The Vietnam War's Relevance in Today's Society:
Believe it or not, the Vietnam War contributed to a lot of the ideas that are prevalent in today's society. These ideas include challenging the social structure, waging conventional warfare, and making policies regarding military intervention in foreign countries.
Put in simple terms, "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"[1]. The United States decided to intervene in Vietnam because it believed that if South Vietnam fell to communism, then it would create a domino effect that would cause everybody else to fall to communism as well. In order to supply sufficient troops to Vietnam, the United States implemented the draft, which essentially recruited men (who were required to register for the draft) to the army based on a lottery system. Many men who were selected to join the army because of the draft opposed having to join the army against their own free will. Many tried to dodge the draft by escaping to Canada, burning their draft cards, and faking injuries or illness. These were not the only people who opposed the war, however.
"Growing opposition to the war in the United States led to bitter divisions among Americans"[2]. Not many people opposed the war at the beginning, but as time went on and more and more soldiers died, a greater number of Americans began to oppose the Vietnam War. Many college demonstrations against the war ensued. These demonstrations were not always so peaceful, however; at Kent State, members of the National Guard, after being pelted with rocks and various other types of debris, shot and killed four people while injuring nine while they tried to control a protest. Activists used the Kent State incident "... in order to attempt to establish the existence of repression and to challenge the general social and political structure in the United States"[3]. There was much opposition to the Vietnam War throughout its duration. Thousands of Americans opposed it and they explicitly exhibited this by participating in demonstrations and protests across the country. This concept of challenging the social/political structure is still prevalent today, being that many organizations in today's society actively protest ideas that they are against. The Vietnam War served as a stepping stone for public opposition against the social and political structure of the United States.
The Vietnam War has also affected the way that conventional warfare is waged nowadays. "The Vietnam War marked a turning point in the history of modern conventional warfare in both in the extent of guerrilla and anti-guerrilla combat involved and in the increased reliance in helicopters, which afforded mobility in a difficult terrain"[4]. The Vietnam War helped solidify the use of technology as a necessity during war. The reliance on helicopters helped the U.S. realize that technological supremacy is a must in any war situation, so it enabled them to research and integrate more advanced technology into their equipment. Guerilla warfare also prepared the U.S. for unconventional fighting and kept the soldiers on their toes. This can be applied to soldiers today because they never know what might happen and as a result must always be prepared for any situation. In essence, the Vietnam War redefined the way that the United States approaches war.
Finally, the fundamental relevance today of the Vietnam War pertains to policies regarding military intervention in foreign countries. It is undoubtedly true that "...the lessons learned during the Vietnam conflict have shaped the way U.S. forces operate today, particularly in conducting counterinsurgency operations..."[5]. The war gave the U.S. a different outlook on the way it deals with the problems of foreign countries. Instead of trying to prevent all countries from the spread of communism, the U.S. gained a more practical approach to dealing with this type of threat. "It is the belief, born of brutal experience during the Vietnam War, that never again will the United States gradually tiptoe into questionable wars without a clearcut objective, overwhelming military force, an endgame strategy and, most important, the support of Congress and the American people"[6]. The U.S. was taught a brutal lesson during the Vietnam War; it was unprepared to mettle in the problems of Vietnam, and it suffered devastating consequences as a result such as a severely damaged economy, a distrust in the government, and a deteriorated military morale. The U.S. learned to never again commit to helping other countries unless it was fully prepared both mentally and physically to effectively deal with the situation. More importantly, the U.S. learned that while dealing with foreign countries, "..the absence of a direct threat should generally rule out military intervention and result in foreign policy that favours coercive diplomacy and non-military tactics such as trade embargoes or targeted sanctions and sending food and medical supplies to insurgents"[7]. The U.S. learned the valuable lesson that it should not mettle in other countries' affairs unless absolutely necessary. This was one of the most if not the most practical lessons that came out of the Vietnam War; now the U.S. knows better than to blindly jump into wars with other countries.
Word Count: 863 Words
For a detailed timeline of the Vietnam War, visit http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index.html
Put in simple terms, "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"[1]. The United States decided to intervene in Vietnam because it believed that if South Vietnam fell to communism, then it would create a domino effect that would cause everybody else to fall to communism as well. In order to supply sufficient troops to Vietnam, the United States implemented the draft, which essentially recruited men (who were required to register for the draft) to the army based on a lottery system. Many men who were selected to join the army because of the draft opposed having to join the army against their own free will. Many tried to dodge the draft by escaping to Canada, burning their draft cards, and faking injuries or illness. These were not the only people who opposed the war, however.
"Growing opposition to the war in the United States led to bitter divisions among Americans"[2]. Not many people opposed the war at the beginning, but as time went on and more and more soldiers died, a greater number of Americans began to oppose the Vietnam War. Many college demonstrations against the war ensued. These demonstrations were not always so peaceful, however; at Kent State, members of the National Guard, after being pelted with rocks and various other types of debris, shot and killed four people while injuring nine while they tried to control a protest. Activists used the Kent State incident "... in order to attempt to establish the existence of repression and to challenge the general social and political structure in the United States"[3]. There was much opposition to the Vietnam War throughout its duration. Thousands of Americans opposed it and they explicitly exhibited this by participating in demonstrations and protests across the country. This concept of challenging the social/political structure is still prevalent today, being that many organizations in today's society actively protest ideas that they are against. The Vietnam War served as a stepping stone for public opposition against the social and political structure of the United States.
