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Vietnam War Essay | Essay on Vietnam War for Students and Children in English
November 7, 2020 by Prasanna
Vietnam War Essay: The Vietnam War is considered to be one of the most memorable and long-standing conflicts that involved the U.S., with a major role to play in it. The Vietnam War was primarily the consequences of the U.S. anti-communist foreign policy in the year 1960.
It was the military conflict between communist North Vietnam and their allies, against South Vietnam and other countries including America, Australia, Britain, France and New Zealand. Australia’s alliance with the USA was the main reason for the commencement of the Vietnam War. The USA had been a part of the war since 1959 and needed Australia’s assistance. It was a long, costly and divisive conflict. The conflict was intensified by the ongoing cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union.
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Long and Short Essays on Vietnam War for Students and Kids in English
We are providing essay samples to students on a long essay of 500 words and a short essay of 150 words on the topic Vietnam War Essay for reference.
Long Essay on Vietnam War 500 Words in English
Long Essay on Vietnam War is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.
The Vietnam War is also known as the Second Indo-China War and in Vietnam as the Resistance War Against America. It was the second of the Indo-China Wars that was fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet Union, China and other communist allies.
On the other hand, South Vietnam was supported by the United States, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Thailand, and the other anti-communist allies were also there for support. The war lasted 19 years and was also called the Cold War by many. The war had direct U.S. involvement, and it ended in 1973.
During World War II, Japanese forces had invaded Vietnam. To fight it off, both Japanese occupiers and French Colonial administration, the political leader Ho Chi Minh formed the Viet Minh, being inspired by the Chinese and Soviet Communism. The Viet Minh was also known as the League for the Independence of Vietnam.
Following its 1945 defeat in World War II, Japan withdrew its forces from Vietnam leaving the French-educated Emperor, Bao Dai in total control. Seeing this opportunity to seize control, Ho’s Viet Minh forces immediately rose to take complete control over the Northern city of Hanoi and declaring it as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam with Ho as the president.
After Ho’s communist forces took control over the North, armed conflicts between the northern and the southern armies continued until a decisive victory of Viet Minh took place in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in May 1954. The French loss at the battle and almost ended the French rule in Indo-China.
Vietnam was split along the latitude known as the 17th parallel based on a treaty signed in July in the year 1954, with Ho in control in the North and Bao in the South. The Vietnam War with active U.S. involvement in 1954 was due to the ongoing conflicts that dated back several decades.
You can now access more Essay Writing on Vietnam War and many more topics.
The Vietnam War led to outcomes like economic downturn and political isolation for Vietnam, which was only supported by the Soviet Union and its allies located in Eastern Europe. It also led to the fall of the South Vietnamese government in 1975 that resulted in a unified communist government in the country. The war also led to the death of almost 2 million Vietnamese civilians, 1.2 million Northern soldiers and many service members. Emigration of Vietnam soldiers took place around the late 1970s from Vietnam.
North Vietnam was communist, whereas South Vietnam was not. North Vietnamese communists and South Vietnamese communist rebels known as the Viet Cong wanted to overthrow the South Vietnamese government together and reunite the country.
South Vietnamese troops waded through the water to flush out communist rebels in 1962. The cost and casualties of the war were too much for America to face; thus, the U.S. combat units were withdrawn by 1973, and in 1975 South Vietnam was fully invaded by the North.
Short Essay on Vietnam War 150 Words in English
Short Essay on Vietnam War is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
The Vietnam War (1954-1975) is referred to the period when the United States and other members of the South East Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) joined forces with the Republic of South Vietnam to contest communist forces that were comprised of South Vietnamese guerrillas and the regular force units called the Viet Cong.
The United States possessed the largest foreign military presence and had directed the war from 1965 to 1968. Thus, for this reason, Vietnam today is known as the American War. It was considered as the direct result of the First Indochina War between France that claimed Vietnam as a colony and the communist forces which were then known as Viet Minh.
The Vietnam War was one of the longest wars in the history of the United States and was extremely divisive U.S., Europe, Australia and elsewhere. The U.S. suffered a casualty of 47000 being killed in action with the addition of 11000 non-combat deaths. Over 150000 were wounded, and 10000 were missing.
10 Lines on Vietnam War Essay in English
1. The Vietnam War was a conflict between the communist and the capitalist countries and was a part of the Cold War. 2. The Vietnam War was a controversial issue in the United States. 3. It was the first war to feature in live television coverage. 4. The war became extremely unpopular in the United States, and President Nixon sent American soldiers home in 1973. 5. Viet Minh waved their flag at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. 6. The French defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu led to the Geneva conference. 7. France began to colonize Vietnam between 1959 and 1962. 8. France also took control over Saigon. 9. Laos was added after the war with Thailand. 10. In 1940 the French Indochina was controlled by Vichy French Government.
FAQ’s on Vietnam War Essay
Question 1. What is the main cause of the Vietnam War?
Answer: Spread of communism during the cold war along with American containment was the main cause of the war.
Question 2. What was the effect of the Vietnam War?
Answer: The most immediate effect was the staggering death toll of almost 3 million people.
Question 3. Why was the Vietnam War fought?
Answer: The USA feared the spread of communism, which led the war to be fought.
Question 4. When did the military fight occur in the war?
Answer: The fighting occurred between 1957 and 1973.
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Short Summary of Vietnam
Short Summary of Vietnam 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. Kennedy and Diem were both killed in 1963 and 1964. Johnson took control of the situation by increasing the amount of money and manpower put into Vietnam. Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving the president full military power. After Johnson dramatically escalated the amount of soldiers in Vietnam, The North Vietnamese mounted a surprise attack during the Vietnamese new year, and this strike was called the Tet Offensive. It made America more aware of what they were up against, that the communists were capable of fierce, guerrilla warfare, unlike anything Americans had ever fought before. Images of the terror and disarray reached back home, and the U.S. began to wonder how effective their involvement in Vietnam really was. As we got further and further into the Vietnam War , few lives were untouched by grief, anger and fear. The Vietnamese suffered the worst hardship; children lay dead in the street, villages remained nothing but charred ashes, and bombs destroyed thousands of innocent civilians. Soldiers were scarred emotionally as well as physically, as The paranoia and fear of death never left them. The My Lai Massacre occurred in 1968, when the village of My Lai was completely destroyed, although it did not contain a single enemy troop. Over a hundred villagers were slaughtered. It became clearer to Americans how soldiers were losing control, and how there was no easy way to win this war. The draft took more and more people in as the years went on, and in1968 it peaked to over 500,000 soldiers involved in Vietnam. The government was so desperate for troops that even men with poor eyesight fought, and no education was needed. The people began to strike out and a revolution took place to restore peace to the nation. Some key ways to get the movement attention included student activism and anti-war messages present in songs and literature.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the united states should never have been involved in vietnam. the north vietnamese mounted a surprise attack during the vietnamese new year called the tet offensive.
