The Vietnam War And The United States Of America - 1766 Words

Former Secretary of State and Vietnam veteran John Kerry said it best when he stated â€Å"In our opinion and from our experience, there is nothing in South Vietnam which could happen that realistically threatens the United States of America† and â€Å"To attempt to justify the loss of one American life in Vietnam, Cambodia, or Laos†¦is to us the height of criminal hypocrisy which we feel has torn the country apart† (Goldstein). This statement stands true with many Americans as the Vietnam War was the most opposed and debatable war in the history of the United States. The Vietnam War or Second Indochina War began 1954 and ended in 1975 and was a direct result of the First Indochina War in which France claimed Vietnam as a colony (Mintz, McNeil). The war ended in 1954 following a French defeat in the battle of Dien Bien Phu (Marlantes, history.net) which resulted in Indochina’s independence, and the division between North and South Vietnam. America’s involvement heightened in the war in 1954 in an attempt to stop the spread of communism (Mintz, McNeil). In fact, the United States had the largest military presence in the war and basically directed the war from 1965 to 1968 (Mintz, Mcneil). This battle against communism led to one of the longest wars in American history, and one of the bloodiest conflicts America has ever seen; thus, leading to outrage and protests in streets of Washington D.C. The Vietnam War is considered one of the most controversial wars in the history ofShow MoreRelatedVietnam War and American Culture1684 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ Vietnam Wars Impact on American Culture Donna Whittle DeVry University Introduction to Humanities I. Introduction and Thesis Statement In the 1960’s America went through many cultural changes. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights activist, delivered his famous, â€Å"I have a dream† speech. African Americans were fighting for peace, freedom and equality. The United States was involved in the Vietnam War, committed to anti-communism. African Americans were deployedRead MoreThe United States Entered The Vietnam War901 Words   |  4 PagesThe Reason the United States Entered the Vietnam War Towards the end of Vietnam War over 60,000 Americans lost their lives while Vietnam lost over 2 million Vietnamese. In essence, participation of United States in this conflict culminated in signing of the infamous War Electricity Acts (Kimball 209). This Act became law in the year 1973 where it required the American president to obtain Congressional acceptance before deploying Americans forces abroad. However, in this particular discussion, theRead MoreThe Vietnam War Changed America1139 Words   |  5 Pages 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 battlefieldRead MoreThe Vietnam War1737 Words   |  7 PagesThe purpose of the Vietnam War, was to end the awful spread of communism. As Ho Chi Minh (North Vietnam’s communist president) fought to which spread North Vietnam’s political uses to Southern Vietnam. With this, the American Military Advisors sought to believe that a fall of Southern Vietnam to communist hands, would then lead to a total takeover of neighboring nations to fall under communism. The effect of the neighboring nations falling, was known as the â€Å"Domino Effect†. It all began when TheRead MoreThe Vietnam War Was A Significant Moment For Canada921 Words   |  4 Pages The Vietnam War was a historically significant moment for Canada which followed the First and Second World War. This was due to Canada’s large involvement in helping the South of Vietnam in their war efforts. Canada plays a large roll in this war costs and their manufacturing for war materia ls. One must first know how the war began before understanding how Canada contributed. Although the start of the Vietnam War had nothing to do with Canada, later events in the war were related to CanadaRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1729 Words   |  7 Pages1960’s, the United States of America was in the midst of change, advancements, and struggle. It was America vs. the Soviet Union, always trying to one up each other in both weaponry and space technology, but the main conflict was the spread of Communism. As the battle between Communists and Non-Communists raged on, America attempted to do everything in its power to stop the spread of communism all around the world. This is what lead to the gruesome war that lasted over a decade in Vietnam. A great dealRead MoreWhy Did the United States Lose in Vietnam? Essay1344 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States intervention in Vietnam is seen by the world as America’s greatest loss and longest war. Before the start of the war in Vietnam, the thought of the United States losing this war was unheard of beca use America was technologically superior, no country in south East Asia could contend with them. Lyndon B. Johnson announced that he would not be the president to allow South East Asia to go Communist . Why the United States lost the war has been a huge debate since the end of the war, becauseRead MoreAmerican Wars Abroad1567 Words   |  7 PagesDuring the Cold War the United States was involved in numerous conflicts overseas. As the Cold War progressed there were occasions where the US extended its participation beyond what was necessary by not acting in a quick and decisive manner. When dealing with crisis or conflict, America must not prolong foreign involvement. The Vietnam War and the Arms Race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union are two instances where America prolonged involvement past what was necessary. Certain aspects of bothRead MoreHis/135 Week 5 Assignment Vietnam War761 Words   |  4 PagesThe Vietnam War is one of America’s longest lasting wars beginning in 1955, and lasting until 1975. The United States became involved in the Vietnam War because of its efforts to stop communism in Southeast Asia. The United States feared that if communist took over Southeast Asia it would cause a domino effect around the world. The United States began sending financial aid and military advisors to South Vietnam to help stop a communist takeover. North Vietnam was run by communist leader Ho Chi MinhRead MoreOpposing the Vietnam War Essay1023 Words   |  5 PagesOpposing the Vietnam War The War in Vietnam is one of the most controversial arguments in history. The main reason That it is so controversial, is because we lost. Both democrats and republicans argue that the way the war was handled should have been differently. Some ask why bother, the war is over and done with; that there is nothing anyone can do to change it. The amazing thing about history though is that we can learn from our mistakes, and make sure that nothing like this