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Impacts of the Vietnam War on the soldiers that fought in it
Impact of the Vietnam War
Impact of the Vietnam War
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Interview What did you think about the war I was against the war over in Vietnam. Part of that reason was because I didn’t think that the fighting over there was all that necessary but the real reason was because my brother Mack was drafted into the war. He was drafted pretty early on when they started the draft so when he was killed that’s where my hatred for the war.. really came from. *She actually got a little quiet here so I did my best to avoid talking too much about her brother (Keeping in mind I didn’t know this happened at the beginning)* Did you know anyone besides your brother that was fighting A younger friend of mine Charles from was there voluntarily he wasn’t drafted. I knew other people that I had gone to school with in the …show more content…
Although she did seem more calm about it now you can definitely tell that at the time it took a psychological toll on her. Mrs. Free definitely would have had put in her two cents if he had discussed this with Michael Lind, especially if it was during that time with the way he said he argued with her friends husbands about the matter. They had such differing views because my interviewee had somebody so close to her effected by the war and I think that Lind probably was able to look back and look at both the pros and the cons of the war and determine his views based on that. My interviewee was definitely biased based off of what affected her. As for why people are so divided when it comes to the war, I think this interview ended up being a perfect example. Certain people were definitely directly effected by the war and in a way that was not their decision to make. Like in their case, the brother didn’t want to get drafted so she probably feels like that is something that could have been avoided and it was forced upon their lives, where other people who aren’t directly affected by it would not be able to understand their
The Vietnam War was a controversial conflict that plagued the United States for many years. The loss of life caused by the war was devastating. For those who came back alive, their lives were profoundly changed. The impact the war had on servicemen would affect them for the rest of their lives; each soldier may have only played one small part in the war, but the war played a huge part in their lives. They went in feeling one way, and came home feeling completely different. In the book Vietnam Perkasie, W.D. Ehrhart describes his change from a proud young American Marine to a man filled with immense confusion, anger, and guilt over the atrocities he witnessed and participated in during the war.
i. Difficulties faced by soldiers due to the nature of fighting in the Vietnam War - Personnel had difficulties with transportation supplied with adapted vehicles back seat faced rear to provide additional fire power (Source A) – It appears as if the government didn't worry enough to supply men with safe and capable equipment - Threat of traps led to fear as vehicles had to be parked on street at night (Source A) o Check for traps each morning became a daily ritual particularly in fuel tanks (Source A) o A request for a locking fuel cap was denied because weren’t entitled to one” (Source A) • What circumstances would have needed to arise for them to be entitled to one? The Offensive full guard was set up (24hrs a day), personnel got no sleep and were constantly on alert (Source A) – How significant would this have been in the personnel’s mental frame of mind?
The regrets of the many lives lost in Vietnam. The former secretary of defense Robert McNamara published a memoir, two decades after the war ended. In the memoir he admitted that the policy he helped create was “terribly wrong”. He stated that the ignorance of the history, the culture of Vietnam, and the misguided belief that every communist movement in the world was led by Moscow, had led the United States into a war that was unwinnable and regrettable. (Foner, 4th edition, pg.1030) The students of The Port Huron Statement were right by being against the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War was a military, political, and social disaster. Which only brought casualties in the lives of American people. It was an unforgivable mistake caused by Presidents that feared that the public would not forgive them for “losing” the Vietnam War.
...y crying not knowing what to do then he turned and peered back to the Minnesota shore line. “It was as real as anything I would ever feel. I saw my parents calling to me from the far shoreline. I saw my brother and sister, all the townsfolk, the mayor and the entire Chamber of Commerce and all my old teachers and girlfriends and high school buddies. Like some weird sporting event: everybody screaming from the sidelines, rooting me on” (58). This is when he knew he could not turn his back on his beloved country. All the wrong he felt the draft was he could not cross the border to flee from anything or anyone. This whole situation describes the rest of his life, but mainly his years in the Vietnam War. He would have to make decisions, decisions that would be hard but would have to do for the ones he loved.
What were Eugene McCarthy’s motives for going against the Vietnam War? From the early 1960s up until the year 1973, America was going through the Anti-War Movement. The movement had many leaders, supporters, and followers, including Martin Luther King Jr., Eugene McCarthy, and Robert F. Kennedy. The Anti-War Movement took place in order to demand the government put an end to U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia and to stop the escalation of the Vietnam War. On December 2 of 1967, Eugene McCarthy gave his “Denouncing the Vietnam War” speech in the state of Chicago, in front of the Democratic Party. He speaks out against the war in order to point out what an immoral and pointless battle that the United States were fighting. In Eugene McCarthy’s “Denouncing the Vietnam War” speech, he inspires his intended audience during the Antiwar Movement by using the rhetorical devices of logos and personification.
