Vietnam War Position Paper - 2011 Words

Vietnam War â€Å"You never knew who was the enemy and who was the friends,† said a marine officer who took part in a conflict deemed the longest war in Unites States history (My). The Vietnam War was not only the longest war in US history, as it took place from 1959 to 1975, but it is also considered one of the most controversial conflicts to date. This war, also known as the second Indochina War, occurred in the countries of Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. It was fought between communist North Vietnam, supported by its allies, and South Vietnam, backed by the United States and the other members of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, who wanted to contain the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. Although the struggle originally was between†¦show more content†¦Unfortunately, â€Å"Agent Orange,† the chemical used in the defoliation process, not only destroyed the coverage of the Vietcong, but also adversely impacted the ordinary people who ingested these harmful toxins (Vietnam Spartacus). However, this seemingly cruel behavior was a reasonable act on behalf of the US troops, because this was the deceptive nature of guerilla warfare that the Vietcong insisted on using. Another reason why the US treatment of Vietnamese citizens was justified in the context of the war was because many of America’s actions towards the civilians were merely a means of enforcing the policy of containment, in order to benefit the citizens of Vietnam. One of the main reasons that the Unites States even got involved in the Vietnam War was to prevent a communist takeover of Vietnam and all of Southeast Asia for that matter. This theory, known as the domino theory, presented the idea that if Vietnam fell to communism, it would be more likely that other nations around it would join the â€Å"communist bloc,† which would soon spread throughout the world (Wars). The main attempt to stop this communist insurgency was to isolate the civilians from contact with the NLF. In order to do so, the US advisors to the Diem regime implemented the Strategic Hamlet Program, as well as theShow MoreRelatedExploring Howard Zinns Life 1575 Words   |  6 PagesThis paper explores Howard Zinn’s life as an influential historian and public intellectual. It argues for his critical, singular position as an academic who left a mark on generations of Americans as well as international persons by guiding us all to critically view various institutions and structures of power, particularly in the realm of government. By looking at four major aspects of his life, as radical historian, civil rights crusader, anti-war activist, and labor rights activist, the paper delineatesRead MoreHamburger Hill Shows the Reasons against the Vietnam War674 Words   |  3 Pagesabout the Vietnam War you think about Hamburger Hill. This battle was one of the hardest fought battles in the Vietnam War. The battle on Hamburger Hill had a very important role on why President Nixon implemented Vietnamization, a policy to reduce American ground combat and put the responsibility on the South Vietnamese Army. This battle is the reason why we shouldn’t have been in Vietnam War and why the American people should have honored the Vietnam veterans that fought in this unpopular war. ThroughoutRead MoreEssay on Critical Circumstances of the Vietnam War1607 Words   |  7 PagesCRITICAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE VIETNAM WAR The Vietnam War was a cold war that spanned from 1956 to the fall of Saigon on April 30th 1975. It can be seen that the end result of the Vietnam War tainted America’s image through its failure to demolish the Vietnamese Communist Government . It should be noted that many years before America was directly involved with the war, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos were under French colonial rule where the Viá »â€¡t Minh (the communist nationalist independence coalition)Read MoreDBQ Vietnam War APUSH892 Words   |  4 Pagesnation in such controversial turmoil as the Vietnam War. With an American death toll of almost 60,000 troops, the Vietnam War has gone down in infamy as one of the most tremendous struggles Americans have faced both overseas and on the home front. Because of the tumultuous controversies caused by the war, Americans split into two social factions – those against the war and those who supported it. During the years of 1961-1975 - the era in which the war ha d its greatest effect on Americans - theRead MoreThe Vietnam War Essay1140 Words   |  5 PagesThe Vietnam War Student unrest and the Vietnam War In the middle 1960s, every male in America had to register for Selective Service Draft at age 18. He would then be eligible for the draft and could be inducted into the Army for a period of two years. If you were a college student, you could receive a deferment and would be able to finish college without the fear of being drafted. However, once finished with college, a students name would be put to the very top of the draft list and could beRead MoreThe Vietnam War Was Devastating Time For Not Just America1271 Words   |  6 PagesThe Vietnam War was devastating time for not just America, but worldwide. This War lead to 1 million, four hundred and fifty thousand casualties from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. This devastating number only increased when you also take into account the other side, the Americans, with more than 50,000 casualties. One may argue that a major reason the Vietnam War occurred was due to the disagreement between the Soviet Reds and the Great Uncle Sam after Worl d War 2. The Reds wanted to spread communismRead MoreFollowership And Leadership Of General Schwarzkopf876 Words   |  4 PagesArmy as a follower and a leader. Schwarzkopf’s Army career began with experiencing the Vietnam War, Cold War and eventually commanding the US Central Command (CENTCOM) during Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield. His ability as a follower and leader influenced multiple layers of personnel in executing military operations, and fostering affiliations amongst the military leadership in the fog of war. This paper will focus on followership and leadership of General Schwarzkopf successful Army careerRead MoreWork Horse Of The Vietnam War1159 Words   |  5 PagesResearch Paper June 26, 2017 Work horse of the Vietnam War When thinking about the Vietnam War, one of the first things that comes to mind, for me is seeing clips of helicopters in Vietnam. The helicopter was made in to a pop culture element when thinking about the war. Like in the movie â€Å"We Were Soldiers† the glorified usage of helicopters in the battle of La Drang. Many news broadcasters from the time use images and videos of the war. The helicopter played a huge role in the Vietnam war, one thatRead MoreVietnam War : History And History1695 Words   |  7 Pages http://www.scribd.com/doc/28238272/Vietnam-War-DBQ#scribd Throughout the 1960s and 1970s Americans became uneasy not only about the troubled position of the United States in world affairs, but also about the disorder wrought at home byforeign entanglements. Vietnam, either because of the searing war experience itself or because of the lessons Americans later drew from the experience, drastically altered society during the1960s and 1970s. The belief in the right to influence the internal affairsRead MorePresidents Of The Great Presidents828 Words   |  4 Pagesconstitutional system. In this paper, I am going to explore three presidents who many feel were imperial presidents. While doing the research I was surprised how many great presidents had people make a case that they were an imperial president. For example, I read many articles about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln running imperial presidency. Abraham Lincoln is widely considered one of our greatest presidents. The three presidents that I am going to focus my paper on are Lyndon Johnson, Richard