- Opines that the vietnamese suffered the worst hardship during the vietnam war. children lay dead in the street, villages remained charred ashes, and bombs destroyed thousands of innocent civilians.
- Explains that the my lai massacre occurred in 1968, when the village was completely destroyed, although it did not contain a single enemy troop.
- Explains that the draft took more and more people in as the years went on, and in 1968 it peaked to over 500,000 soldiers involved in vietnam. the people began to strike out and a revolution took place to restore peace.
- Describes how nixon's policy was called "vietnamization" and called for slowly pulling troops out of vietnam. nixon spread the war to cambodia and laos by bombing where several communist camps were thought to be.
- explanatory
- Explains that the longest war in the history of the united states took place in vietnam during the cold war.
- Analyzes how the united states fought to contain communism, prevent the domino effect, support a weak south vietnam, and get retaliation for being attacked.
- Explains that the united states did not lose the war as much as they failed to win it. they lost their support back home because the public didn't like what they were seeing in the media.
- Explains that the vietcong fought what is known as a guerilla war, in which they ambushed american vehicles in small groups of three to ten troops.
- Explains that the united states was not prepared to fight in the type of war they had gotten themselves involved in. the vietcong used the ho chi minh trail to transport supplies to their armies.
- Explains that the vietcong were fighting for their freedom and independence, which gave them the will and determination to fight, something the united states lacked.
- Explains that the vietcong were protecting their way of life and their choice of government from an aggressor that was trying to keep them from gaining independence.
- Describes the vietnam war as a lengthy and costly armed conflict involving the communist north vietnamese regime known as the viet cong, south vietnam and the united states.
- Explains how ho chi minh formed the viet to fight against the french colonial administration and seized hanoi after the japanese withdrew.
- Explains how ngo dihn diem, a strongly anti-communist, ousted the french backed emperor bao and became president of the newly formed republic of vietnam.
- Narrates how the vietnam war escalated under the presidency of johnson, with the permission of congress, allowing for recurring bombings under operation rolling thunder.
- Explains that the strategy for war was simple: a war of attrition, the military's primary goal was to kill as many enemy troops as possible, to wear them down.
- Explains that there were 500,000 american soldiers stationed in vietnam in 1967 with 15,000 killed and more than 100,000 wounded. the war received tons of media coverage and many american's were vocally opposed to the war.
- Explains that winning a long-drawn-out war requires more than powerful military. without support to back up and defend the war, it became harder to continue with the occupation.
- Explains that the antiwar movement opposed the vietnam war for both moral and ethical grounds along with economic reasons. they saw the american leaders only attacking to protect foreign interests and supporting the corrupt regime in south vietnam.
- Explains that the antiwar movement was a huge factor in the ending of the war and when peaceful protests became ineffective with demands and questions being ignored, demonstrations turned violent.
- Analyzes how king's opposition to the vietnam war cost him a substantial amount of support among white allies, including president johnson, union leaders, publishers and journalists.
- Explains that nixon introduced a new method for fighting the war in vietnam, which involved withdrawing american troops to limit further casualties, increasing aerial and artillery bombing, and giving south vietnam control over ground operations.
- Narrates how nixon ended the draft and called for a volunteer army for the next year. after multiple failed offensives, the u.s and north vietnam compromised and created peace agreement.
- Explains that the war between north vietnam and south vietnam did not end when the u.s made peace agreements, and continued until april 30, 1975 when north vietnamese forces captured saigon, the south vietnamese capital.
- Explains that the vietnam war destroyed the american belief that they were invincible. many veterans returning from war also experienced negative reactions from both war opponents and supporters.
- Cites the u.s. history textbook "55d. the antiwar movement." the sixties in america.
- Opines that the vietnam war was an important war, not just for vietnam, but for america too.
- Explains that ho chi minh was a communist leader who wanted to protect vietnam from foreign occupiers. the japanese and french were invading vietnam.
- Explains that ho chi minh requested help from the united states for many years, but each time they received this offer, they refused. this was because of their cold war foreign policy.
- Explains that north vietnam fired on u.s ships on august 2nd, 1964, resulting in the gulf of tonkin incident, which gave president lyndon baines johnson authority to command troops into vietnam.
- Explains that the viet cong was the military arm force of north vietnam. they were created to damage south vietnam's economy.
- Explains that south vietnam tried to counter attack the viet cong by raising counter guerrilla soldiers. stealth was one of their key factors in their abilities.
- Explains that viet cong soldiers surrendered to the south and wanted to stop the spread of communism. the national police force used heavily armed men to locate and destroy enemy villages.
- Explains that the roadrunners had two types of land mines: self-controlled and pressure-detonating. they were ambushed near the end of 1967 and in late august of 1968 on highway 19.
- Explains that the south had the m-48 tank, loaded with a mounted machine gun, and the 105mm howitzer, which was used in world war ii.
- Explains that north vietnam had anti-aircraft weapons, such as the sa-7 grasil missile, and the ak-47 rifle, which was shorter than the m-16, making it extremely durable.
- Explains that the vietnam war was the first war america had lost and the viet cong group was disbanded in 1976. the herbicides that were used in the war continued to damage the environment of the country.
- Opines that the vietnam war was a gruesome armed conflict that did not want to spread communism throughout the country.
- Imagines playing in the ncaa national championship game in front of 50,000 people and millions of others watching via their televisions at home. after an intensely fought game the final score indicates that a loss was suffered
- Analyzes how america's relationship with returning soldiers from the vietnam war had a negative aura that is still shown over 30 years later. vietnam veterans in america suffered from social, physical, and psychological problems.
- Describes the vietnam war as an extremely controversial war that took the lives of many americans and resulted in america’s first losing campaign.
- Narrates how a division amongst society quickly became apparent in those against the war and those for or fighting in vietnam.
- Explains that the tally of american lives taken by the war exceeded 50,000 people, and society wondered if the american government was trying to end communism or just to increase economic profits from the vietnamese.
- Explains that anti-war activists voiced their opinions stronger than ever after the troops' retreated from vietnam which made for a negative homecoming.
- Explains that many vietnam veterans returning to america felt shunned by the "new" american society. they are scattered throughout the hills and jungles of hawaii and the pacific northwest.
- Explains that of the 3.5 million veterans in the us, 479,000 cases are serious and another 350,000 have moderate symptoms. suicide amongst vietnam veterans is also apparent.
- Opines that the vietnam war can be reflected on by those in generation-x through hear-say, reading, and movies, but one will never fully understand the true feelings between the veterans and society in america.
- Explains that the first source, created by ronald haeberle, is a series of over 20 graphic and violent photographs taken during the my lai massacre.
- Explains that the official report of colonel oran k. henderson, an officer involved in the cover-up of the my lai massacre, is unreliable, since henderson lied to protect his position and escape prosecution.
