...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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...The Vietnam Conflict Introduction It is difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons why the U.S. became involved in the Vietnam Conflict. Perhaps one of the more convincing reasons can be attributed to the strong disdain most Americans had for Communism. The U.S. government feared that Communism, if not prevented, would spread throughout the nations. The federal government used President Eisenhower’s “domino theory,” which stated, “if one country in Southeast Asia collapsed to Communism then surrounding countries would soon fall” to rally support for their intentions to save Vietnam from Communism (Davidson, 2011, p. 839). The true reasons for U.S. involvement in the Vietnam Conflict is debatable, however one thing is clear, the war caused further division in a country already suffering from its own social issues. There had been conflict in the Vietnam long before the U.S. became involved in the conflict. Vietnam had been occupied by foreign countries for many years, and by 1940, Vietnam was under both French and Japanese rule. Ho Chi Minh, a Communist Vietnamese revolutionary leader, vowed to create a Vietnam that was independent of foreign rule (Davidson, 2011, p. 839). Ho Chi Minh established the Viet Minh whose main purpose was to liberate Vietnam from French and Japanese control. Northern Vietnam supported the Viet Minh efforts to create an independent Vietnam and joined forces with southern communist Vietcong to overthrow South Vietnam and unite Vietnam under one...
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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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...Vietnamese revolution of North Vietnam caught the attention of the United States. The United States made it clear that they would not accepted a unified Vietnam under communistic rule after the Korean War. During the Eisenhower and Kennedy administration, it was believed that allowing Vietnam to be under communistic rule would cause a domino effect, which not only neighboring countries surrounding Vietnam would fall under communism, but more influential countries would be affected and fall under communism as well. It was also believed that if the United States allowed Vietnam to become communist country, then somehow this domino effect would spread as far as into the United States, converting their country to communism as well. For the...
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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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...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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...Conflict in Vietnam, 1963-75 Revision Notes Part 1; Reasons for the US involvement in Vietnam What was the background to the Vietnam War? • Vietnam was ruled by the French till 1954. Then it was divided into two countries. • The communist ruler of North Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, wanted to unite the North and South under his control. He supported the Vietcong in South Vietnam. • President Diem ruled South Vietnam. He was strongly anti-communist, but was also a brutal and unpopular leader. Who were the Vietcong? • The Vietcong (or the National Liberation Front) were the communist guerrilla soldiers fighting to overthrow President Diem and his government. • By 1964, there were over 100,000 Vietcong in the South and they were killing thousands of South Vietnamese officials every year. Diem's army could not get rid of them. Why did the Americans get involved? • America said it wanted to ‘save’ the South Vietnamese people from the evils of communism. • But, remember that this was the time of the Cold War. Americans were obsessed with stopping Communism, both abroad and at home in the USA. • The Americans wanted to "contain" (stop) the spread of Communism in the world (the Truman Doctrine). The USA wanted to support non-Communist governments which were threatened by Communists. It knew that the USSR and China, both Communist-ruled, were sending aid to Communist North Vietnam. • The Americans also believed...
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...in the Vietnam Conflict was neither justifiable nor demonstrative of sound judgment by the American government. Many books, magazines, and other forms of commentary on the Vietnam War have surfaced in the half century since the war’s end. Historian and author Stanley Karnow suggests that such publications generally attempt to make sense of the horrific “war that nobody won” (Karnow 9). It is a subject that will continue endlessly to divide historians and others as they attempt to draw lessons from the conflict that might then be used to justify, condemn, or promote America’s involvement in modern day Vietnams. Because of the magnitude of complexities surrounding the war, some may find it difficult to formulate an unwavering opinion about the war’s causes and effects. According to Robert McNamara, who served as Secretary of Defense for Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, mankind has often struggled to find solutions to even simple problems related to the unification of values and ideologies spanning diverse cultures (McNamara 323). In order to fairly judge why the American government put our troops in the jungles, swamps, and fields of Vietnam, one might first closely examine why our government claims to have committed our troops to Vietnam. One of the reasons most adamantly advanced by our government to justify a full scale assault on the Vietcong of North Vietnam was an incident that is said to have occurred in the Gulf of Tonkin. The Gulf of Tonkin boarders Vietnam and was...
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...February 20, 2015 A Broken Union The American Dream is the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. Many say that they have now made that dream a reality. In the early 50’s this wasn’t the case, we still had that dream but many obstacles to get through to achieve that dream. During this time America will be put through strain and heartache to prosper and become the country that many look toward for freedom. The 50’s were a time where we had to take a step back and reanalyze because of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. These two major events that happened in America may have shaped us in the wrong way. During this time in America, we were divided as a whole. It wasn’t one country but two, not by where you lived but rather by your skin color. If you were born with the wrong skin color you would be penalized for this. “Although African Americans’ subjugation holds a special place in U.S. history, they were by no means the only important group facing severe marginalization during the 1950s and since. Native Americans as well as Latinos and Latinas were subject to systematic racial discrimination, dispossession of property, and hate crimes.” (Super, 2014) America was a dark place if you weren’t white and that held us back as a nation. To end racial segregation and discrimination against black Americans, the African-American Civil Rights Movement started. This movement...
