...transpired seemed to be out of cause and effect. Democracy has been the bedrock for America in which our leaders have stood by since our founding fathers wrote the United States Constitution. Power, is defined by the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. During this time in history having power was at the top of every leaders list. Defending our country and our political beliefs were truly defined in the first half of the twentieth century. World War II bred relations out of necessity, the “Big Three” rallied together to defeat Nazi Germany. U.S. President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Churchill and Soviet leader Stalin played the political game during WWII. Roosevelt and Churchill reached out to the betrayed Stalin in aiding the western powers in exchange for backing the communist supporters which allowed Stalin to influence the Soviet-Polish border. The relations of the three continued throughout the war but suspicions lingered between the West and Soviet Union....
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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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...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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...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 Munich and Vietnam: The Lacking Prevalence of Historical Analogies In recent wars, the Vietnam analogy has been forgotten and the Munich analogy has justified large scale interventions. Appeasement was the key regret of World War II and the Munich analogy was formed to prevent it from ever occurring again. The National Review explains that “’Munich’ and ‘appeasement’ have been among the dirtiest words in American politics, synonymous with naïveté and weakness.” This analogy was used to justify the Vietnam War prescribing the destruction of appeasement and suggesting a military intervention to prevent Ho Chi Minh and communism from further expansion, the “domino effect” as most called it. However, the Vietnam War went off the rails and was...
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...Dominic Rycraft HUMN 303H Professor McCarthy 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...
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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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...Tim O Brien’s mental thinking in “The Things They Carried,” and “In the Lake Of The Woods.” Tim Obrien’s “The Things They Carried,” and “In the Lake Of the Woods,” shows how the Vietnam War affected his writing style. Tim Obrien was a Vietnam War Veteran. This mental state is brought out through his style of writing through Characterization, Setting, and Theme. These things show how the Vietnam War affected his writing in a psychological way. I believe these stories and many others are ways he coped with the memories of Vietnam. First the characterization Obrien uses in “The things they carried,” and “In the lake of the woods,” shows how Obrien coped with his War past. Both of these stories have two men that portray Obrien. In “the things...
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...The Vietnam War was a long armed conflict between North Vietnam, its allies the Viet Cong against South Vietnam and their allies, the United States. North Vietnam was fighting to reunify Vietnam, however North Vietnam was a communist government, ruled by Ho Chi Minh. It was believed that if South Vietnam had fallen to communism, than the rest of Asia would follow. This was known as the Domino Theory. In order to help stop the spread of communism, the U.S. fought alongside South Vietnam. Nonetheless, after a long, costly war, the U.S. had lost the Vietnam war, which would not stop South Vietnam fall to communism. The United States had entered the Vietnam War after the Gulf of Tonkin incident, where North Vietnamese had fired upon U.S. Navy destroyers in 1964. This incident had compelled Congress to take action. Thus, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was made, which gave President Johnson permission to take all necessary actions. The...
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...Assignment 1: The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy Annette Hickson Dr. John Cronin Strayer University POL300 – International Problems February 9, 2014 Introduction The Second World War forever changed how the United States viewed its role in foreign affairs. America understood it could no longer stand by and watch countries abroad occupy other nations without feeling any impact. In order to combat this threat, several presidents introduced ideologies to prevent the spread of communism and position America as a leader of the free world. 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...
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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 was a war to bring South Vietnam into communist order from North Vietnam. But, the United States involved itself in the war. America involved itself in the Vietnam War to help save South Vietnam’s freedom as well as stop communism from spreading. But due to this decision, it greatly changed America and impacted the American society in many ways. In 1965, President Truman believed that the United States should support the policy to help free people trying to resist control from armed minorities or outside pressures. The United States demonstrated this policy by trying to defend South Vietnam from North Vietnam. (Doc 1) Also, America involved itself with War because a national pledge from President Johnson was made to help defend South Vietnam’s freedom. This is because every American President since 1954 has offered help to South Vietnam and President Johnson intended to keep that promise. (Doc 3)...
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...Portrayal of Vietnam War has become a popular theme in modern media due to the vast extent of people who are exposed to it. The effects of war on both the body and mind are clearly portrayed in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now. The audience is shown the negative outcomes of war; the chaos it brings to communities along with the mental decay of all involved. These are not your classic “Saving Private Ryan” films, where American troops come in and clean house. Rather these films portray the psychotic side of war, where some soldiers come back to society and can no longer function normally. Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and Coppola’s Apocalypse Now portray war as an ugly, disturbing event which affects both the soldiers and the people back home. Taxi Driver is set around the life of Vietnam Veteran, Travis Bickle. As...
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...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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...The North Vietnamese Communist leadership's ability to reassess and adapt during the Vietnam War was reflected in how well they combined guerilla and conventional operations to achieve their strategic goal of unifying Vietnam under communist rule. Throughout the conflict, the Viet Cong (VC) were employed to conduct guerilla operations while North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and VC "main force" units were used to transition to conventional operations. Guerilla operations enabled Hanoi to inflict a steady flow of casualties on US forces which increased anti-war sentiment in America. NVA and VC main force conventional operations reinforced the US Army's conventional approach to the fight which caused the Americans to alienate the people of South Vietnam. By alienating the South Vietnamese people, the Americans enhanced the VC's ability to conduct guerilla operations and control rural population centers which weakened the credibility of the Government of South Vietnam (GVN). The combined effects of guerilla and conventional operations supported the North Vietnamese strategy of a protracted conflict that was sure to weaken the resolve of the United States and eventually defeat the GVN. The relationship between conventional and guerilla operations was a key element of the Vietnamese communists’ “Dau Tranh” strategy to fight and win the Vietnam War. A brief description of the Dua Tranh (meaning struggle) strategy is appropriate since it was the basis for North Vietnam’s success. The strategy...
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