- Opines that ron haeberle exposed a vietnam massacre 40 years ago today in the plain dealer.
- Explains that the vietnam war occurred during the cold war, a period of tense rivalry between the usa and the soviet union.
- Analyzes how the my lai massacre caused a shift in attitudes before and after the vietnam war.
- Analyzes gado, mark, and caputo, philip. "into the dark: the my lai massacre." crime library.
- States that the united states. department of the army. col. henderson’s report to mg koster. headquarters, 11th infantry brigade, americal division.
- Analyzes how jankovic, fabian, and oliver, kendrick, wrote about the my lai massacre revisited.
- Explains that many analysts attribute the vietnam war to lyndon b. johnson, who was president of america from 1963 until 1969, because the american army became involved in combat in vietnam.
- Explains that the vietnam war was the second of the two indochina wars, where the first was fought and lost by france.
- Explains that american exceptionalism is the theory that america is a unique and superior nation, and has the obligation to promote and extend american ideals around the world.
- Explains that johnson launched a sustained bombing campaign against the drv after the tonkin gulf incident, which won him an overwhelming victory against barry goldwater in the elections.
- Explains that the us secretary of defense proposed an increase of us troops to 175 000 by mid-1965, but the communist leaders decided to win a quick victory.
- Explains that the tet offensive was a military disaster for the viet cong, but it was still 'political and psychological defeat' for america.
- Argues that the failure of the us in vietnam stems from johnson's cautious approach to military campaigns because of his logical fears of chinese or soviet involvement or an uncontrollable conflict.
- Analyzes how johnson and nixon failed to factor in vietnam's bitter history of opposition to chinese domination and the growing rift in sino-soviet relations.
- Explains that the vietnam war was a difficult experience for the us military as well as its foreign policy. johnson's decision to go to war was made from hard thought-out reasoning but he did not factor in the environment in vietnam or the opinion of the american public.
- Explains that the united states' involvement in vietnam was a series of choices made by five successive presidents during the years of 1945-1975. kennedy's policies were one of military action, diplomacy, and liberalism.
- Explains that the decision to enter vietnam reflected america's idea of global leadership. the southeast asia treaty organization (seato) extended protection to south vietnam, cambodia, and laos in case of communist subversion
- Explains that kennedy's cabinet members were made up of many different thinkers, including dean rusk, walt rostow, mcgeorge bundy, and george ball.
- Explains how taylor and mcnamara were sent on a series of trips during 1961-1963 to vietnam.
- Analyzes how the civil rights movement created a climate for protest. the cuban missile crisis raised doubts about kennedy's leadership ability.
- Explains that south vietnamese troops are defeated by a much smaller vietcong force despite u.s. assistance.
- Opines that there is speculation about what president kennedy would have done in vietnam had he not been assassinated.
- Explains that the gulf of tonkin incident sparked escalation of american involvement, conflict, and violence in vietnam.
- Explains that the johnson administration had plans for a major american military involvement in vietnam.
- Explains that operation desoto patrols were conducted with u.s. destroyers, which were equipped with special radar equipment. the first patrol took part along the cost of china in aril of 1962.
- Describes how the uss maddox was cruising up and down the coast of north vietnam when it was faced with three soviet-built, northern torpedo boats that had come out to chase the ship away.
- Explains that president johnson ordered the uss maddox and the c turner joy to reinforce another destroyer, the constellation, to assist and join the ticonderoga.
- Explains that president johnson authorized air strikes against north vietnam and the gulf of tonkin resolution, which provided the united states with justification for further escalation in southeast asia.
- Explains that ships patrolling the coastlines of china and vietnam, anger started to arise within those countries. south vietnamese raided north vietnamese camps to gain intelligence.
- Analyzes how 1968, the most turbulent twelve months of the post-wwii period, offers the world a glimpse into the tumultuous workings of revolution.
- Analyzes the political and societal ramifications of vietnam's tet offensive indubitably illustrate the historical oddity of 1968.
- Analyzes how malcolm x's emphasis on self-sufficiency and armed defense was an inspiring ideology for others dissatisfied with martin luther king jr.
- Explains that black power was synonymous with militancy, self-reliance, independence, and nationalism within the civil rights movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
- Analyzes how the 60's counterculture reflected american ideals of free speech, equality, and pursuit of happiness, while music was perhaps the most distinguishing feature of this generation.
- Explains that 1968 was a year of revolution, when john lennon sang revolution and grace slick and the jefferson airplane sang volunteers.
- Explains farber, david, and bailey's the columbia guide to america in the 1960s.
- Explains that the vietnam-america war began in 1959, based on preventing the spread of communism throughout the world. millions of men and women called upon their courage and drafted into the war.
- Explains that the draft was a big necessity during the vietnam war, and that nearly two-thirds of the american men serving the war were voluntarily.
- Analyzes how tim o'brien, scott sexton, and john mccain served in the vietnam war. their book, the things they carried, contains many different stories based on events from the war, some true and some not as much.
- Analyzes how o'brien could be telling about his own war stories based on his experiences, but he doesn't come right out and say it was about him.
- Explains that officer scott sexton, a vietnam veteran, came to talk to english 112 class about his experience in vietnam.
- Analyzes how john mccain was a vietnam war veteran, but spent five years in captivity. he wrote an article about the torture and brutality of his prolonged capturing.
- Explains that during the vietnam war, draft evasion and draft resistance reached a historic peak, nearly crippling the selective service system (kindig).
- Opines that the vietnam war was a long and devastating war, but soon enough the paris peace accords was signed allowing american troops to come home to their families.
- Describes o'brien, tim, and houghton mifflin harcourt's the things they carried.
- Analyzes vietnam war statistics and exclusive photos from the veterans hour.
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Essays on Vietnam War
The united states' role in the vietnam war.
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The Impacts of The Vietnam War
The reasons why the vietnam war was a hard fight for the americans, the failure of the united states in vietnam, the vietnam war movement and its influence on the modern generation, the domino theory: the main reason for us involvement in the vietnam war, causes and effects of the vietnam war, how public opinion changed the course of the vietnam war, role of media during vietnam war, pros and cons of the vietnam war, the impact of vietnam war on america and its people, horror of vietnam war in the lake of the woods novel, the quagmire theory: united states in the vietnam war, john kerry and vietnam war, an overview of the vietnam war in the eyes of mark lawrence atwood, the vietnam war and the effectiveness of the peace movements, an analysis of martin luther king's speech on the us involvement in the vietnam war, the reasons why america was involned in the vietnam war, the historical cycle of collapse and restructuring of government in the vietnam war and in iraq, the vietnam war in the texts "the things they carried", "platoon", "apocalypse now" and "how to tell a true war story", assessment of president richard nixon’s plan during the vietnam battle, economic impact of the vietnam war on vietnam, the situation in vietnam: us intervention and tet offensive, loss of youth and love in bao ninh’s the sorrow of war, guerrilla warfare - the nature of war in vietnam, an argument in favor of the argument of gareth porter on the misunderstood primary goal of the united states' policy in asia during the vietnam war, strategies used by the usa and the guerrilla forces during the vietnam war, "on the rainy river" by tim o’brien analysis, idealism of josiah royce informed by the criticism of george holmes, representation of american military involved in the vietnam war, feeling stressed about your essay.
