Vietnam War Thesis

Vietnam War Thesis
The Vietnam War was a long lasting one that started in an attempt to try to prevent Vietnam from joining the Socialist Republic, but at the end the
United States lost the war and a lot of credibility towards other countries. This opposition and the fact that the first military defeat of the United States
being, created a feeling of bad conscience in the US population considered against an unjust war, said Vietnam syndrome. Syndrome gave way to a
movement for peace and lasted until the mandates of Ronald Reagan. The Vietnam War became a symbol, and still is, social groups and leftist parties
in many parts of the world, then imitated an example of
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The Vietnam War Essay
Vietnam War
In the 1950's, the United States had begun to send troops to Vietnam and during the following 25–year period, the ensuing war would create some of
the strongest tensions in US history. Almost 3 million US men and women were sent thousands of miles to fight for what was a questionable cause. In
total, it is estimated that over 2 million people on both sides were killed.
This site does not try to document the entire history of the Vietnam War but is intended as a picture essay, illustrating some of the incredible conditions
under which soldiers from both sides lived, fought, played and ultimately died. Almost all of the images shown were taken by the legendary combat
photographer, Tim Page; they are nothing short of...show more content...
During WWII, the Japanese government took control of much of the area and set up a puppet regime that was eventually forced out by the Vietnamese
at the end of that war in 1945.
–––After WWII and until 1955, France fought hard to regain their former territories in the region, but with a poorly organized army and little
determination among the troops, their efforts soon collapsed. The French were finally defeated at Dien Bien Phu on the 8th of May 1954 by the
communist general Vo Nguyen Giap. The French troops withdrew, leaving a buffer zone separating the North and South and set up elections in order to
form a government in the South. The communist regime set up its headquarters in Hanoi under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh. Many North
Vietnamese left the country and fled south where the self–proclaimed president, Ngo Dinh Diem had formed the Republic of Vietnam.
–––Between 1955 and 1960, the North Vietnamese with the assistance of the southern communist Vietcong, tried to take over the government inSouth
Vietnam, and in November 1963 President Diem was overthrown and executed. The following year, the North Vietnamese began a massive drive to
conquer the whole country aided by China and Russia.
–––Fearing a communist takeover of the entire region, the United States grew more and more wary of the progress of Ho Chi Minh and the Vietcong.
Communism had become the evil menace in the United States and with expansion of Soviet rule into Eastern Europe, Korea and

Us Involvement In The Vietnam War Essay
The Vietnam war was a civil war between Northern and Southern Vietnam. The two halves of Vietnam were separated because of disagreements in
governmental policies. American troops involved themselves in the Vietnam war because they wanted to protect Vietnam from becoming a communist
country. The United States was split between those who wanted troops to get involved in the war and those who opposed. So when the US officials
decided to enter into the war, uproars and peace movements began. The United States should not have gotten involved in the war because there was a
loss of many soldiers and the economy was damaged.
Since the 19th century, Vietnam had been under French rule. During World War II, Ho Chi Minh was the president who valued the
...show more content...
So, France set up Saigon as the capital of the State of the Republic of Vietnam, also referred to as Southern Vietnam. Bao had proved himself to be a
worthy and trusting leader, so France appointed him as president of the South.
Even though the country was split, communism being in the North and Western practices being in the South, there were still vietnamese communists
inhabiting the South. Bao referred to those people as "Viet Cong". The war officially began in 1954 with armed battles between the North and the
South. However, the battles came to a halt after Dien Bien Plu which ended in a victory for the North. After the battle, a treaty was signed by the North
and the South at the Geneva Conference. The treaty officially split the country across the middle.
One year later (1955), Ngo Dinh Diem overthrew Bao as the president of the South. Diem was a strong leader who was passionately anti communist.
The Viet Cong was seen as a threat to Diem, so he had nearly 100,000 of them brutally tortured or killed. Also under his rule, Dwight D. Eisenhower,
president of the United States of America, declared his support and began sending aid to Southern

