HISTORY
The Vietnam War was a long, costly armed conflict that pitted the communist regime of North Vietnam and its southern allies, known as the Viet Cong, against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The divisive war, increasingly unpopular at home, ended with the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1973 and the unification of Vietnam under Communist control two years later. More than 3 million people, including 58,000 Americans, were killed in the conflict. The soldiers who were passionate about fighting communism were the driving force behind our vast number of troops. Soldiers were motivated to volunteer to fight in the war also because of their sense of nationalism, after World War 2 when the United States emerged as a major world power. This new status gave the U.S. much pride which also was a motivating factor to fight fo their country and expand their beliefs.
Participation in the Vietnam war split many veterans when they returned from the war, while some became even more supportive of the government and what actions were taken to expand the United States and contain communists influence, other veterans strongly opposed the government as they had seen how the government actually worked when they were deployed in Vietnam. Civilians began to fear the military after their return from Vietnam, this was caused by the horror stories of the actions committed by the military during the war. This was the first war where live footage of the war was broadcasted to people at home causing many people to see the U.S military in a whole new light. Americans lost their trust in the military they had previously held as they realized the horrific actions committed by them. The military supported the war in the beginning due to the fact that many were trained to just follow orders blindly so they did not express their opinions prior to the war whether they were in support of the war or not.
Participation in the Vietnam war split many veterans when they returned from the war, while some became even more supportive of the government and what actions were taken to expand the United States and contain communists influence, other veterans strongly opposed the government as they had seen how the government actually worked when they were deployed in Vietnam. Civilians began to fear the military after their return from Vietnam, this was caused by the horror stories of the actions committed by the military during the war. This was the first war where live footage of the war was broadcasted to people at home causing many people to see the U.S military in a whole new light. Americans lost their trust in the military they had previously held as they realized the horrific actions committed by them. The military supported the war in the beginning due to the fact that many were trained to just follow orders blindly so they did not express their opinions prior to the war whether they were in support of the war or not.
ARTIFACTS
CITATIONS
Kindig, Jessie. “Vietnam War: Draft Resistance.” Pacific Northwest, 2008 , http://depts.washington.edu/antiwar/vietnam_draft.shtml.
Gonchar, Michael. “Teaching the Vietnam War With Primary Sources From The New York Times.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 Mar. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/03/29/learning/lesson-plans/teaching-the-vietnam-war-with-primary-sources-from-the-new-york-times.html.
Alchin, Linda. “1945-1993: Cold War Era.” Facts: US History for Kids ***, Siteseen Limited, 9 Jan. 2018, www.american-historama.org/1945-1989-cold-war-era/vietnam-war.htm.
Derakhshani, Tirdad. “Three Vietnam War Veterans Share Their Stories.” Military.com, CodyUnderwood, www.military.com/off-duty/books/2017/07/07/three-vietnam-war-veterans-share-their-stories.html.
Sigalos, MacKenzie. “Vietnam War: How They Saw It from Both Sides.” CNN, Cable News Network, 23 May 2016, www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/asia/america-vietnam-view-vietnam-war/index.html.
Cutter, Alan. “Learning to Come Home from War: No One Said 'Thank You' to Vietnam Vets | Alan Cutter.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Apr. 2013, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/apr/13/vietnam-veterans-not-thanked-for-military-service.
History.com Staff. “Vietnam War.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2009, www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history.
Llewellyn, J. “Vietnam War Soldiers.” Alpha History, 2016 , http://alphahistory.com/vietnamwar/vietnam-war-soldiers/
Sullivan, Michael. “In Danang, Where U.S. Troops First Landed, Memories Of War Have Faded.” National Public Radio, 2 May 2015, https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/05/02/403597845/in-danang-where-u-s-troops-first-landed-memories-of-war-have-faded.
Black, George. “The Vietnam War Is Still Killing People.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 19 June 2017, www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-vietnam-war-is-still-killing-people.
“Fall of Saigon.” United States History, 1 June 2018, http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1880.html.
Gonchar, Michael. “Teaching the Vietnam War With Primary Sources From The New York Times.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 Mar. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/03/29/learning/lesson-plans/teaching-the-vietnam-war-with-primary-sources-from-the-new-york-times.html.
Alchin, Linda. “1945-1993: Cold War Era.” Facts: US History for Kids ***, Siteseen Limited, 9 Jan. 2018, www.american-historama.org/1945-1989-cold-war-era/vietnam-war.htm.
Derakhshani, Tirdad. “Three Vietnam War Veterans Share Their Stories.” Military.com, CodyUnderwood, www.military.com/off-duty/books/2017/07/07/three-vietnam-war-veterans-share-their-stories.html.
Sigalos, MacKenzie. “Vietnam War: How They Saw It from Both Sides.” CNN, Cable News Network, 23 May 2016, www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/asia/america-vietnam-view-vietnam-war/index.html.
Cutter, Alan. “Learning to Come Home from War: No One Said 'Thank You' to Vietnam Vets | Alan Cutter.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Apr. 2013, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/apr/13/vietnam-veterans-not-thanked-for-military-service.
History.com Staff. “Vietnam War.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2009, www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history.
Llewellyn, J. “Vietnam War Soldiers.” Alpha History, 2016 , http://alphahistory.com/vietnamwar/vietnam-war-soldiers/
Sullivan, Michael. “In Danang, Where U.S. Troops First Landed, Memories Of War Have Faded.” National Public Radio, 2 May 2015, https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/05/02/403597845/in-danang-where-u-s-troops-first-landed-memories-of-war-have-faded.
Black, George. “The Vietnam War Is Still Killing People.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 19 June 2017, www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-vietnam-war-is-still-killing-people.
“Fall of Saigon.” United States History, 1 June 2018, http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1880.html.