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1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975
Vietnam War was a protracted conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong, against the government of South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. Called the “American War” in Vietnam, the war was also part of a larger regional conflict (Indochina wars) and a manifestation of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies.
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Tet Offensive, My Lai Massacre, Gulf of Tonkin incident.
At the heart of the conflict was the desire of North Vietnam, which had defeated the French colonial administration of Vietnam in 1954, to unify the entire country under a single communist regime modeled after those of the Soviet Union and China.
North Vietnamese and Viet Cong/PRG victory; withdrawal of U.S. coalition's forces from Vietnam; communist forces take power in South Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos; reunification of Vietnam; start of the boat people and refugee crises; start of the Cambodian genocide and the Third Indochina War.
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Sample essay on vietnam war.
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The Vietnam War was the longest lasting war in the United States history before the Afghanistan War. This example of a critical essay explores the history of that violent and divisive event. The United States’ presence and involvement in the Vietnam War were something that many people felt very strongly about, whether they be American citizens, Vietnamese citizens, or global citizens.
Known as ‘the only war American ever lost’, the Vietnam War ended two years after the United States withdrew their forces in 1973 and the communist party seized Saigon two years later. This sample essay provides an example of the features and benefits that come from working with Ultius.
Causes of the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War refers to the Second Indochina War, lasting from 1954 until 1973, in which the United States (and other members of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) fought alongside the Republic of South Vietnam. South Vietnam was contesting the communist forces comprised of the Viet Cong, a group of South Vietnamese guerillas, and the North Vietnamese Army (Vietnam War).
The war was a byproduct of the First Indochina War (lasting between 1946 and 1948), in which France tried to claim Vietnam as a colony and was met with strong opposition from Vietnamese communist forces.
But the deep-rooted issues surrounding the cause of the Vietnam War dated back to World War II, during which Japan invaded and occupied Vietnam (Vietnam War History). The country had already been under French rule since the late 1800s, and the Japanese presence caused a man named Ho Chi Minh, inspired by communism of China and the Soviet Union, to form the Viet Minh, or the League for the Independence of Vietnam.
World War II as a catalyst to the Vietnam War
The Viet Minh’s main purpose was to fight both the Japanese and French administration and to make Vietnam a Communist nation. They were successful in forcing Japan to withdraw its forces in 1945. With only the French to worry about, the Viet Minh quickly rose up, gained control of the northern city of Hanoi, and declared Ho as the president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (Vietnam War Facts).
This meant France had to take the lead in Vietnam. France sought to regain control in 1949 when they set up the state of Vietnam, also known as South Vietnam, and declared Saigon to be its capital. The two groups, the French and the Viet Minh, struggled for power until 1954, when a battle at Dien Bien Phu ended in defeat for France. This led to the Geneva Agreements , made a few months later, which granted independence to Cambodia and Laos, who had also been under French rule.
However, Vietnam was still divided into North Vietnam, or the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, and the Republic of South Vietnam (Vietnam War). There was to be an election to determine the country’s fate, but the south resisted, spurring a cascade of guerilla warfare from the north. In July of 1959, North Vietnam called for a socialist revolution in all of Vietnam as a whole.
United States belated involvement in Vietnam
As the battles became more ferocious, President Kennedy watched from the United States and sent a team to report on the conditions of South Vietnam. In 1961, it was suggested that the president sent American troops to produce economic and technical aid in the fight against the Viet Cong. Fearing the effects of the ‘domino theory’, which stated that if one Southeast Asian nation fell under communist rule, so would many others, President Kennedy increased the number of troops in South Vietnam to nine thousand, compared to less than eight hundred during the previous decade (Vietnam War History).
After the assassination of President Kennedy, it was decided by both his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, and the Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, that more soldiers would be used in the war . On August 2, 1964, two North Vietnamese torpedoes attacked United States destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. In response, the United States Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, making the president’s war-making powers much broader (Vietnam War History).
America's military policy during the war
By the year’s end, twenty-three thousand American troops occupied South Vietnam and the United States began regular bombing raids the following February. Both the American military and the North Vietnamese forces came to the same conclusion; a steady escalation of the war would ensure victory. The U.S. believed that quickly increasing force and gaining control was the way to end the war; meanwhile, North Vietnam believed that enough American casualties would decrease support for U.S. involvement, forcing the withdrawal of the military (Vietnam War).
By June of 1965, eighty-two thousand United States troops were stationed in Vietnam. One month later, one hundred thousand more were dispatched, followed by another one hundred thousand in 1966 (Vietnam War History). By the end of 1967, there were almost five hundred thousand American military members stationed in Vietnam, and the death toll had surpassed fifteen thousand.
Soon, the physical and psychological deterioration of American soldiers became apparent. Maintaining military discipline was difficult. Drug use, mutiny, and cases of soldiers attacking officers became regular occurrences for United States troops. Popularity and support of the America’s part in the war decreased dramatically all over the world.
Americans' lack of support for the Vietnam War
On the last day of January in 1968, North Vietnam launched a series of merciless attacks on more than one hundred South Vietnamese cities. Despite the surprise, the United States and South Vietnam forces were able to strike back, making the communist fighters unable to maintain their hold on any of their targets.
Upon hearing reports of the attacks, and that there had been a request for two hundred thousand more troops, the United States’ support for the war plummeted, causing President Johnson to call a stop to the bombing of North Vietnam and vow to dedicate the rest of his term to achieving peace (Vietnam War History).
This promise by Johnson was met with talks of peace between the United States and North Vietnam. When Nixon was elected to take Johnson’s place, he sought to serve the ‘silent majority’, whom he believed supported the war effort.
Attempting to limit American casualties, Nixon launched a program to withdraw troops, increase artillery and aerial attacks, and give control over ground operations to South Vietnam (Vietnam War History). Peace negotiations were not moving smoothly, as North Vietnam continued to demand the United States’ complete withdrawal as a condition of peace.
In the years that followed, carnage and bloodshed were abundant. Meanwhile, in America, the anti-war movement was growing stronger as countless of thousands of Americans gathered at hundreds of protests around the country to contest the United States’ continued involvement in the war, marching in person and writing essays to share their opinions. In 1972, Nixon finally decided to end draft calls, as the numbers of soldiers discharged for desertion or ‘draft-dodging’ rapidly increased.
