Vietnam War (1954-1975) is considered as one of those big wars of the modern world that has been acknowledged and studied by countries in the world. Especially, in regard to the United States, starting and ending war in Vietnam was an unforgettable experience that has left a priceless lesson in its foreign policy, and of course a lot of loss, physically, mentally, and property. “The Legacy of Vietnam” article of George Herring basically summarizes how the Vietnam War led to an end in failure of America and what consequences it left behind. Starting off with all the number of deaths, the article emphasizes that at the end of the Vietnam War, loss is much more tremendous than gain. The Vietnam War was in control of five U.S presidents. It was …show more content…
The failure came from inside the United States. There were a lot of protests against the war. Those protests included moms who had their sons on the battle field, the people who found war was a waste of their tax revenue and the people who favored peace. That was too much for a president to calm down his citizens, and be in charge in a war in another country at the same time. The war did not get enough support from the Americans. Another matter was that the United States did not have the right strategy in this war. They took actions slowly and indecisively. Instead of fighting North Vietnam andVietcong by itself, which might lead to victory, the U.S wasted their effort on the weak Saigon government. The failure in the Vietnam War proves that the power and influence of the United States is not limitless. The United States has its steady place in the world order, but there is nothing for sure in this world of diversity. Therefore, the United States has to adapt itself to the development of the world not as a flawless country, but as a developed
The Boys of ’67 Charlie Company’s War in Vietnam, by Dr. Andrew Wiest, is an account of Charlie Company’s involvement in the Vietnam War: from the activation of the Ninth Infantry Division, the draft and training, the arrival in Vietnam, the battles and losses, the replacements, the Freedom Bird, and ultimately for some, to the return home. The author writes of boys who were just becoming men and how they were brought together, the only division during the Vietnam War to be trained together and deployed together, to create a group of soldiers who became a band of brothers. The Boys of ’67 is the story of that brotherhood and how they walked through a year of living hell and were changed forever. As Dr. Wiest writes, “That jarring transformation, along with the transformation of the country to which they returned, changed the lives of the boys of Charlie Company forever.”
The Vietnam War: A Concise International History is a strong book that portrays a vivid picture of both sides of the war. By getting access to new information and using valid sources, Lawrence’s study deserves credibility. After reading this book, a new light and understanding of the Vietnam war exists.
The Vietnam War was the most publicized war during its era; moreover, this was the most unpopular war to hit the United States. All over the country riots began to rise, anti-war movement spread all over the states begging to stop the war and chaos overseas. This truly was a failure on the political side of things. For the public, all they saw was a failed attempt in a far away country. Events such as the Tet Offensive where the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong established an all out attack on key locations around Vietnam, and although the Viet Cong was virtually wiped out, this still had a large affect psychologically on the troops as well as the populist back in the United States.
The Vietnam War brought many tears and casualties to both the United States and Vietnam. Millions of soldiers lost their lives in the time consuming battle. On February 8, 1967 President Lyndon B. Johnson wrote a letter to Ho Chi Minh, Dictator of Vietnam at the time. President Johnson’s letter expresses his hopes of ending this conflict that has gone on so long in Vietnam. President Ho Chi Minh replied back on February 15, 1967 stating that it had been the United States that prolonged the wicked war. President Ho Chi Minh’s reply to President Johnson was the more persuasive of the two letters, because he appealed more to pathos, used stronger and bolder diction, and asked an important rhetorical question.
Tim O’Brien’s book, The Things They Carried, portrays stories of the Vietnam War. Though not one hundred percent accurate, the stories portray important historical events. The Things They Carried recovers Vietnam War history and portrays situations the American soldiers faced. The United States government represents a political power effect during the Vietnam War. The U. S. enters the war to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam. The U.S. government felt if communism spreads to South Vietnam, then it will spread elsewhere. Many Americans disapproved of their country’s involvement. Men traveled across the border to avoid the draft. The powerful United States government made the decision to enter the war, despite many Americans’ opposition. O’Brien’s The Things They Carried applies New Historicism elements, including Vietnam history recovery and the political power of the United States that affected history.
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Only in the Vietnam War was the United States’ participation criticized. This is such a gigantic change from prior wars that it bears study as to why it happened, and better yet, should have it happened. This paper will discuss the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War, by asking the simple question, Should have the United States’ gotten involved in the first place? This paper will prove that, in fact, America should not have gotten involved in the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War took place between 1947- 1975.
Vietnam was a highly debated war among citizens of the United States. This war was like no other with regards to how it affected people on the home front. In past war’s, the population of the United States mainly supported the war and admired soldiers for their courage. During the Vietnam War, citizens of the U.S. had a contradictory view than in the past. This dilemma of not having the support of the people originates from the culture and the time period.
Robert S. McNamara's book, In Retrospect, tells the story of one man's journey throughout the trials and tribulations of what seems to be the United States utmost fatality; the Vietnam War. McNamara's personal encounters gives an inside perspective never before heard of, and exposes the truth behind the administration.
The United States was not capable of winning the War because they realized too late that the real war in Vietnam was not a military one but a political one. Beginning with Eisenhower, They were fully aware that the only way South Vietnam would win is with the support of the United States troops. Kennedy restricted the U.
The United States failed to see that in a democracy, people vote for what they want, and they were not allowing the people of Vietnam to be communist. One ...
The Vietnam War has had its effects on America, both good and bad. We can ridicule it, we can deny it, we can say it was for the best, we can say we shouldn't have even gotten involved, but the one thing we can't do is ignore it. Because it's become an unforgettable part of history, and we all need to remember Vietnam.
Yet it is worth noting that the lackluster foreign policies of the time and the global race between the two superpowers of the time undoubtedly played the largest roles in the commencement of the Vietnam War. The Cold War policies prior to the start of the Vietnam War could be characterized as notably aggressive in their approach towards dealing with the threat of communism. The policies seemed to encourage the act of war as opposed to other more diplomatic means of resolution between both competing countries. The bipolar global system of the time also encouraged both nations to engage in battles of supremacy between each other, which led to some violent engagements in the forms of proxy wars occurring. A number of blunders, including misguided American policies hampered the Vietnam conflict, but it also appears too many that the war may have been possibly unavoidable. The unquenchable lust for power, which has appeared to drive all nations since the beginning of recorded history, also led to numerous misjudgments on the part of both countries. From the studies of past Social scientist and an attentive assessment of the cold war by oneself, it becomes clear that human nature played a significant role in the U.S involvement of the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War has had an immense effect on American policy in the last 50 years due to its lack of clear results and its somewhat ambiguous motive. The lasting conclusion of the Vietnam War by most accounts is that it was both a military and political fiasco, which should have been, avoided at all costs. In order to avoid repeating the same mistakes Americans must learn from the errors the Vietnam War and find ways to address political issues in terms that are more
Vietnam was a struggle which, in all honesty, the United States should never have been involved in. North Vietnam was battling for ownership of South Vietnam, so that they would be a unified communist nation. To prevent the domino effect and the further spread of communism, the U.S. held on to the Truman Doctrine and stood behind the South Vietnamese leader, Diem.