Vietnam War
Travis Warren
General Info
The war in Vietnam started about 1954 and ended 1973. The U.S.'s involvement with the war, was to stop the spread of communism. North Korean's were fighting to rule both North and South Vietnam, these were known as the Viet Cong. The U.S. sided with South Vietnam. 3 million people (58,000 being American) died over the course of this war. Americans back home didn't favor the war, and it was clear we were not in the victory seat. The United States withdrew from the war in 1973. This was known as the most controversial war in history. This was the first time the public saw the raw and uncensored scene of everything that was happening in Vietnam, which led them to believe we really shouldn't be there.
Bias
During the Vietnam war there was the era of "Peace, Love, and Happiness." Most of this mind set occurred in the younger generations of baby boomers. When the youth saw how young men were being drafted to be in a war they didn't want to be in, they started protests against the war that swept across the nation. Reports of soldiers murdering villages full of women and children completely upset the heart of the American public. This was too much for many, and turned their back on the war.
On the other hand you had the families of the soldiers, true patriots, and veterans who always remained loyal to the U.S. military. Even if they knew what was going on in Vietnam, there thought was on the ultimate goal of ending communism at any cost.
Criticisms
The biggest criticism during the war was cultural. This was the first time in the U.S. people had doubted the war we were in. During WWII everyone was so gung ho for the cause, the war effort. Then you see 20-something years later society is speaking out against the war and want no part of it. Mass gatherings of people protesting at the nations capital even veterans saying that they don't wan't America to be in the war anymore
Media
The media coverage of the war was unbelievable. Most news station and journalists would show the uncensored and negative images of the war that eventually turn the public against the war, and the soldiers. However there was positive media coverage. There would be articles of soldiers talking about life back home, and their families. Soldiers would talk about the "good" they were doing in Vietnam. The bottom line is nothing about the Vietnam war was pretty, so it lead to the American citizens disapproval.
Personal Perspective
I believe why we went to Vietnam was a good reason, however I don't agree with why we stayed there. The Viet Cong had been fighting long before we entered the war. We were losing, and sending young men to their death for a country that didn't want them and support them. We tried to stop the spread of communism as much as we could, and we fought hard until the very end. Going to war with Vietnam wasn't a mistake, because it had good intention. I think we should've left Vietnam sooner.