By the end of that year, North Vietnam was finally ready to compromise; however, they rejected the original peace agreement, causing Nixon to authorize bombings of North Vietnamese cities (Vietnam War History). U.S. troops were finally withdrawn in 1973, though war continued to rage between North and South Vietnam forces until the country was unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1975.
By the end of the war, the number of Americans killed reached over fifty-eight thousand, while the number of slaughtered Vietnamese numbered over two and a half million (Vietnam War History). From this point forward, the Vietnam War would be known as America's bloodiest war since the Civil War more than a hundred years' earlier.
The Vietnam War's military tactics
Military leaders once thought Germany's military policies during WWII were the most deceitful until the Viet Cong started employing their tactics. One of the most prominent types of warfare during the Vietnam War was guerilla warfare. This tactic consists of stealthy, surprise attacks aimed to eliminate opponents (Guerilla Warfare and Attrition Warfare).
Widely used by the Viet Cong, this enabled them to sneak up on unwary enemies, kill them, and escape before causing alarm. In addition, Viet Cong fighters often disguised themselves as farmers or civilians before attacking when least expected.
Viet Cong's deceitful disguises and innocent lives lost
This led to the accidental killing thousands of innocent Vietnamese citizens. By 1965, the Viet Cong had gained access to machine guns, which they mainly used to shoot American helicopters down from the sky. They would also utilize American land mines, which they sometimes found undetonated and would steal for their own use (Battlefield: Vietnam).
In a single year, enemy forces obtained almost twenty thousand tons of explosives from dud American bombs. Though United States troops originally aimed to use more traditional forms of warfare, meaning the ‘winner’ would be the one who had claimed more land, it was decided that the only way to truly win the war was to eliminate as many enemy troops as possible, called attrition warfare (Guerilla Warfare and Attrition Warfare).
Domestic response to the Vietnam War
The official position of the United States government on their involvement in the Vietnam War was that they were there at the request of South Vietnam to repel communist forces that were growing during the Cold War (Reaction to the War In the United States).
Before long, however, Americans grew dissatisfied with America’s continued presence in Southeast Asia. While some citizens believed that maximum force was necessary to quickly squash the opposition, others believed that the conflict in Vietnam was a civil one, making our involvement inappropriate.
Upon the revelation that American troops had massacred an entire village of civilians, anti-war demonstrations sprang up all around the country (Reactions to the War in the United States). While most demonstrations were peaceful, that was not the case for all. Many protests escalated to violence, as draft boards were raided and destroyed, production facilities were targets for attack and sabotage, and brutal altercations between civilians and police grew in frequency (Barringer).
Americans were analyzing the war through the lens of justice and morality, in addition to growing a strong distrust for the country’s military (War in Vietnam). Civil rights leaders and the American Civil Liberties Union called for the withdrawal of United States forces from Vietnam. By the time Nixon recalled American troops in 1973, the antiwar sentiment had become overwhelming as dissent for the government reigned (Barringer). Never before had the American public showed such disdain and dissatisfaction with the country’s involvement in warfare.
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While the Vietnam War had some support among American citizens, the overall feelings towards the war were negative. It was widely believed that veterans were the true victims of the Vietnam War, as thousands of Americans were drafted involuntarily to fight in a war they did not believe in and millions of Vietnamese became nothing more than cast-aside casualties of war.
The United States originally aimed to squash the growth of Communism in Asia but ended up participating in the longest, bloodiest war in American history. Regardless of the justification for their involvement, the United States continues to hold the Vietnam War as a lesson and an example for how we, as a country, should conduct ourselves during times of conflict. The memories and aftereffects of the Vietnam War will continue to serve as a reminder for generations to come. If you have strong feelings about this bit of history, for or against, order your own essay from Ultius.
Works Cited
Barringer, Mark. University of Illinois: The Anti-War Movement in the United States. Oxford UP, 1999. Web. 2, Dec. 2014. http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/antiwar.html.
“Battlefield: Vietnam”. PBS.org. PBS. Web. 2, Dec. 2014.
“Guerilla Warfare and Attrition Warfare”. The Vietnam War. Weebly, 2014. Web. 2, Dec. 2014. http://vietnamawbb.weebly.com/guerrilla-warfare-and-war-of-attrition.html.
“Vietnam War”. HistoryNet.com. Weider History Network, 2014. Web. 2, Dec. 2014. http://www.historynet.com/vietnam-war.
“Vietnam War History”. History.com. A&E Television Network, 2009. Web. 2, Dec. 2014. http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history.
“The Vietnam War”. U.S. History. Independence Hall Association. Web. 2, Dec. 2014. http://www.ushistory.org/us/55.asp.
“War in Vietnam”. History Learning Site. HistoryLearningSite.co.uk, 2014. Web. 2, Dec. 2014. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/war_vietnam.htm.
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The Vietnam War: A Brief Analysis
Should the us have been in vietnam.
For many in the United States "Vietnam" is a term which conjures up visions of war, anarchy, and finally defeat and humiliation. It was a war that many felt the U.S. should never have gotten involved in, and was a waste of more than 50,000 American lives. And for many years after the war ended the prevailing wisdom remained that the U.S. had failed. But as years turn to decades, and Vietnam is fading into the recesses of history, one can begin to look at the war in an objective manner; as just one part of the larger "Cold War." When viewing Vietnam as part of the larger Cold War, one can see that the United States should not only have been there, but it was necessary as part of the overall strategy to defeat Communism world wide.
Chapter Summary: The Vietnam War
He feels Yanagi’s pain through the connection but he does not draw attention to it. To be in the heat of a powerplay game such as the one boiling over in Konoha right now is a moment of extreme delicacy and ruthlessness; attachments are withheld, persons numbed down. The rampant mentality is this: eliminate those who are likely to get in one’s way, even if they are friends, or valuable allies. Nobody who lived through the Warring States Era would be unfamiliar with this tenet: do what must be done. And if Tobirama was forced to choose among the Yamanaka twins, he would keep Yanagi alive, simply because she is now the more valuable of the two, even though Yanagi herself and most definitely, not Osamu, would admit it. For to dabble in politics is to know who has value, worth and utility, and who do not.
The Vietnam War: The Fall Of Saigon
The year is 1975, its late April, and the North Vietnamese Army, or NVA has reached the outskirts of the capital of the South Vietnamese, Saigon. General Duong Van Minh, who has been president for two days, surrenders Saigon to avoid bloodshed. Even though their leader has given up, many citizens and volunteers prepare to dig in to defend their homes. The United States on the other hand has called a full retreat and are pulling out of the city, the fall of Saigon has begun.
