Comparing World War Two and Vietnam Veterans

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Introduction:

“The last American soldier left Vietnam during the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. For 2.4 million who served in Vietnam, there was no official homecoming. In June of 2005, Branson, Missouri held “Operation Welcome Home” for Vietnam Veterans. The parade and events were planned to provide the celebration and recognition they did not receive 30-plus years earlier.” (Vietnam: Homecoming) The veterans were able to see the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall and find the names of men they had known they had dies while serving. These veterans met with men they had formerly served with. Although this event was only a fraction of the welcome the soldiers truly deserved, many veterans were very appreciative of this. “Branson gave me closure to a book that has been kept open for 37 years.” (Crowe) For decades, Vietnam veterans had not been appreciated for their service to the United States. This experience allowed them to begin to heal the wounds that had been open for decades, due to the horrendous things they saw in battle and the lack of appreciation by the American people as a whole.

The return of soldiers from Vietnam greatly contrasted with the homecoming received by soldiers coming back from service in World War II. This contrast is due to the lack of respect of soldiers of the Vietnam Era. The American public overall was not supportive of the war and the treatment of these soldiers was reflective upon this. Regardless of the terribly traumatic experiences they had had in battle, Vietnam veterans were discriminated because of their participation in an unpopular war. This was terribly unjust, yet it occurred. Imagine going off to fight in an unknown country, thousands of miles away from home. Faced with the horrendous b...

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Lawrence, Mark Atwood. The Vietnam War: A Concise International History. N.p.: Oxford University Press, n.d. Print.

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Sherr, Lynn. "Six Wars. Six Vets. Six Stories of Courage." Parade 6 Nov. 2011: 14+. Print.

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