The Vietnam conflict has been known for being the most unpopular war in the history of the United States. The war of 1812, the Mexican war and the Korean conflict of the early 1950's were also opposed by large groups of the American people, but none of them generated the emotional anxiety and utter hatred that spawned Vietnam. The Vietnam war caused people to ask the question of sending our young people to die in places where they were particular wanted and for people who did not seem especial grateful.
The Vietnam Veteran I interviewed was my grandfather; he was 27 years old during the time of the war. He volunteered to go to Vietnam because he didn’t like picking fruits and vegetables in the hot sun with his father. That’s when he decided to join the service and he volunteered to go to Vietnam. My grandfather only served one tour, because he wanted to go home to his family. So, his younger brother Rick who was single volunteered to go to Vietnam. My grandfather told me that Rick had a death wish so it didn’t really matter to him if he came back dead or alive.
Of the films that addressed this subject, the majority seemed to advocate that young men volunteered for the War out of how of duty and loyalty to their nice country. One soldier said, "I merely would like to live up to what grandparent did inside the initial war and what dada did inside the second. I merely would like to do and do for the country.” It emphasizes but the foremost character required serving his country "like a man"; he looked forward to defensive and fighting for freedom. Volunteering to trip Vietnam was considered an honor for your nation.
It is understandable that some Americans strongly opposed the United States getting involved in the Vietnam War. It had not been a long time since the end of World War II and simply put, most Americans were tired of fighting. Mark Atwood Lawrence is one of the people who opposed our involvement in the Vietnam War. In his essay, “Vietnam: A Mistake of Western Alliance”, Lawrence argues that the Vietnam War was unnecessary and that it went against our democratic policies, but that there were a lot of things that influenced our involvement.
In the mid 1960’s the United States involvement in Vietnam stirred controversy amongst the Americans and politicians. Across the U.S., the american public became increasingly more opposed to the war. Throughout the
The Vietnam War created one of the most dividing periods of American history. Many saw the war as an unnecessary conflict that cost dearly in both money and lives. The United States’ involvement in the war was also considered to be unjustified. Despite the many difficulties faced during the controversial time, many activists raised issues in opposition to the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War because of its unjust nature with acts such as the high casualty rates, scorched earth policies, and the lack of an immediate threat.
..., the draft ended and the U.S. converted to an All-Volunteer military. Many people were not in high spirits about the Vietnam War, and thought we should not be involved in it. Lyndon Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, laments “[w]e are not about to send American boys nine or ten thousand miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves” (Vietnam-Facts.info). There is a popular picture of a draft protests sign displaying the words “hell no, we won’t go.” I do believe Americans should have a right to choose to go to war or not. Many young men lost their life fighting a battle they didn’t even have faith in. Many soldiers endured personal hardships, loss of income, and leaving family behind. Most of drafted soldiers complied with the draft and served; however, many middle to high-class young men found ways to avoid combat.
I wasn't sure what to think about the war in Vietnam. I had been raised to believe in my country and its leaders. I had read about military heroes and had seen Audie Murphy, an orphan boy from Texas, in To Hell and Back at least five times as a kid in the 1950s.
I am writing to you so share with you my reasons for not being conscripted to serve in the Vietnam War and why I don’t believe in conscription. I would like to explain my reasons for not wanting to be conscripted, I hope you take these reasons into serious consideration and understand why I am standing by my thoughts.
“Why would you want to interview me when there are plenty of people back home that would be easier to interview in person?” asks John Stout. He is about 5’11, has dark black hair and his eyes are a rich chocolaty brown. He is tan and has a strong muscular body. John is currently deployed in Bagram Afghanistan. He departed on July 7th, 2016 and will not return until April of 2017. He grew up in Fort Ripley, MN and graduated from Brainerd High School in 2014. John is very close with his Mother, Father, Brother and Sister. He grew up with a wrench in his hand and always helped his Father work on project cars and fixing things around the house. To John, family is everything. His family always took vacations and every summer, he gets to travel around the United States for Army training. John grew up in a military family. His Father works as a Warrant Officer in the Minnesota National Guard and his Brother, Curtis, is in the Marine Corps and is also deployed right now.John has always wanted to serve his country