Vietnam War : A Cold War Era Conflict
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era conflict that started in 1946 and ended in 1974, taking nearly 30 years to resolve. The war was fundamentally a conflict between North Vietnam and South Vietnam, where the North was communist and South was not. The United States, France, the United Kingdom and other non-communist allies supported the non-communist South Vietnam. China, Russia (USSR), Cuba, Cambodia and other Communist allies supported the regime in the north. North Vietnam saw the United States involvement in the North as foreign aggression, so they fought guerilla wars against the anti-communist forces in the region. Guerilla forces (the Viet Cong) and the regular North Vietnamese Army were responsible for fighting the anticommunist forces. The conflict mainly consisted of small battles until the onset of air attacks -- part of an overall strategy of massive bombing and search-and-destroy operations, which South Vietnam and the Americans hoped would win the war.
Vietnam War : With Comparisons
The Vietnam War started on the 1st November 1955, however full U.S military involvement was not until over ten years later in 1965 following the Gulf of Tonkin incident in which a U.S Destroyer was reportedly fired upon by North Vietnamese forces. Once again, as with the Korean War five years previous, the North part of the country was the Communists and the South part was the Capitalists. The Vietnam War was a lot more forthcoming than the Korean War, given the ten year period in which military advisers resided in Vietnam before the outbreak. Despite this build up the interest in Vietnam by war correspondents was at a minimal level. It is reported that even in 1963, just two years prior to the full involvement of the U.S military, there were only enough full-time correspondents to fill a table at a restaurant . The lack of media personnel in the country until 1965 shows that despite the indications shown in Korea for the USA to protect their interests, there is not much pull unless there is a full military involvement. The number of correspondents around in Vietnam before 1965 was at a measly eight. However, signifying the size of the war, the peak number in March 1968 hit 645 correspondents in Vietnam . Amongst this number saw a large quantity of female correspondents make their way to Vietnam. In all 467 women were accredited to being correspondents during the war, the most ever in any war . This may have been as a result of the
DBQ Vietnam War APUSH
Throughout America’s history, few things have left the nation in such controversial turmoil as the Vietnam War. With an American death toll of almost 60,000 troops, the Vietnam War has gone down in infamy as one of the most tremendous struggles Americans have faced both overseas and on the home front. Because of the tumultuous controversies caused by the war, Americans split into two social factions – those against the war and those who supported it. During the years of 1961-1975 - the era in which the war had its greatest effect on Americans - the population of citizens from 18-35 years old and the Presidency were both affected irreversibly.
African Americans Played a Key Role in Vietnam War Essay
- 6 Works Cited
During American involvement in the war, African Americans were listed and reenlisted on the military draft at higher rates than any other nationalities including whites and Latin-Americans (Westheider 9). As a result, more African Americans than any othe r minority fought and died in combat. In addition, they constantly faced racism. One militant protested forcefully against the unfair conditions: “You should see for yourself how the black man is being treated over here and the ay we are dying. When it comes to rank, we are left out. When it comes to special privileges, we are left out. When it comes to patrols, perataions and so forth, we are first” (Gallagher). According to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., black youths represented an unequal share of early draftees and faced a significantly higher chance of seeing combat. “Rumors abounded that the U.S. government were using the Vietnam War as a form of genocide. Money was being pumped into Vietnam instead of poor black communities in America” (Gallegher).
The War In Vietnam: Two Sides Of The Vietnam War
The war in Vietnam was a liberative exertion with respect to the Vietnamese, from provincial enslavement by western forces like France. Further division among the Vietnamese on political lines saw the heightening of the Cold War with the north accepting backing from comrade associates and the south from the US and other non-socialist nations. The US was vigorously included in the Vietnam War considering the expansive number of assets and troopers conveyed in the war-torn nation. Both sides of the Cold War were included to guarantee that neither benefitted from the political division of the nation to influence it to their side. The US was especially worried about the spread of socialism toward the south, in this way the war served to contain
How The Vietnam War Changed America
“No event in the past half-century of American history has commanded a morep rominent place in the public consciousness than the Vietnam War” (Hall xi), a rightfully said statement. Lasting from 1960-1975, it is America’s longest war and changed the United States politically, socially, and culturally during that period. In the early 1970s, the voting age was lowered to 18, largely because of the war. Also, Vietnam was one of the first wars in which African Americans largely participated. Lastly, Vietnam changed America culturally by causing mistrust in government. In the 1960s through early ‘70s, the Vietnam War changed America in ways that nothing had ever done before.
A Comparison Of Vietnam And Martin Luther King's Speech
War is often seen as a sensitive and debatable topic and one of the most controversial wars to have ever been fought was the Vietnam War. In Lyndon B, Johnson’s “Speech on Vietnam (September 29.1967)” and Martin Luther King’s speech, “Why I am opposed to the War in Vietnam” we are offered two different perspectives on this matter. While Johnson provides reasoning on why we should fight the war, it is King’s speech that shows a more compassionate side to Vietnam that I agree with.
At the conclusion of chapter three, Paul tells the story of the day before his deployment. In the story, Paul reveals that he and his friends had jumped Himmelstoss and then beaten him up as retribution for all the torture they had been put through. Paul happily explains all the pain that they inflicted on Himmelstoss from Tjaden whipping him to Haie hitting Himmelstoss repeatedly in the face. Personally, I believe that the attack was justified because you should always treat people with respect and dignity or they will treat you without what you believe you deserve. Himmelstoss’s failure to show decency to his subordinates led to Himmelstoss being attacked, so, in a way, Himmelstoss
The Civil Rights Of The Vietnam War
In 1967, 64 percent of all eligible African-Americans were drafted versus only 31 percent of eligible whites (Black 2009). This fact testifies to only a small portion of why nearly all African-Americans found themselves protesting against the Vietnam War. The lack of civil rights in the U.S deterred many blacks from supporting Vietnam, a conflict aimed at liberating the rights of another people. African Americans were frustrated with a country who fought for other citizens and saw no purpose in fighting for a peoples’ freedom but their own. Although African-Americans were specifically discriminated against both in Vietnam and America, they were not alone in their anti-war position. The majority of the American public opposed the Vietnam War. As the war dragged on, people found no reason to fight in Vietnam and believed that the United States should prioritize their own citizens first. Many public figures, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., and Muhammad Ali, held similar claims. Their opinions aligned with the public’s concern and suggested that the U.S withdraw troops and focus resources on the civil rights issues at home. These public figures fought for a specific minority, but, in light of the entire American population, the majority of people opposed the war.