The Vietnam War was the first major war American's had suffered defeat. The Vietnam war was a war of confusion, competition and biasness. The
outcome of the war was far greater than an upset American nation, but a severe breakdown of the Vietnamese culture, economy, environment and
government. It also had a tremendous impact on American society even up to present day. It was unclear from the beginning of the war if the
American's should even be involved. It was a war between Northern and Southern Vietnam but the U.S saw it as an indirect way to challenge the
USSR's sphere of influence in Southern Asia and to prevent the domino effect and the further spread of communism. The Vietnam War completely
changed the way the United States...show more content...
The War not only affected those in Vietnam, but those still at home in America. Americans had split into two groups, known as the hawks and the
doves. The hawks were people who supported the war and wanted the country to be victorious in its fight with Communism. The doves were the
people that disagreed with the war. These were traditionally students, and people of the younger generation. Many veterans when they would return
home, would join in these mass protests. One popular protest, which took place at Kent State University, resulted in 9 wounded people with 4 dead.
The police at Kent State took action against a mass protest by opening fire. This is the evil that is created through war. Without the Vietnam war,
there is no protest at Kent State. Without the Vietnam war, the college kid's lives are spared. Without the Vietnam War, thousands of lives could have
been saved. Neil Young said it best in his song Ohio. Ohio discussed the brutality of war but mainly the police brutality against the kids at Kent State.
Vietnam was a tragic stain in American history. Vietnam was an entirely new type of war for the United States. It still remains morally and historically
problematic in today's society. The Vietnam War had a tremendous impact on American society and culture, primarily because it was the first war to be
televised. The American press played a significant

Essay The Impact of the Vietnam War
For many Americans it is common knowledge to know about the Vietnam War; however, for some Americans the Vietnam War is ancient history,
dishonorable, but irrelevant nonetheless. If people do not physically see the many horrors of war it is easy to forget; although maybe it is something
we try to forget. However, there are some who may be able to forget there will be some, like politicians, that will not forget. The Vietnam War had a
terrible impact on both the United States and Vietnam, and more importantly it would affect foreign policy for many years to come. It is highly
debatable for what the reasons were for the Vietnam War beginning but for the most part the reason was to stop the spread of communism. Communism
was on the rise and...show more content...
When Rolling Thunder failed to weaken the enemy's will after the first several weeks the purpose of it began to change. Bombings then tended to be
directed at the flow of men and supplies from the north (Karnow). Damaging as it was to the north, Ho Chi Minh still maintained the same course.
Operation Rolling Thunder was a desperate attempt to convince the North Vietnamese to initiate negotiations and hopefully a ceasefire. This
operation showed that LBJ was ineffective and ignorant. He was blind to the fact that the North Vietnamese were obviously going to retaliate
because of Operation Rolling Thunder. The TET offensive was the retaliation of the North. The north surprised attacked many of the cities and
therefore making it so that we had to activate our reserves. It was a political and psychological victory for them (Karnow), because it dramatically
contradicted claims by the United States government that the war was all but over. This offensive may have been insignificant because it was a failure
but it did send an intense message. Due to the ongoing offensives, controversy over the war raged on. Tensions were not only rising in Vietnam but
they were also rising on American soil. Opposition to the war escalated as the casualties grew, which created divisions among people of the American
society. The United States government

Essay On The Vietnam War
The Vietnam war took place between November 1, 1955 and April 30, 1975. During the time period of the 1950's, high tensions had risen in America
due to the ever–growing spread of communism throughout Asia. In order to free Vietnam from France's control and to be an independent nation,
Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh attempted to reach out to America on numerous of occasions, all of which failed to be successful. Eventually, Minh
turned his attention to the Soviet Union for aid, causing alarm to the American government. The US. believed that if Vietnam were to inhabit communist
ideals, that it would reflect the Domino Theory and eventually cause other countries within Asia to fall into communist hands. The US's involvement in
the Vietnam War changed...show more content...
After the WWII, communism spread to countries through the world under the influence of the Soviet Union (USSR) and China. The recent occurrence
of the Korean War heavily influenced the belief and importance of the Domino theory within the US. Beginning in 1950 and ending in 1953, the war
between the north and the south of Korea resulted in the draw between the Republic of Korea, who sided with the US, and the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea, who sided with the USSR and China. America, in turn, failed to prevent the expansion of communist influence and North Korea to
eventually fall into communist control. The failure within Korea exemplified the Domino theory and emphasized the idea that the US needed to
support Vietnam in order to prevent further countries within Asia to fall into communism. Within published transcripts from 1964, President Johnson
states Johnsons, when discussing observations of the Vietnam war with Robert McNamara, clearly states that the US had a strong commitment toSouth
Vietnam and that it would fall into communist hands if they refuse to take action, relating back to the idea of the Domino theory. In an international
history of the war, distinguished British professor Ralph Smith argued

