The History of the Vietnam War Essay - 2391 Words

The Vietnam War started in 1945, resulting in almost 60,000 American deaths and nearly two million Vietnamese deaths, according to Mintze. Years after combat countless Vietnam veterans suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder in every aspect of their lives (Price). Posttraumatic stress disorder is an illness that can happen to anyone who has gone through a horrifying experience. It has been documented in all forms of literature and films the brutality of the war and the side effects it came with. The history of Vietnam is quite long and winding and leaves one to question its purpose (Mintze). The Vietnam War is known as the longest battle in American history (Mintze). It is also one of the first to end in defeat for America and to be†¦show more content†¦This act to dismantle the communist north violated the Cambodian neutrality and prompted protests nationally. There was such outrage and chaos one demonstration ended in a shooting at Kent State University killing four students. The bloodshed has left numerous Americans wondering if the war was necessary (Learn about Vietnam War). The root of the questions regarding Vietnam War is why did so many soldiers come home from this war so drastically transformed? Coleman addresses, in the early years of the war, volunteers filled most of the ranks. As the war continued and the public became more aware of the inhumanity the government implemented a draft (Coleman 66). Statics show the poor led this war and very few wealthy were recruited (Coleman 67). Coleman claims, the average age of the soldiers who died were seventeen and twenty-one (68). She writes this certainly contributed to the psychological wounds (68). Various reasons explain why Vietnam vets had become psychologically ill. Coleman believes it was a lack of leadership, support, and trust. Troops were trained to believe the Vietnamese were below Americans and they were just ‘gooks’ (74). One by one each veteran tells their story in the documentary â€Å"Winter Soldier,† and the same story is told in different words. In the moment of war the men were persuaded to believe what they were doing was for the good of their country (Lesser). Soldiers were left to feel as if they were sent toShow MoreRelatedVietnam War : History And History1695 Words   |  7 Pages http://www.scribd.com/doc/28238272/Vietnam-War-DBQ#scribd Throughout the 1960s and 1970s Americans became uneasy not only about the troubled position of the United States in world affairs, but also about the disorder wrought at home byforeign entanglements. Vietnam, either because of the searing war experience itself or because of the lessons Americans later drew from the experience, drastically altered society during the1960s and 1970s. The belief in the right to influence the internal affairsRead MoreModern History : The Vietnam War854 Words   |  4 PagesModern History Background: The Vietnam War began, because of Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) being conquered by the Japanese, in 1941. This led to the creation of the Vietnamese nationalist movement, formed by Ho Chi Minh to resist the Japanese. The Vietnamese national movement also known as the Vietminh, was a communist front organization. To stop the spread of communism through Asia, the United States intervened. The war lasted for 19-20 years, and involved countries such as South VietnamRead MoreAmerican History: The Vietnam War1670 Words   |  7 Pagesrevolution that would last the better part of the next 24 years. 1968 was one of the most chaotic and violent years in American history. The Vietnam War was being fought during this year, and with the war came many protests. Over 40% of Americans were against the war, polarizing the nation. Just about half a million American soldiers were fighting in Vietnam and the death toll nearing 20,000 (Gould 7). To add to the madness, in March James Earl Ray assassinated Martin Luther King Junior. AsRead MoreComparison Between War History And The Vietnam War1514 Words   |  7 PagesCONTRAST IN WAR HISTORY KHALED ALRASHIDI ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Date : 03/03/2016 ENG #107 KURT MYERS On March 29, 1973, the last combat of the US troops finally left southern Vietnam. Four years had elapsed since the start of withdrawing operation by the US battalion from Vietnam. Approximately 2.5 million Americans soldiers among them officers, counselors, nurses, physicians and other units of personnel s in the US served in the Vietnam warfare. It was time to return home though theRead MoreThe Vietnam War Era Of American History1700 Words   |  7 Pages Stanley Karnow describes the Vietnam War era of American history as â€Å"†¦a tragedy of epic dimensions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 1 and it is fair to postulate that this is no understatement. One of the more pertinent ramifications of the Vietnam War was the deconstruction of fundamental, if somewhat illusory, American conceptions and ideals. The war shattered America’s hitherto unshakeable â€Å"confidence†2 in its political hegemony, military prowess and assumed authority in world order, i.e. â€Å"†¦its moral ex clusivity, its militaryRead MoreThe Vietnam War Remains A Piece Of Controversial History958 Words   |  4 PagesEssay Prompt #14 Comparative Question 1: The Vietnam War remains a piece of controversial history in our nation’s timeline. Unlike our country’s participation in the World Wars, much of the war in Vietnam centered on a conflict of abstract ideals. America’s policy of containing communism greatly influenced many significant political decisions during the Cold War Era. In addition, this passage of time brought about drastic cultural and ideological shifts within our country. Although these changesRead MoreThe Vietnam War And The Long Arms Of American History920 Words   |  4 PagesThe Vietnam War is a sore spot in the long arms of American History. Nearly 60,000 Americans died and estimated millions of Vietnamese. It was considered to be the longest war in American history as well. Many questioned the motives and causes of the war calling it an atrocity. Others say that it may have been a terrible effort to defend a noble cause, the spread of communism. The years precluding the Vietnam war, there was a war taking place in Vietnam. It was known as the Indochina War, whereRead MoreAmerican History: The Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement719 Words   |  3 PagesThe year was 1972. From events such as the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, the United States was faced with extreme political and social turmoil. Despite Nixon’s promise to end war and unite the country, no one could have predicted that his election would accompany one of the largest political scandals to date. It all began with tape on door latches, finally ending with the resignation of a president and a scandal that echoes in American culture four decades later. Like most scandals,Read More How Can They Succeed?1034 Words   |  5 Pagesis behind him.† In the Vietnam War, many official soldiers and civilians took part in the combat. It started from December 1956 to 1975, nearly 20 years, in Vietnam. The Vietnam War was a war between North V ietnam and government of South Vietnam that United States participated and supported. It was a highlight in Vietnamese history and United States history also which was recorded, commented, discussed, debated in many books, journals and articles. In the South of Vietnam, there was a political organizationRead MoreOpposing the Vietnam War Essay1023 Words   |  5 PagesOpposing the Vietnam War The War in Vietnam is one of the most controversial arguments in history. The main reason That it is so controversial, is because we lost. Both democrats and republicans argue that the way the war was handled should have been differently. Some ask why bother, the war is over and done with; that there is nothing anyone can do to change it. The amazing thing about history though is that we can learn from our mistakes, and make sure that nothing like this