Modern History : The Vietnam War
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 Vietnam, North Vietnam, United States, South Korea, Australia, Philippines, New Zealand, Thailand, Khmer Republic, Laos and the Republic of China. The war was known as a guerrilla war, which meant the use of tactics such as ambush, sabotage and petty warfare. Guerrilla warfare is a very unconventional style of warfare. It is when small groups of soldiers use stealthy tactics to inflict damage on the target. The casualties suffered by both sides were immense however, the Communists had the upper hand throughout the majority of the war. Not only was it their home turf, they also had the support of a large percentage of the civilian population. The effective use of guerrilla tactics by the Viet Cong played a very important role on the outcome of the war, and is also the primary reason why the United States lost. The following essay will outline the reasons why the guerrilla tactics used by the Viet Cong played a very important role on the outcome of the Vietnam War. The first paragraph will
The War Of The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War, lasting almost twenty years and deploying 2.7 million troops to the front lines, was one of the largest wars in United States history. Beginning August 2nd, 1964, the war killed 58,000 American soldiers and disabled twice that number. The war brought humiliation to our great nation, and created very overwhelming tensions, in a quote by President Nixon, “Let us be united against defeat. Because let us understand: North Vietnam cannot defeat or humiliate the United States. Only Americans can do that” (Doc G). These tensions grew immensely over the course of the war. In terms of political tensions, the trust and credibility of the war and government began to seem very questionable. Socially, the public began to acknowledge
America 's Revolutionary Party Of Vietnam Essay
In the past years the discussion of Vietnam War, is one that still is every more common among scholars of American Society, common not without controversy. The controversy surrounding the Vietnam War often is centered in U.S. mentality of playing “savior “ and appearing to be only great, while not owning up or recognizing their faults. There is a common belief among many people that the remembering the vietnam war is no longer important. Those who hold this belief, also believe that the there is no reason to harp on a war that doesn’t matter to the united states and its people. This paper strives to challenge this belief that the war is no longer important and demonstrate why it is vital we remember the Vietnam war. First, this paper will examine a document from Modern History Sourcebook, entitled, Program of the People’s Revolutionary Party of Vietnam, dating back to January 1962. We will examine to see how this document from the Vietnamese still provides value or information to our understanding of what is happening in today’s society. Then the paper will examine a Speech delivered in April 1967, by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., entitled Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence Declaration of Independence from the War in Vietnam.
Related Topics
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- South Vietnam
- Richard Nixon
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About Vietnam War
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The Vietnam War was a war of great controversy. The Vietnam War has the longest U.S. combat force participation to date, 17.4 years. This is closely followed by efforts in Afghanistan. U.S. combat force participation in Afghanistan is 17 years and continuing. The Vietnam War was a fatal one for U.S. armed forces. There are 58,220 total recorded military deaths from the war as of 2008 from the Defense Casualty Analysis System (U.S. Military Fatal Casualty Statistics, n.d.). Although the […]
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Essay About The Vietnam War Over a course of several years from 1955-1975, war was being held within a country in Southeast Asia, Vietnam. This was a war between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam. Once the United States entered the war, the nation was divided about whether it was the right decision. More than 50,000 American souls were lost in this fight and much controversy has been stuck on this topic. The Americans had entered the war ten years after it had begun in 1965. There is much controversy about this topic and researchers and historians are still debating. After World War II, communism had taken over several countries and was following the “domino effect” (in-text citation). The U.S. essentially entered this war to prevent the world, and themselves, from communism. The U.S. had military involvement with the Southern Vietnamese from 1965-1973. Within this time, military forces were set up throughout the country of Vietnam. The U.S. fought on the side of the Southern Vietnamese as they were trying to drive out communist forces and defeat the communist side of Northern Vietnam. Over 50,000 American soldiers were killed while fighting a war that wasn’t their own. The war eventually concluded in 1975 with the Fall of Saigon. This war had a big impact on the people fighting it affecting their personal well-being. Being drafted into the war was practically a death wish considering the intensity of the warfare going on. However, the men in Vietnam made friends among themselves. Spending quite a long time with each other, these bonds among soldiers became stronger as time went on. Someone in my personal life who served in the war had experienced a first-hand account of these terrors. Surging through the sweltering heat and the unforgiving monsoons. Being a target in the rainforests and the swampy lands, every moment you feared a bullet would be shot at you. Despite the harsh weather and the fight to make it out alive, the soldiers had friends in their camps. Learning from someone who had friends who had been killed in action, coming back home was harder than expected. My great uncle had several friends who were lost to the war and he had felt as if he left them behind. He had felt that it wasn’t okay that he was shooting aimlessly into the forest. He didn’t feel a cause to be there and as he had stated that that was one of the worst things he had to endure. Leaving his fellow men behind was also a challenge. Seeing a fallen soldier and not being able to do anything ate away at him for years and years after he returned home. The only goal in his mind throughout his time in Vietnam was going home; however, when he returned he felt as if there was a hole in his heart. In his opinion, some long-term impacts that have been cast upon American society were that a majority of soldiers had suffered from psychological after-effects such as PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder. The U.S. also spent a large amount of money on this project ranging from 350 billion to 900 billion, leaving a hole in the economy. It had also altered the way American forces now approach war. This war also impacted people at home too. Having to let your loved ones go to the battlefield was one of the hardest things to do. It affected our nation’s outlook on the world and the daily lives of those who had loved ones cast away into the fight. Protests for peace were started in the streets and rallies were brought together. This war even affected pop culture. With popular rock bands giving their opinion on the war through music. Some examples of these bands are Creedence Clearwater and The Rolling Stones. Creedence Clearwater’s hit song “Fortunate Son” was released in 1969, at the peak of the Vietnam War. This song isn’t really talking about their outlook on the war itself but more about who served in the war. As (intext citation pitchfork.com) states, most of the men drafted were lower class citizens or from a black cultural background. The song presents the idea that men such as Nixon’s daughter’s husband, who was Eisenhower’s son, weren’t being touched because of their standing on the political scale. As pitchfork.com states “It’s about class. Who did the dirty work”. In one line of the song it is sung as “It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no senator’s son”. This line implies that there was favoritism involved in the drafting system and that influenced people’s opinions. The second song is “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones. This song conveys a fearful outlook on the war. In one line in the song, Mick Jagger and Merry Clayton sing “If I don’t get some shelter, Lord, I’m gonna fade away”, this line has a lot more to say than just a couple of words. This is telling everyone that our men were stuck at a dead end with nowhere to go. It was also recorded in 1969 when the war was at its peak. Just as (in-text citation vietnamsanitwarmovementintheus.weebly.com) states “This song captures the fear of the American people in a dangerous time”. In closing, the Vietnam War certainly took a toll on American society to this day.
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Summary of the Vietnam War
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Decades later, any acknowledgement of Vietnam corresponds to the dark legacy of the 1945-1975 war. The three-decade war erupted from anti-colonialism against the French, which later advanced to a cold war dispute between foreign communists and anti-communists. Receiving support from China and the Soviet Union, North Vietnam adopted communism, while the South receiving support from the United States, advocated for free-trade democracy. After a series of warfare from both sides, United States’ intense action reduced and retrieved from the war, allowing the North to breach the South and develop a single communist Vietnam Government. Post-1975, Vietnam’s political, social, and economic frameworks were in chaos due to psychological and physical consequences. Furthermore, foreign relations froze due to the opposition between communist and anti-communist nations, which may take time to rebuild completely. Therefore, the Vietnam War displays significant physical, psychological, economic, political, and sociocultural effects and impacts on international relations.