Narrative Essay On Vietnam War
Vietnam. It's been awhile since I've been there. Although, there were bad times in Vietnam, there were also good time there as well. I had an
opportunity opened to me whether this was my destiny or a coincidence that led me here. All I remember from Vietnam were splashes, bangs and
booms from the rain, gunfire and explosions. Aside from that, the only things that glued into my head was the great people I met during my time there.
For the most part, there was two people that stood out for me, which were my buddy named Bubba and my commanding Lt. Dan.
Bubba and I were in the army. I met him in the first day I was recruited. On the bus, I had to walk up to many people and get rejected for not being
able to sit next to them. They all kept saying...show more content...
Dan was my commanding officer during my stay in Vietnam. I remember when we first met, Bubba and I were both looking for him. It took a while
for Bubba and me actually, before we met Lt. Dan face to face. I had a feeling that he would be a leader from the start. Despite his first impression
with us, he proved himself to me to be a good leader because he cared about his unit. He taught me one thing that could be the difference between
life and death, clean socks. Everyone there made it a big deal considering it was raining all the time like a waterfall. A lot of people didn't want to
get a thing called athlete's foot. I wanted to get it so I could run faster but what a shame I shouldn't get it. Everyone told me I wouldn't want to get
it. During the mission, Lt. Dan led the team cautiously across the land. There was tons of different terrain we went over. We had to go over grassy
farmlands, green bushes and thick trees. It was quite annoying, on top of that it was wet weather every day for six months straight. This really
hammered hard in my head for the duration of my stay there in Vietnam. Lt. Dan's stories really got my mind off things. I learned many things about
his family, that each of his ancestors all died at least one war the Americans joined. And that he will do the same in this war. Saying that "This was his
destiny" and all of us are playing

Reflective Essay: The Vietnam War
if one of us fell, we all did.
We safely made it to a forested section about halfway up the mountain and I questioned if anybody had to take a piss. They all shook their heads and
sat down to take a rest, leaving me to be the only one who actually had to use the restroom. I walked about 200 yards away looking for a place with
little animal markings to not upset their homes. At this distance the boys were completely out of view and hearing range unless they yelled at the top
of their lungs.
With the incessant feeling of needing to pee out of my system, I started to walk back, or so I thought I was. Turns out I waswalking east, further into
the forest, rather than back towards my group. Counting yards I was about 150 yards from where I started my walk back and I saw a figure. A...show
more content...
I would not have been his first victim, the majority of these outfits were also feminine meaning he preyed on the weaker targets. Explaining why he
thought he could take me down, and he probably could've if he didn't give me his weapon. Searching through his bag I find a rolled up document
with a velcro latch around it. A tag on the side reads "Jackson Harisson, Forest Ranger, Unit 311." The Ranger that Kane got his weapons and cuffs
from. Not just those either, there was a set of keys within the map once unfolded. Keys to a quad issued by the police department.
On the map were a series of symbols many of which I've never seen on a map. Maybe because citizens can't look at a forest ranger's map, regardless
it was confusing. After reading a key that was written in chicken scratch I find and X which meant current location. There was an array of X's all over
the map making it appear cluttered. Some old some new, but there was one that was screaming for attention. Written in bright green was the X that
marked where I was at. Written by Kane no doubt, never the less it was my saving

