Although many students were moved by the war, it also caused great changes to politics in the United States. It was an extremely trying time for student during the Vietnam War. Although you were able to avoid the war as a student once you graduated you were at risk for the draft. However, the war escalated and a Selective Service System operated on a lottery system was enacted forcing some students to join the war. These lottery systems lead way to college students using their campuses for large protests to stop the war in fear that if it continued they would be drafted (History and Records, 2009).
It often came down to hand to hand contact and quick thinking. This war scared almost all the soldiers for life, the ones who lived through it all at least. The total number of US casualties in the Vietnam War was 58,220. The ones who did live didn’t get a welcome home either. When the Vietnam Veterans returned back home they were treated worse than some of the terrorists now a days.
Even though, many men were drafted and did not have a choice about whether to serve their country or not, they were still treated with disrespect and unkindness when they came home. Vietnam vets began getting sick and dying after returning home. “Agent Orange” was discovered to be the possible cause of the illness and death; doubt grew toward the government and leaders once again. Echoes of what happened during the years of the Vietnam War still echo today, but maybe that is a good thing. The American people have learned to question the actions of its leaders and lend a voice to those who are in need.
Veterans returning to the U.S. after duty were rarely honored, and felt alienated from their country and confused as to why they had even been in Vietnam. Further, even Henry Kissinger noted that the U.S. military was not really suited to this kind of war (Henry A. Kissinger. Lessons of Vietnam. Secret Memoranda to The President of the United States, May 12, 1975, p. 3.
Now Iraq war veterans are not being welcomed home like Vietnam veterans but are not appreciated by a good amount of Americans. Instead of being thanked many Americans instantly go into their own political thoughts. Active duty soldiers are being threatened by the cut back of some benefits they deserve as well as no increase in pay. There are many similarities and differences between the treatment of our returning heroes from the past Vietnam War and the current Iraq War. The Vietnam War was also known by a number of different names, such as the Second Indochina War, the Vietnam Conflict, or the American War.
This made an impact in their speeches and music as well. The anti-war protests escalated and people began to lose respect for the soldiers who were returning home. They were no longer looked upon as heroes fighting for our country, but as murderers. One protest made a historical impact on the deep division between political and social viewpoint regarding the Vietnam War. In April, 1970 the United States had invaded Cambodia and this invasion had only broadened the Vietnam War.
Vo Suu’s now iconic picture of the Chief of the South Vietnamese National Police shooting a Vietcong suspect in the head, is an example of this. • It was such images that caused widespread anti-war sentiment to grow in America and well as International criticism, with several university in the US protesting (including the Kent State University of Ohio, where 4 students were killed) • “The Tet Offensive was not intended to be a decisive operation, but one episode in a protracted war that might last “five, ten or twenty
Some resorted to peaceful protests, although some protests turned to riots. Others resorted to more horrific things like the murder of notable men. Amongst the War in Vietnam racial issues were still brewing in America. African Americans were tired of standing in the shadows of ignorant whites who seen them less than equal. This movement caused strong opinions and “black power” to breakthrough.
It may be because there is a stigma about going to get help being associated weakness or maybe soldiers feel like talking about their time during deployment brings up the memories of what they’ve done, seen, or experienced. This is a real social problem that has affected and is affecting most I would go as far as to say all soldiers go through, as well as self medication either through the use a magnanimous amount of alcohol or the use of both alcohol and un-prescribed medication. Soldiers in Mike platoon soon come forward with the truth of the circumstances surrounding Mike death. It seemed that Mike was distraught about what happened while he was driving his humvee in Iraq; Mike was told to never stop driving while on a transport. Regrettably during one of the drives a child strayed into the road and Mike was pressured into continuing to drive.
The Vietnam War affected both the social and political views of this nation. This war took one great nation and completely divided it in two. As shown by examples in this paper, the political and social changes were drastic enough and demonstrated by enough people that it was able to move an entire generation. Even today, the different views of the Vietnam War are seen in the way the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is viewed by many today: “ A somber reminder of the loss of too many young Americans, and of what the war did to the United States and its messianic belief in its own overweening virtue.” [ (Sitikoff, 1999)