Result of the Vietnam War
Like other wars, the extended Vietnam War resulted in intense physical and psychological ramifications. Approximately two million people died, while about three hundred thousand went missing. Losing loved ones left families and young ones devastated and emotionally affected. Moreover, toxic chemicals, including “Agent Orange,” poisoned plants, water, and soil, affecting veterans and community lives (Appau et al., 2021). The toxic chemicals emulated long-term effects on the Vietnamese, including pollution and limiting agricultural growth, while human exposure risked developing congenital disabilities and cancer-related conditions.
The political and economic effects of the Vietnam War continue to be an ongoing dialogue, allowing the country to learn from the consequences. The United States experienced a significant split in its political organization between democrats and republicans, enhancing Ronald Regan’s 1980 appeal and shaping the region’s policies (Awaworyi Churchill et al., 2020). The economic situation reduced, leading to inflation since the productive workforce involved in the war died or remained disabled, limited tourism, polluted environments, little agricultural progress, and new leadership structures produced an impoverished and suffering system.
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Vietnam experienced significant social and cultural effects from the war. Mid-ward in the 1960s, anti-protest organizations, culminated after U.S President Johnson propositioned intense action against the communists in the war. As the Vietnamese collaborated to kill the war and its effects, America started suffering and experienced division in its territory since the citizens were against the fighting. In addition, the South experienced a surge in human population due to increased refugees from the North escaping the war zones (Forrest et al., 2018). Therefore, Vietnam had to unite under one leadership, mixing communist and non-communist sociocultural structures after the war.
Influence on International Relations
The international relationship between the primary nations involved in the war shifted, and the leaders devised various mechanisms to restore connections. France’s Charles de Gaulle enhanced polycentrism in Western cultures in his motion to attain independence (Gruszczyk, 2018). In 1964, France outreached to China and began plans to establish a constructive relationship with the Soviet Union, opening space and opportunity for communist and non-communist nations to unite. Having lost in the colonialism war with Vietnam, the French president found the chance to link America with China and Russia.
However, the United States’ objective of increasing its invasion tactics in North Vietnam disregarded France’s unification motive since it would hinder their hunger for achievement to avoid humiliation. As China attempted to criticize the United States’ objective of war expansion, China communists criticized the Soviet Union’s organization for promoting true communism (Eyerman et al., 2017). The inter-organizational disputes contributed to power decentralization in global political frameworks. Consequently, as the war continued, disputes between Moscow and Beijing elevated, creating Vietnam leadership at critical points since those supporting and assisting through the war were experiencing “Marxist-socialism” leadership conflicts.
Nevertheless, Russia and China attempted to strengthen their efforts in the war against the United States to avoid humiliation after the Cuban missile crisis. Still, they failed due to the increased Sino-Soviet dispute. China did not directly disagree with the United States about the Cuban missile crisis between the United States and the Soviet Union, allowing them to create a pact between the countries while still assisting communist Vietnam to win the war in Hanoi. The Americans were against their Government’s effort to continue sending resources and soldiers in a futile battle. The soldiers went back to the United States (Duffy, 2022). Thus, the Vietnam War diminished the bipolar power structure, improving relations between foreign countries.
The Vietnam War, to date, remains one of the most recognized warfare in world history. The war brought about calamities in various sectors of the world in the pursuit of enhancing communism and anti-communism ideologies. Vietnam had to send young and energetic people to war, leaving them behind dependent, and after the war, it wasn’t easy to restore political, economic, social, and cultural normalcy. The major countries involved in the war or countries who chose sides between the distinct ideologies experienced significant disinterest in each other’s affairs. However, countries such as France managed to attempt and assist restore international relations. Since then, international discussions concerning policies and war have involved the “consequences of the Vietnam war.” Despite the indisputable dark past and generational trauma, the country is on the verge of detesting itself and demonstrating constructive progress.
- Appau, S., Awaworyi Churchill, S., Smyth, R., & Trinh, T.-A. (2021). The long-term impact of the Vietnam war on agricultural productivity. World Development , 146 , 105–613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2021.105613
- Awaworyi Churchill, S., Munyanyi, M. E., Smyth, R., & Trinh, T.-A. (2020). Early life shocks and entrepreneurship: Evidence from the Vietnam war. Journal of Business Research , 506–518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.11.009
- Duffy, M. (2022, April 19). Changing international perceptions of Vietnam and its dark heritage . E-International Relations. https://www.e-ir.info/2022/04/19/changing-international-perceptions-of-vietnam-and-its-dark-heritage/
- Eyerman, R., Madigan, T., & Ring, M. (2017). Cultural trauma, collective memory and the Vietnam War. Politička misao: časopis za politologiju , 54 (1-2), 11-31.
- Forrest, W., Edwards, B., & Daraganova, G. (2018). The intergenerational consequences of war: Anxiety, depression, suicidality, and mental health among the children of war veterans. International Journal of Epidemiology , 47 (4), 1060–1067. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyy040
- Gruszczyk, A. (2018). War painted: The changing social image of the Vietnam War veterans in American Culture [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Massey University Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa.
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The Vietnam War began as a civil war between North and South Vietnam, with the South being opposed to communist rule. Most historians see the Vietnam War as a consequence of the Cold War and the fear of global communism.
The Vietnam War lasted 19 years and 180 days. The war lasted from Nov. 1, 1955 to April 30, 1975, according to the dates finalized by the Department of Defense in 1998. There was no formal declaration of war to start the Vietnam conflict.
The struggle between French colonial forces and native Vietnamese citizens supported by Chinese communists was one of the root causes of the Vietnam War. United States forces entered the conflict in support of the French in order to fight c...
Vietnam War Essay: The Vietnam War is considered to be one of the most memorable and long-standing conflicts that involved the U.S.
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The Vietnam War was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally
American Difficulties in the Vietnam War The American forces in Vietnam had trouble dealing with North Vietnamese troops and the Viet Cong for numerous reasons.
While the Vietnam War had some support among American citizens, the overall feelings towards the war were negative. It was widely believed that
Kennan's telegram is a seminal document in Cold War history.4. Although the threat of communist expansion was the primary concern in Vietnam for Presidents.
The Vietnamese war started in November 1, 1955 and ended in 1975. To many people it was one of the most pointless wars in the United States history. It was like
In light of this, the movement against the Vietnam War could be said as one of the greatest triumphs in democracy. The war's purpose was to instill democracy
The war eventually concluded in 1975 with the Fall of Saigon. This war had a big impact on the people fighting it affecting their personal well-being. Being
The war brought about calamities in various sectors of the world in the pursuit of enhancing communism and anti-communism ideologies. Vietnam had to send young
This paper has traced the development of the Vietnam War, beginning from the socio-political context from which it emerged and the subsequent