The Vietnam War Was The War Essay
During the1950s North Vietnam was controlled by the Viet Cong (a National Liberation Front.) The Viet Cong were bullying South Vietnam, trying to
make them a communist. Most of society will not stand up for the weaker person in a bully situation. The United States is not most of society; they
believe you mess with someone your own size. Many people have different views on the Vietnam War: was the war necessary, was the war worth all
the sacrifices of American troops lives, what was the United States moral obligation to oppose communism, and what ethics did the Presidents of the
United States abide by when fighting Vietcong.
The Vietnam War was the longest war in United States History. The war officially started on November 1, 1955 and concluded on April 30, 1975.
There were three total presidents who served during this war, John F. Kennedy who sent American soldiers overseas to Vietnam in 1965,Lyndon B.
Johnson who ordered the first real combat by American troops on the Vietcong, andRichard Nixon who issued a ceasefire in 1973 ending the war.
Throughout the Vietnam War America spent billions of greenbacks and lost nearly 60,000 American lives.
Beginning in 1955, with the help of America massive amounts of U.S. military, political, and economic aid, the Government of the Republic of
Vietnam (GVN or South Vietnam) was born. "The purpose of this offer is to assist the Government of Vietnam in developing and maintaining a strong,
viable state, capable of resisting attempted

The Vietnam War And The War Essay
Abstract
This paper will be explaining the similarities, and differences, between the Vietnam War and the War in Afghanistan. There are many topics that bring
these two wars together. However, I am only going to be talking about public support, policy objectives, military strategy, weapons, fighting spirit,
links to home, and death totals. These topics have a lot of information about them, but there is too much to write about every little detail, so I will
cover the broad overview of them. Each paragraph will be about one of the topics. There will also be a discussion about insurgencies and counter
insurgency operations. These are two big topics in Vietnam and Afghanistan since almost all of the enemy in both wars were, and are, comprised of
insurgents and different types of militia groups.
Whether or not America is Enduring its Second Vietnam. In Comparison with Afghanistan. Many people believe that the persistent armed conflict in
Afghanistan is was beginning to resemble another famous war that the United States has been in: The Vietnam War. Some people have coined it
"Americas Second Vietnam" There are many similarities between the two wars, the majority pertaining to Counter Insurgency (COIN) operations and
campaigns. The Counter Insurgency operations in Vietnam have taught the U.S. a lot that can be applied to Afghanistan. According to Phillips (2015)
"Although our understanding and steadfast support can make a significant difference, ultimate success depends on

Reflective Essay: The Vietnam War
She never thought of herself as a broken or a weak person, but that is exactly what she was, exactly what they all were. Broken children tossed into
the cruel harsh world, into a war they should have never been a part of, yet they had been. Each and everyone of them had done things to survive
things they could never undo or unseen. Would the things they've done define who they are, would that be all that is left of them when they are older?
Would the things happened on the ground be the only things they think about or would they simply forget all they've done, cast it aside to focus on the
overwhelming joy they felt be back on the ground once again? These were the thoughts that she had, more often now that it grew closer to the day they
were set to return to the ground....show more content...
The silence was like an infection, it slowly crept into her bones, seeping it's poison into the blood stream. It caused her to see ghosts of people who
weren't really there and from time to time she found herself speaking to them only to remember a few seconds later that they weren't here gone.
Today was no different, the others were nowhere to be seen, or heard for that matter, leaving her with nothing more than the silence and the
memories that seemed to rush back to mind when left alone. She hated it, hated being left alone, hated the way she felt. When she still held part of
A.L.I.E.S code in her mind, she wanted nothing more than to be left alone. She wanted to die, take the rocket ship, go spacewalk one last time and
just die, but now that it was gone, it was different. She never wanted to be left alone. It scared her to be left alone, she feared that Becca would
reappear. That being on the ring wasn't just delusion brought on by lack of oxygen. She often found herself pinching herself to make sure she was
actually here, that this wasn't some

