Essay for Vietnam War - 943 Words

The Vietnam War greatly changed America forever. It was the longest war fought in America’s history, lasting from 1955 to 1973. The Vietnam War tarnished America’s self image by becoming the first time in history the United States failed to accomplish its stated war aims, to preserve a separate, independent, noncommunist government. The war also had great effects on the American people. It was the first war ever broadcast on television. The public was able to see what happened on the battlefield. One of the chief effects of the war was the division it caused among the people. Not since the Civil War had America been so divided. This war would have lasting affects on the United States. The Vietnam conflict began long before the U.S.†¦show more content†¦President Eisenhower had been sending aid to South Vietnam and helped them to create the Army Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). This would hopefully help stop the communist North Vietnamese from taking over. Despite American financial aid, South Vietnam was still being defeated and needed serious intervention from the U.S. With the Cold War, the United States had vowed to keep communism from spreading. President Truman stated that any nation challenged by Communism would receive aid from the United States. The Truman Doctrine, initially for Europe and the Middle East, was adopted by the future presidents and applied to the Vietnam conflict. They feared that if one of the Southeast Asian nations fell to communism, that all the others would eventually follow. This was known as the domino theory. To the U.S. communism anywhere was a threat. When John F. Kennedy took office in 1961, Vietnam was not a major issue. There were more pressing situations to be taken care of, such as the Cold War. The Vietnam conflict became more of an issue when civil war broke out in Laos. Vice President Johnson was sent to Vietnam, and when he returned he greatly urged President Kennedy to become more involved in the conflict. John F. Kennedy decided to send military advisors and special forces (Green Berets) to work with and train the ARVN troops instead of sending combat troops. Aerial spraying of herbicides like Agent Orange were used to try and deprive the Vietcong ofShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Vietnam War1680 Words   |  7 PagesThe Vietnam War From the outset, the Vietnam War manifested itself as a conflict that could only be settled by prolonged engagement. Because the war was fundamentally an ideological struggle between the democratic, capitalist United States and the Communist bloc of the U.S.S.R. and China, the strategy formulated by both democratic and communist advisory forces in North and South Vietnam conformed to accepted Cold War military practices. However, while initially similar to the war in Korea, theRead MoreThe Vietnam War Essay1163 Words   |  5 PagesVietnam War In the 1950s, the United States had begun to send troops to Vietnam and during the following 25-year period, the ensuing war would create some of the strongest tensions in US history. Almost 3 million US men and women were sent thousands of miles to fight for what was a questionable cause. In total, it is estimated that over 2 million people on both sides were killed. This site does not try to document the entire history of the Vietnam War but is intended as a picture essay, illustratingRead More The Vietnam War Essay2566 Words   |  11 Pages Vietnam was so significant to the United States partly as it would be the first war they would lose. It also had a tremendous financial impact on the country and the casualties were also more in the public eye than ever before due to the media. They learnt that: a long war for limited objectives, with its steady stream of body bags, will not be supported by the American people (MartinoRead MoreThe Vietnam War Essay2334 Words   |  10 PagesThe Vietnam War was a war between the Capitalist United States and the Communist North Vietnamese army. This war started in 1964 and it ended in 1975, when the US withdrew its soldiers. The US joined the war to stop the spreading of Communism, because they didnÂ’t want Russia to gain more allies, as they had been in a cold war with them for years. In my opinion, an event is significant if it is still remembered today, meaning that it is used in films, written about in books, and when people watchRead MoreThe Vietnam War Essay1701 Words   |  7 PagesSummary Like any other war the Vietnam War had a lot of devastating effects after the war ended. It also had many causes that changed many things after this war. The Vietnam War was fought between 1964 and 1975 on the ground in South Vietnam and bordering areas of Cambodia and Laos, and in bombing runs over North Vietnam.1.There were two opposing sides. On one side it was a coalition of forces including the United States, the Republic of Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea. AndRead More The Vietnam War Essay1721 Words   |  7 PagesThe Vietnam War The Vietnam War was caused by many factors that contributed to the warfare in Vietnam during the years of 1959 to 1975. Most factors were the beliefs held by people who wanted to change or to prevent Vietnam becoming an Independent Country. Many people suffered due to these beliefs and policies and that the Vietnam War is now considered as one of the most distressing moments in the 20th Century. So why did the US become involved in the Vietnam War? What was Ho Chi Minh thinkingRead More Vietnam War Essay578 Words   |  3 PagesGeneration in War and Turmoil: The Agony of Vietnam It has been known that the Vietnam War affected many American soldiers who were involved in the war physically and psychologically. The Vietnam War was one of the most memorable wars in history. Many Americans’ lives lost for no objective at all. Chapter 10 informed us about how the Vietnam War started and what really happened during that time. It also gave us background information about Vietnam Veterans and nurses who were involved in the war and whatRead MoreThe War in Vietnam Essay1130 Words   |  5 Pages The United States would enter the Vietnam War, in which the tactics of the enemy would not be familiar to them. Guerilla warfare became a problem for the allied forces and then the US would introduce aircraft into the war. The role of airpower changed operations for the US and showed their air supremacy. Even with all the success in the air that the US and South Vietnam had, this would not be enough to win the war. The war in Vietnam was fought from 1954 through 1975, between the communist NorthRead MoreEssay on The Vietnam War1673 Words   |  7 PagesThe united front had long and historic roots in Vietnam. Used earlier in the century to mobilize anti-French forces, the united front brought together Communists and non-Communists in an umbrella organization that had limited, but important goals. On December 20, 1960, the Party s new united front, the National Liberation Front (NLF), was born. Anyone could join this front as long as they opposed Ngo Dinh Diem and wanted to unify Vietnam.The character of the NLF and its relationship to the CommunistsRead MoreEssay on The Vietnam War2772 Words   |  12 PagesThe Vietnam War is truly one of the most unique wars ever fought by the Unites States of by any country. It was never officially declared a war (Knowll, 3). It had no official beginning nor an official end. It was fought over 10,000 miles away in a virtually unknown country. The enemy and t he allies looked exactly the alike, and may by day be a friend but by night become an enemy (Aaseng 113). It matched the tried and true tactics of World War Two against a hide, run, and shoot technique known as