Vietnam War Viewpoints

1021 Words5 Pages
The Vietnam War Prior to Vietnam, most of the American population set high standards for their Congressmen, universities, and other official institutions. These views began to change in the 1960’s. Two basic viewpoints began to develop during this time. One group felt that even if intentions had been good for getting into the conflict, it was a losing battle that carried too large of burden both socially and economically and the United States needed to get out of Vietnam. The other group felt that we went to Vietnam for a reason and we should not leave until the job was completed. In the middle and late 1960’s, every male in America had to register for Selective Service Draft at age 18. He then became eligible to be drafted into the Army…show more content…
President Johnson continued to pour money into the battle without enough means to cover the expenses. In addition, Johnson started a number of domestic programs that became known as the Great Society. He did not raise taxes to help cover these programs. The result was price increases and a severe increase in the federal deficit. The economy of the United States then began to fall. As the war continued, Americans became dissatisfied with their political leaders and their government. They became more aware of the deceit of these leaders and began to doubt the government and view everything the government did with…show more content…
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. The way the soldiers returning from the war were treated was awful, and we can only hope that we learn from our
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