The Impact of the Vietnam War on Veterans Essay
How did a Vietnam soldier's life change during and after the war. Society had a lot of different views regarding the soldiers and the war. When
coming home veterans faced many distinct challenges. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial helped to heal the nation. The Vietnam War had a major
impact on the United States and the soldiers who fought in it. The Vietnam War was a violent and costly war that needed many men to fight for its
cause. These men are now known as the Vietnam veterans. Numerous veterans who fought in the war were injured or lost a comrade during battle.
These soldiers fought to protect the United States and its people while risking their own lives. A lot of these brave men were either killed or injured
and did not gain the...show more content...
Diseases, drugs, alcohol, and the harsh living conditions often left soldiers longing for home. Veterans coming home had to face many different
situations. Most veterans who came home did not receive the welcome they had deserved. Some veterans were homeless and unemployed after coming
home. An organization called the Vietnam Veterans against the War or the VVAW tried to help the soldiers coming home. The organization allowed
veterans to talk about their experiences to them and also tried to get the veterans to talk to the public (Rivers 646–648). The VVAW helped the veterans
throughout the war. Many veterans who came home had emotional trauma or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The United States citizens did
not want to remember the war or the brave men who fought in it (Rivers 646–647). Very few people cared about Vietnam or the soldiers during the war
because of the negative views toward the soldiers and the war. There were two main views toward the soldiers in Vietnam; a negative view and a
positive view. The negative view seemed to be the most popular attitude towards them. The negative outlook portrayed the soldiers as the reason for
the United States involvement in the war and the reason to why the U.S. was losing. Many soldiers came back to the U.S. and felt like a criminal
(Rivers 647). The positive view saw the soldiers as heroes. This perspective depicts the soldiers as heroic and fighting for the United States. Post
traumatic stress

Vietnam and The Cold War Essay
Vietnam and The Cold War
It is impossible to accurately describe the major events that occurred during the cold war without mentioning the war in Vietnam. From its start, this
war has been very controversial concerning its purposes and effects on the countries involved. Both sides of this war lost a great number of soldiers
and most of these men and women were not even sure why they were fighting. To this day, there is still a lot of uncertainty about the events that took
place during this heated time in south Asia. One of the biggest questions raised is why the United States felt it was their responsibility to ever got
involved and what were they trying to gain by sending in their troops. A look at the history of thecold war and...show more content...
From the beginning of his term, Diem felt that North Vietnam was planning to forcefully take overSouth Vietnam. Diem began to arrest anyone who
was suspected of being a Communist. Soon after, North Vietnam began attempting to reunify Vietnam through political means, and not through the use
of violence. After this proved to be an unsuccessful attempt, North Vietnam and the Communist Party finally approved the use of violence to overthrow
Ngo Dinh Diems government. The National Liberation Front (NLF) was thus developed by the Communists, allowing anyone who was against Diem
and for the unification of Vietnam to join to join their alliance.
After noticing that South Vietnam was on shaky ground, President Kennedy decided to send in a limited number of troops to aid Diem and his
government. However, Diem began to lose popularity among his people and eventually he and his brother were assassinated. Three weeks after the
deaths of these two leaders, President Kennedy was assassinated. President Lyndon B. Johnson decided more action needed to be taken in South
Vietnam and, after two U.S. ships were destroyed in the Gulf on Tonkin, Johnson and his administration began to order air attacks upon the North
Vietnamese (the U.S. referred to them as the "Vietcong"). Soon afterwards, the NLF attacked two U.S. army installations in South Vietnam and, as a
result, Johnson orders bombing missions

The Vietnam War Of all of the wars fought by the United States, the Vietnam War was by far the most controversial. After the defeat of French forces,
Vietnam was divided into two sections: North Vietnam, and South Vietnam. North Vietnam became a Communist government under Ho Chi Minh,
and South Vietnam eventually became a Republic under Ngo Dinh Diem. Under Diem's oppressive rule, the Viet Cong (those against Diem) grew in
power, and the U.S. reacted to the Communist threat by sending in troops and economic aid, and advised Diem to make more Democratic Reforms.
Because it was never actually declared a war by congress, the "Vietnam War" is technically the "Vietnam Conflict". Nevertheless, it is still called "one
of the bloodiest wars of...show more content...
The new enemy was the Communists. The U.S. felt that "if South Vietnam fell to communism, all of Indochina would fall" (16), and it would create
"domino effect", that would influence all of Indochina to become communist as well. The Vietnamese side was different; they believed that the U.S.
was trying to colonize Vietnam as the French had previously done. The people and the Vietminh (Viet Cong) believed that the government was a
"puppet" of the United States. The American backed ruler of South Vietnam was Ngo Dinh Diem, who quickly became a dictator. He did not allow
any opposition in his policies and demanded complete obedience (Olson, 60). He was from a family that had formerly had a "political dynasty in the
tenth century, and then the mandarinate at the imperial court for centuries" (Olson, 54–55). A Roman Catholic ruling a Buddhist majority, Diem was
known for being very reclusive and very loyal to his family. The only real shared interest between Diem and the people of South Vietnam was the
hope of taking the French out of Vietnam. Ironically, it seemed as thought they had simply traded in "French despots for a Vietnamese one" (Mc
Namara, 35). People like Truong Nho Tang, a founder of the National Liberation Front, were , "Organizers... educated, patriotic, embarrassed by Diem–
[and] were nationalists. Some were communists; many were not. Many had not been politically active before. But Diem's

