional rights, and the proper role of the media. The changing of perspectives of the people led to the country being split and angry. The Vietnam War was a fight over the government’s power, the war itself, and the draft for the war. The Truman doctrine was created to make sure the South Vietnamese did not become communist. America began to send in massive amounts of money to Vietnam in hopes that it would not become communist. Vietnam was previously property of the French empire. During World War II the Japanese seized control of Vietnam. The communism of the Vietnamese was meant to be an opposition to the Japanese. France then later tried to take Vietnam back but failed. The United States had sent in money to France but when the Japanese defeated France the United States was forced to send money and military advisors to South Vietnam. By 1960, America sent in troops to Vietnam to fight in a war that eventually led to fifty-eight thousand Americans losing their lives. The subsequent loss on the Vietnamese side was even greater than that. The long standing war ended up costing $150 billion dollars. American intervention began in 1955 when the first military advisors came into power. Many of the government’s agencies became involved in the war at home...
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...| |Vietnam War | | | | | |Samantha Crofford | |Steven Harn | |10/31/2010 | | | The Vietnam War is considered by some scholars to be a black spot on the United States’ white shirt. There is no doubt that it raised countless controversial issues. There were people who supported the War; there were people who protested the War. A specific group of people who protested the War was college students. During this time period, there was a high level of student unrest. However, there were also other factors that resulted from the Vietnam War....
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