The Vietnam War Era Discuss the range of American responses to the war. How did they change over time? How did domestic political concerns shape the country\'s response to the war? How did the war shape domestic politics in the 1960s and early 1970s? Reference: Goldfield, D. R., & In Wheeler, R. A. (2014). The American journey: A history of the United States, Combined Volume (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Solution In the United States, a nationwide debate ensued over participation in the war. The government\'s official position was that it was involved in Vietnam at the request of the government of South Vietnam and was helping to repel Communist aggression from the north. Its only avowed objective was to secure a settlement that would allow the people of Vietnam to decide their own form of government. To achieve this end, it was using only carefully controlled military measures so as not to take innocent lives or bring about active participation by China or the Soviet Union. As United States involvement continued, however, Americans grew increasingly dissatisfied with their nation\'s war policy. Some, described as \"hawks,\" argued that the United States should use maximum military force to gain a quick victory. Others, called \"doves,\" argued that the conflict in Vietnam was essentially a civil war in which the United States had no right to interfere. Some of the doves demanded immediate American withdrawal, while others called for a gradual disengagement from the war. Some critics of the war charged that American use of bombers and of artillery was too indiscriminate and that many innocent civilians had perished. The revelation that United States troops in 1968 had massacred the entire population of My Lai, an enemy-held village, caused much controversy over the way in which the war was being fought. Demonstrations were held in the United States, especially in 1969 and 1970, to protest the war. As the Vietnam War progressed, it lost much support from Americans because it was clear to many that it was not justified. This caused for the country to view war as destructive, and brought about a peace movement that is mostly associated with the decade of the 1960\'s but lasted until the late 1980\'s..

1. The Vietnam War Era
Discuss the range of American responses to the war.
How did they change over time?
How did domestic political concerns shape the country's response to the war?
How did the war shape domestic politics in the 1960s and early 1970s?
Reference:
Goldfield, D. R., & In Wheeler, R. A. (2014). The American journey: A history of
the United States, Combined Volume (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.:
Pearson
Solution
In the United States, a nationwide debate ensued over participation in the war. The government's
official position was that it was involved in Vietnam at the request of the government of South
Vietnam and was helping to repel Communist aggression from the north. Its only avowed
objective was to secure a settlement that would allow the people of Vietnam to decide their own
form of government. To achieve this end, it was using only carefully controlled military
measures so as not to take innocent lives or bring about active participation by China or the
Soviet Union.
As United States involvement continued, however, Americans grew increasingly dissatisfied
with their nation's war policy. Some, described as "hawks," argued that the United States
should use maximum military force to gain a quick victory. Others, called "doves," argued that
the conflict in Vietnam was essentially a civil war in which the United States had no right to
interfere. Some of the doves demanded immediate American withdrawal, while others called for
a gradual disengagement from the war.
Some critics of the war charged that American use of bombers and of artillery was too
indiscriminate and that many innocent civilians had perished. The revelation that United States
troops in 1968 had massacred the entire population of My Lai, an enemy-held village, caused
much controversy over the way in which the war was being fought. Demonstrations were held in
the United States, especially in 1969 and 1970, to protest the war.
As the Vietnam War progressed, it lost much support from Americans because it was clear to
many that it was not justified. This caused for the country to view war as destructive, and
brought about a peace movement that is mostly associated with the decade of the 1960's but
lasted until the late 1980's.