World War Vs Vietnam War Essay
War is never an easy subject to discuss with any group of people. Almost any or all wars that the United States has been apart of, there were people
to rebel against the idea of it. The main reason due to this is most of the time we as a nation have no actual reason of involvement in these bloody
wars, coming from opinions of people against the idea of war. But unlike World War Two, theUnited States had a "just" reason from a Christian stand
point to enter this massive war and even brought the country together and changed the country many ways in whole. Unlike World War One, the
Vietnam War, or any other major event the United States has been apart of in the nineteenth century, World War Two had a reason for our
involvement. This war hit home and hearts of almost all Americans during this time period. World War Two was started due to a evil dictator by the
name Adolf Hitler, he invaded many countries in the beginning of the 1940's and seemed to be as a threat to the world. The wicked leader as well
had camps in Germany and other countries that held people as prisoners and at these camps the people were brutally killed; we all know this as the
Holocaust. The war not only had an impact on the world an many other countries but as...show more content...
Well most may have the idea that we morally as people needed to be apart of the fight, in arms to take down the evil power that was nearly trying to
take over the world. So I believe why people are so against other wars just as the Iraq war we are still involved in today, people oppose it is due to the
United States is truly involved in it. Some may believe it is to keep our relations with Iran and other middle eastern countries within our side to keep
oil relations, and in some cases is not valid enough of a reason to spend billions of dollars on guns and equipment for this

Devastation Of The Vietnam War Essay
The Devastation the Vietnam War Caused
The Hmong people came from Southern China, Laos, Vietnam,and Thailand. There was a war that was brewing in the horizon. A war between North
and South Vietnam. The United States military will be right there to fight alongside the south. It will be a deadly war that will leave many without
hope. We recruited the Hmong people because they could speak their native language well and could communicate with others in their country. They
knew their way around vietnam and could help to defeat North Vietnam. The United States and Vietnam both shared a common goal, to be a free
country.
The vietnam war, was a courageous war that was fought between South and North Vietnam. The Hmong people lived in North Vietnam and were under
the rule of the Communists....show more content...
They had helped the United States to defeat North Vietnam. Since they had lost, the Communists were not going to show mercy towards them. They
would not be kind to them if they stayed any longer. They Hmongs decided to flee to refugee camps in Thailand, though these were not any better.
They made later expeditions to America to find a safe haven and a better life.
The Yang family from "The Latehomecomer" was born in a refugee camp and later moved with her family to Minnesota. They all received a great
education and lived a happy life together. The Hmongs left North Vietnam and traveled to America. They studied extremely hard to become citizens of
the United States. There were many failed attempts but eventually they succeeded. By doing this, they were giving many rights and privileges.
The United States and the Hmongs went through many challenges as they fought beside each other for the Hmongs to gain rights that they deserved.
It was a courageous battle that lasted for many years and was one that was fought will all heart. Though, the fight was a loss, the Hmongs were able to
live a better life in

Vietnam Veterans Against The War Essay
Brief History The first American troops arrived in Danang, South Vietnam on 8th March, 1965. The troops' mission was to defend the American
airfield from the Viet Cong insurgents. However, their mission gradually extended to defensive patrolling and later on taking the offensive. As such,
the number of US troops swelled to 184,300 by the end of the year and by1969, the number of American soldiers had swelled to 543,000.
Correspondingly, opposition against the mission, which was previously minimal, rose magnanimously. In April 1967, a crowd of over 100,00 people
marched from Central Park to the United Nations Buildings to ask for the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam. By this time, over 8,000
American troops had been lost in the war. Following the protests, six Vietnam Veterans, among those who had returned home formed the organization
Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW). They wanted the government to "bring their brothers back home." Authenticity of the VVAW The main
arguments for the authenticity of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War was the idea that it empowered the individual as a change agent in the sense
that the veteran soldiers spoke out to forewarn their fellow soldiers about the conditions of war. It also served to speak out for the hundreds of soldiers
who were still on the mission to protect the nation from the harm that they had faced and to champion for the morality of the American soldier as
idealized in their training. This brought about