The Vietnam War has also affected the way that conventional warfare is waged nowadays. "The Vietnam War marked a turning point in the history of modern conventional warfare in both in the extent of guerrilla and anti-guerrilla combat involved and in the increased reliance in helicopters, which afforded mobility in a difficult terrain"[4]. The Vietnam War helped solidify the use of technology as a necessity during war. The reliance on helicopters helped the U.S. realize that technological supremacy is a must in any war situation, so it enabled them to research and integrate more advanced technology into their equipment. Guerilla warfare also prepared the U.S. for unconventional fighting and kept the soldiers on their toes. This can be applied to soldiers today because they never know what might happen and as a result must always be prepared for any situation. In essence, the Vietnam War redefined the way that the United States approaches war.
Finally, the fundamental relevance today of the Vietnam War pertains to policies regarding military intervention in foreign countries. It is undoubtedly true that "...the lessons learned during the Vietnam conflict have shaped the way U.S. forces operate today, particularly in conducting counterinsurgency operations..."[5]. The war gave the U.S. a different outlook on the way it deals with the problems of foreign countries. Instead of trying to prevent all countries from the spread of communism, the U.S. gained a more practical approach to dealing with this type of threat. "It is the belief, born of brutal experience during the Vietnam War, that never again will the United States gradually tiptoe into questionable wars without a clearcut objective, overwhelming military force, an endgame strategy and, most important, the support of Congress and the American people"[6]. The U.S. was taught a brutal lesson during the Vietnam War; it was unprepared to mettle in the problems of Vietnam, and it suffered devastating consequences as a result such as a severely damaged economy, a distrust in the government, and a deteriorated military morale. The U.S. learned to never again commit to helping other countries unless it was fully prepared both mentally and physically to effectively deal with the situation. More importantly, the U.S. learned that while dealing with foreign countries, "..the absence of a direct threat should generally rule out military intervention and result in foreign policy that favours coercive diplomacy and non-military tactics such as trade embargoes or targeted sanctions and sending food and medical supplies to insurgents"[7]. The U.S. learned the valuable lesson that it should not mettle in other countries' affairs unless absolutely necessary. This was one of the most if not the most practical lessons that came out of the Vietnam War; now the U.S. knows better than to blindly jump into wars with other countries.
Word Count: 863 Words
For a detailed timeline of the Vietnam War, visit http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index.html
Notes:
1. "Vietnam War History," History, Accessed April 3, 2014, http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history, paragraph 1.
2. Ibid., paragraph 1.
3. Ian C.F. Spry, "LESSONS FROM THE VIETNAM WAR," National Observer no. 56 (March 2003): 40, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed April 2, 2014), http://mcc1.library.csulb.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9621791&site=ehost-live, p. 47.
4. "Vietnam," Minnesota Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Accessed April 3, 2014, http://www.mvvm.org/ichron.htm, paragraph 14.
5. Donna Miles, "Vietnam Legacy Shapes Today’s Military Leaders," American Foreign Press Service, Department of Defense, April 29, 2011, http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=63744, paragraph 8.
6. "It’s Called the Vietnam Syndrome, and It’s Back," The Brookings Institute, January 22, 2013, http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2013/01/22-obama-foreign-policy-kalb, paragraph 1.
7. Eleanor Kate Flanagan, "Is the Legacy of the Vietnam War Still Relevant for the Obama Administration?" E-International Relations, August 11, 2013, http://www.e-ir.info/2013/08/11/is-the-legacy-of-the-vietnam-war-still-relevant-for-the-obama-administration/, paragraph 8.
References:
Flanagan, Eleanor Kate. "Is the Legacy of the Vietnam War Still Relevant for the Obama Administration?" E-International Relations. August 11, 2013, http://www.e-ir.info/2013/08/11/is-the-legacy-of-the-vietnam-war-still-relevant-for-the-obama-administration/.
Graves, Joey. "Vietnam: a brief history." Video. YouTube. Uploaded April 29, 2008, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgW0o-Ui94k#aid=P-aebhvVvNc.
Kalb, Marvin. "It’s Called the Vietnam Syndrome, and It’s Back." The Brookings Institute. January 22, 2013, http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2013/01/22-obama-foreign-policy-kalb.
Miles, Donna. "Vietnam Legacy Shapes Today’s Military Leaders." American Foreign Press Service. Department of Defense. April 29, 2011, http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=63744.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 3, 2014, http://blog.vision-strike-wear.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/The-Vietnam-War-in-picture-03.jpg.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 3, 2014, http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-0-13701979000005DC-523_964x753.jpg.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 3, 2014, http://media.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/photos/images/2010/apr10/vietnam_sm/vietnam_sm07.jpg.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 3, 2014, http://pageofvomit.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/the-vietnam-war-in-picture-01.jpeg.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 3, 2014, http://today.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/FSU_protest_Tallahassee_rc01458.jpg.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 3, 2014, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/ACAV_and_M48_Convoy_Vietnam_War.jpg.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 3, 2014, http://www.anglonautes.com/history/hist_us_20_war_viet/hist_us_20_war_viet_pic_anti_vietnam_war_1967.jpg.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 3, 2014, http://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/parks/veterans-memorial-park/images/Kent%20State%20Demonstration.jpg.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 3, 2014, http://www.lpusd.k12.ca.us/rm1/online/hotpotatoestav/Protest%20against%20Vietnam%20War.jpg.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 3, 2014, http://www.warhistoryonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/v23_00000009.jpg.
Spry, Ian C.F.. "LESSONS FROM THE VIETNAM WAR." National Observer no. 56 (March 2003): 40. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed April 3, 2014), http://mcc1.library.csulb.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9621791&site=ehost-live.
"Vietnam." Minnesota Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Accessed April 3, 2014, http://www.mvvm.org/ichron.htm.
"Vietnam War History." History. Accessed April 3, 2014, http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history.