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...The Vietnam war was like a disappearing act.It was this way in the sense that many American men were drafted into the war. Many people did not like this.It messed with many lives and businesses.The US was impacted a lot in the fact of why they had to help, the impact on society, and the impact on foreign policy. The US had no other choice than to join the war.The US made a promise to south Vietnam and kept that promise by helping build and defend south Vietnam. They also want to protect freedom and democracy. Protecting democracy for one country shows they really care about democracy and other countries.This is Why the US got involved in the Vietnam war. The Vietnam war hugely impacted the american society. There were many people from Vietnam staying in america which caused a few changes. The US had to put extra signs on buildings so the Vietnamese people could read them and know which building to enter. This influenced our signs for packaging today. We also had all our money going towards war and not society. This is how the Vietnam war affected the US. Also, the Vietnam war affected the US foreign policy. After the war, the foreign policy was left in disarray. The US had discredited the post war policy of containment. Then, undermined the consensus that supported it. This is how the war affected US foreign...
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... America looked for ways to promote democracy around the world but it was met with opposition. The Soviet Union was not willing to conform to America’s way of life and this battle was the basis for the Cold War. The Sixties was an era in which the Freedom Movement gained momentum and Americans began to question whether or not the government was honest with the public (Schultz, 2012). Meanwhile, foreign policy would dominate as President Lyndon Johnson inherited the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. To better understand President Johnson’s ideals, this paper will summarize the situation that required U.S. diplomatic efforts during President Johnson’s time in office. Furthermore, President Johnson’s diplomatic doctrine will be analyzed with reference to specific actions and events. Finally, the effects of these diplomatic efforts for the U.S. and other countries will be described to assess its impact. Summarize a Situation that Required U.S. Diplomatic Efforts during President Johnson’s time in office During President Johnson’s time in office, managing the Vietnam conflict required diplomatic efforts by the United States. President Johnson inherited the U.S. involvement in Vietnam immediately after taking office. Initially, President John Kennedy decided to fight communism...
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...The Vietnam War The Vietnam War was a time in American history still spoken of with strong emotions today. The events of the era helped to spawn countercultures that helped to mold the country. There was strife and violence, fear and wounds, but mostly there was a quiet moment when the country’s college students moved from childhood into adulthood. This growth gave them the power to speak out against a war they did not believe in and were forced to send their brothers, boyfriends, and husbands to die in. In the eight years that America fought the Vietcong, more than 58,000 American soldiers died and America changed in ways the citizens never thought possible that are still felt in the world politic policy of today. In the early 1960s America was disrupted by the Civil Rights movement. Black, white, right, wrong; these were the ideals that the college students of the day were concentrating on. In the background, the United States was becomming involved in the civil conflict in Vietnam. Students turned their attention to this conflict as Presidents Lyndon Johnson then President Richard Nixon sent more soldiers to fight despite promises for peace (Coltrane, n.d). The college students became alarmed about how many American men were dying in a war that had nothing to do with them. Once the draft was reinstated and more men were sent to Vietnam, demonstrations, teach-ins and rallies were held on many campuses around the country protesting the war. The draft seemed to be the keystone...
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...Music of the 1960s and its Effects on American Popular Culture by Jennifer Frondelli April 17th, 2013 Music of the 1960s Thesis: The music of the 1960s had a significant effect on the public opinions of the time on topics such as the Vietnam War and the subsequent draft, the civil rights movement, and the Cold War. I. Introduction a. Thesis Statement II. The Vietnam War and the draft a. Prominent Artists 1. Simon & Garfunkel 2. The Rolling Stones 3. Creedence Clearwater Revival b. Public Opinion 1. Anti-War 2. Anti-Draft 3. Protests III. The Civil Rights Movement a. Gospel 1. Martin Luther King Jr. 2. Church Gatherings 3. Protests b. African American Music 1. Jazz 2. Freedom Singers 3. Folk, Rock 'n' Roll, Blues, Soul c. Prominent Songs/Hymns 1. “We Shall Overcome” 2. “Oh Freedom” 3. “Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Us Around” IV. The Cold War a. Themes 1. Potential Nuclear Attack 2. American/Soviet Nationalism 3. Symbolism b. Prominent Artists 1. Bob Dylan 2. Simon & Garfunkel 3. Joan Baez c. Influence V. Conclusion a. Thesis Statement The 1960s was, historically, a significant decade in America. The country underwent many changes both politically and culturally. From the presidential assassinations, to the social revolutions by the younger generations, to the war raging across half way around the world, the 1960s were a time of both societal...
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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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...contributed to the My Lai Massacre’s reputation as one of the darkest moments in the Vietnam War (Morelock 60). Part of the effectiveness of this presentation to the public is due to its constant featuring in major news outlets. For example, the story was featured on the front page of TIME magazine in 1971. Also, photos captured by combat photographers helped present people with images of the event, painting a vivid image of the murders (Wilberding 31). All this knowledge was accompanied by the building disapproval of America’s involvement in the Vietnam war, and My Lai served as evidence of America’s failure (Wilberding...
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