Introduction
The Vietnam War was one of the most important events in the 20th century, which made a considerable impact on the United States and its society. The American troops who participated in the war faced numerous problems on the battlefield, and historians still hold debates over the question of whether the United States won the war. At the same time, the war veterans encountered a variety of struggles when arriving home from Vietnam. In fact, the veterans who returned to the United States after the Vietnam War in 1973 only gradually gained the help they needed to overcome challenges after combat.
Historical Overview – What caused/led up to the event? Why was it significant?
The Vietnam War was a result of the United States’ involvement in Vietnam which lasted for a long period of time. After the fall of the colonial rule of France in Indochina, the country was divided into two regions controlled by different political forces (“Vietnam War”). Specifically, the Southern part of Vietnam had a democratic government, while the Northern part was under a communist regime. For a long time, the United States attempted to maintain control over the situation in Vietnam without engaging militarily. The plan of the United States was to support the South Vietnam government by providing financial assistance to it.
One of the main interests of the United States in the situation in Vietnam was the desire to prevent the spreading of communism in Asia. According to the domino theory, promoted by the United States, the fall of one Southeast Asian country to communism would cause a chain reaction. As a result, the region could gradually become a threat to the national security of the United States. Since 1954, the United States increased its involvement in Vietnam and eventually had to become a party to the conflict by officially starting the war against the local communist forces.
The full-scale engagement of the United States in Vietnam began in 1964 as a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incident. Essentially, in August of 1964, North Vietnam forces attacked two U.S. destroyers which provoked a retaliatory attack by the United States on the supply chains of the communist regime. In 1965, President Johnson received full support from Congress and sent 82,000 troops to Vietnam. William Westmoreland was one of the key strategists in the Vietnam War who proposed the idea of the Strategy of Attrition (“Vietnam War”). The concepts proposed by Westmoreland were executed by men such as Steven A. Wowwk, an infantryman who served in Vietnam during the period of continuous escalation (Ciampaglia). Ultimately, the major impact of the war as experienced not by the American state but by the people who fought in Vietnam.
The significance of the Vietnam War was high since it was the first large conflict after WW2. Additionally, technological advancements such as television allowed people in the United States to monitor the war almost in real-time. Finally, the gradual dissatisfaction of the public with the United States’ activities in Vietnam and the desire to end the war caused many social and political changes in the country.
What happened? Who was most affected and why? How were they affected?
The Vietnam War ended in 1975 after the United States signed a peace agreement with North Vietnam (“Vietnam War”). Yet, the war was not over for the veterans who, as mentioned above, encountered the most significant impact of the conflict after coming home. The veterans were subject to criticism by both anti-war activists and war supporters. The former claimed that the troops killed innocent civilians, while the latter stated that they lost the war (“Vietnam War”). The veterans also were not met with any parades (Ciampaglia). A certain share of the public vented its frustration with the government, war, and social issues on the veterans (“The Vietnam War and Its Impact”). Thus, veterans were subject to considerable social pressure from their fellow countrymen.
Veterans became a target of negative treatment by many opinionated citizens and were, to a large extent, alienated by society. For instance, Chris Gregoriou, a Marine Corps. veteran said that one of the employers refused to hire him, accusing Chris of being a “baby killer” (Sachewicz). John Kerry, another veteran, said that people tried to stay away from him as if he could contaminate them (“Coming Home”). Nevertheless, the negative treatment of veterans was not as common since only 3% of the population was unfriendly to them (Wyman). Nevertheless, there were still many people who actively criticized veterans.
The most significant effects suffered by Veterans concerned their health and well-being. The war itself claimed the lives of more than 50,000 Americans and left 150,000 wounded. Moreover, exposure to toxic herbicides such as Agent Orange undermined their health (Ciampaglia). Many veterans received Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after encountering death and violence during the war (“Coming Home”). The frustration experienced by veterans caused many of them to begin using drugs (“The Vietnam War and Its Impact”). Thus, the veterans of the Vietnam War were under severe social pressure, which, coupled with their health problems, made many of them suffer greatly.
What lasting impact has resulted from the event? Why is this still relevant?
Thus, after the war, the veterans faced numerous challenges, the majority of which were resolved only after a certain period of time. For instance, during the 1980s, the Vietnam veterans began to be perceived by the public as ordinary people who simply did their job (“Coming Home”). Moreover, they started to gain recognition and were asked to participate in holiday parades. In 1982, the Vietnam veterans received their memorial, and after the 9/11 terrorist attack, people started to thank them for their service (Ciampaglia). Nevertheless, some veterans, such as Steven A. Wowwk, say that more needs to be done and not only said (). Overall, the majority of Vietnam veterans were able to successfully reintegrate into society and avoid suffering from social pressure.
The government was not actively involved in the reintegration efforts, which left many veterans on their own. Col. Ebitz said that people like him were lucky to return home to supportive friends and family members, but others did not have such a privilege (Sachewicz). As a result, many veterans became addicted to substances and lost their possessions and all prospects of getting back to a normal life. At the same time, in the 1980s, the government opened research in the sphere of mental health care for veterans after PTSD was recognized as a real medical condition (Wyman). The research helped to rehabilitate many veterans and enabled them to have a better life. The experiences of the Vietnam War and its veterans remain relevant today because they serve as a lesson on how military conflicts can affect people and negatively impact their lives.
Conclusion
The Vietnam War had a lasting impact on American society and veterans in particular. The war caused frustration among the civil society members, who focused all of their anger on veterans returning home. The social pressure, physical health problems, and the lack of government efforts left many veterans unable to reintegrate into society. The Vietnam War and its effects must act as a reminder to the government and society of the necessity to assist veterans with their reintegration.
Works Cited
“Coming Home: Vietnam Veterans in American Society” Encyclopedia.com, n.d.
“The Vietnam War and Its Impact – American veterans.” American Foreign Relations, n.d.
“Vietnam War.” History, 2009.
Ciampaglia, Dante A. “Why Were Vietnam War Vets Treated Poorly When They Returned?” History, 2018.
Sachewicz, Hannah. “Vietnam Veterans Describe Coming Home From War.” Citrus County Chronicle, 2021.
Wyman, Jeb. “The Battle After the War.” Humanities, 2020.