American Public Opinion of the Vietnam War Essay
American Public Opinion of the Vietnam War
At the beginning of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, in 1965, the American Public favored the idea of war because they feared the threat of
communism. Polls conducted in 1965, showed 80 percent of the population agreed with President Johnson and were for the war (Rousseau 11). The
U.S. got involved with the war to stop communism from spreading throughout South Asia. Americans were afraid if one country on South Asia turned
to communism, it would extend to other countries, which is known as the "Domino Theory". The United States thought if they stopped communism in
Vietnam, it would stop the spread of communism. At this time, America saw itself as...show more content...
Which would create a large threat to the United States and the amount of power they held. They felt Vietnam would create a blockade and stop the
spread of communism. The American people were upset because they were being sent hundreds of miles away to fight a war, which had nothing to do
with America.
The media played a large role in turning Americans against the war. This war was the first was in which the media had no restrictions on what they
could show the
Archer 3
people. It is known as the T.V. War. Marshall McLuhan, a journalist from Regent's School of Communication and the Arts, said, "Television brought the
brutality of war into the comfort of the living room. Vietnam was lost in the living rooms of America––not on the battlefields of Vietnam"(Patterson).
This was the first war to have been filmed. It was shown daily on the television and in the newspapers. The American government decided not to
censor it and let the press have free access. Pictures of Vietnamese children burning alive from American napalm, and the executions of Vietnam
people were aired on the nightly news. The news also showed pictures of wounded U.S. soldiers and civilians. This portion of the news became
commonly known as "Steak and potatoes with body counts," (Patterson, 80). The pictures showed the American public just how cruel war could be,
and portrayed the U.S. as

What were the varying responses from the "Allied" troops subject to Vietnam?
The responses from the allied troops were mainly of hatred for the very harsh yet beautiful environment and an ambiguous response to the Vietnamese
people. It is understandable the grudge troops held against a gruesome environment shrouded with innumerable killings in an alien culture, but the
brutal racial discrimination perpetrated by Americans was still very prejudicial. There were, however, acts of kindness and charity to Vietnamese, yet
at the same time, these glimpses of humanity were overshadowed by the greater bloody conflict. The varying responses of the allies were clearly
evident through well–known films, stories and writers.
Vietnam's ever...show more content...
This stylistically surreal film (shot in the Philippines) depicts the beauty of Vietnam mixed with the madness of war. Coppola captures the relaxing
white beaches with palm trees and rolling waves, just so he can jarringly contrast peaceful nature to the suffocating, death lurking everywhere. The
scene of the GI's water skiing disrupting a passing peasant boat metaphorically shows that in fact the Americans are the out–of–control intruders.
Claustrophobic alien jungle has become the hellish backdrop for the gruesome killing machinery of war as represented by the "insane" Colonel
Walter E. Kurtz who constantly repeats the word, "horror," as he has been blinded by the cruelty of war. In addition, this film is riddled with racial
discrimination towards the Vietnamese with cruel comments such as, "We must kill them. We must incinerate them. Pig after pig. Cow after cow.
Village after village. Army after army." Also the stereotypes to Vietnamese as "slopes," "gooks," or, "fucking savages," portrays the overall
dehumanizing attitudes of the Americans developed in Vietnam. The merciless scene where the 'grunts' literally rip to shreds the Vietnamese peasants
on a sampan also further shows total disregard or respect for Vietnamese as humans. The film's most memorable scene of a swarm of attack
helicopters riding out of an orange sunrise, with choppers' loud speakers blaring out Wagner's Ride of the Valkyrie's, shocks with the Americans'
careless disregard as a peaceful village

Vietnam War Thesis

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Vietnam War Thesis