The Vietnam War Was The War Essay - 1611 Words

During the1950s North Vietnam was controlled by the Viet Cong (a National Liberation Front.) The Viet Cong were bullying South Vietnam, trying to make them a communist. Most of society will not stand up for the weaker person in a bully situation. The United States is not most of society; they believe you mess with someone your own size. Many people have different views on the Vietnam War: was the war necessary, was the war worth all the sacrifices of American troops lives, what was the United States moral obligation to oppose communism, and what ethics did the Presidents of the United States abide by when fighting Vietcong. The Vietnam War was the longest war in United States History. The war officially started on November 1, 1955 and concluded on April 30, 1975. There were three total presidents who served during this war, John F. Kennedy who sent American soldiers overseas to Vietnam in 1965, Lyndon B. Johnson who ordered the first real combat by American troops on the Vietcong, and Richard Nixon who issued a ceasefire in 1973 ending the war. Throughout the Vietnam War America spent billions of greenbacks and lost nearly 60,000 American lives. Beginning in 1955, with the help of America massive amounts of U.S. military, political, and economic aid, the Government of the Republic of Vietnam (GVN or South Vietnam) was born. â€Å"The purpose of this offer is to assist the Government of Vietnam in developing and maintaining a strong, viable state, capable of resisting attemptedShow MoreRelatedThe Vietnam War Was A Conflict951 Words   |  4 Pages The Vietnam War was a conflict between the communist army of North Vietnam and the Viet Cong against South Vietnam began in 1954. The United States began their involvement in the Vietnam War by supporting the democratic South Vietnam with weapons and soldiers. Many Americans were divided due to opposition of the US involvement with the war. It was the era of social movements like mexican american social activism, and anti-Vietnam War activism. I have interviewed a Vietnam veteran named ErnieRead MoreWas the War in Vietnam Justified?804 Words   |  3 PagesWas the war in Vietnam justified? The Vietnam War was the longest war in the history of the United States it lasted from 1959-1975. Billions of dollars was spent trying to win and unwinnable war. Countless of lives were lost and America failed to achieve its objective. The origins of the war stem from the Indochina wars that occurred in the late 40s and early 50s. After many years of colonial war, the Viet Minh a communist group led by Ho Chi Minh sought independence for Vietnam. The French wereRead MoreWas the Vietnam War Winnable1210 Words   |  5 PagesWas the Vietnam War Winnable? The war in Vietnam waged by America was unwinnable through the type of warfare that was used by the US . If they had concentrated on certain key aspects they may have prevented the spread of communism to South Vietnam and achieved their ultimate goal. Americas inability to obtain the â€Å"Hearts and Minds â€Å"of the Vietnamese led to a continual supply of fighters. The US was unable to fight against an ever-increasing civilian army. In Vietnam the US relied tremendously onRead MoreWas the Vietnam War Necessary?1771 Words   |  8 PagesThe Vietnam War was not necessary Donna Baker COM/172 Version 3 October 29, 2012 Donna Hooley The Vietnam War started in 1954 with the defeat of the French and ended in 1975 with the fall and withdrawal of Saigon. The United States’ (U.S.’s) involvement in the Vietnam War started in 1963 with support of weapons, military training, advisement, and supplies until 1965 when U.S. troops went into battle with the North Vietnamese (Szczepanski, n.d.). American troops did not pull out of the war untilRead MoreThe Vietnam War Was Like No War Before1292 Words   |  6 PagesThe Vietnam War was like no war before. America got involved in Vietnam to preserve a non-communist South Vietnam, but in the end, the government and the country fell to communist North Vietnam. The US had never experienced such a military defeat in its history. The causes of this monumental defeat may not have been clear at first, but through memoirs such as Philip Caputo s Rumor of War and other historical accounts of the war, we now have a better sense of what truly led to America s loss. AsRead M ore The Vietnam War: The War that Never Was Essay2409 Words   |  10 Pagesto talk about the Vietnam War. Technically, it never was declared a war; President Johnson never asked for a declaration of war. It was called the Vietnamese Conflict. He instead only asked for a resolution that would give him the authority to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against U.S. forces and to prevent further aggression (Dougherty). So, with this kind of all-powerful resolution, was there even a necessity for declaring war? Some believe there was a necessity, andRead MoreThe Vietnam War Was A Long And Bloody1502 Words   |  7 Pages The Vietnam War was a long and bloody one. The war began on November 1, 1955 and ended on April 30, 1975. The war lasted nearly 20 years. Over this period, 9,087,000 men from United States were deployed, 58,220 were killed and more than 300,000 were wounded. The war also killed an estimated 2 million Vietnamese civilians, 1.1 million North Vietnamese troops, and 200,000 South Vietnamese troops. The Vietnam War was the first war America ever lost and this lost would lead to a heavy impact on theRead MoreThe Vietnam War Was A Brutal Conflict1666 Words   |  7 Pages The Vietnam War was a brutal internal conflict between North and South Vietnam over the North s attempt to spread communism. Taking place between 1961 and 1975, it became America s second longest war. This battle destroyed countless villages, farmlands, forests, and neighboring countries of Vietnam. It took the lives of about two million Vietnamese soldiers and civilians, and over fifty-eight thousand American soldiers. In an effort to cease the spread of communism, many American troops wereRead MoreThe Vietnam War Was A Time Of Grief1308 Words   |  6 PagesThe vietnam war was a time of grief for many who left their homeland and traveled thousands of miles on rocky ships to foreign lands with foreign languages. Homes were abandoned, paperwork was feverishly gathered, and there was hope for a better life out of vietnam. Scattered within refugee camps across the world, the â€Å"boat people† desperately waited for their new life, hoping for the best. However depending on wh en they resettled and what their reason for leaving Vietnam was, these immigrants andRead MoreThe Vietnam War Was A Damaging Conflict1178 Words   |  5 PagesValean Professor William Mack U.S. History 2 16 April 2015 Vietnam War The Vietnam War was a damaging conflict that left deep scars on all the people and countries that were involved. About 60,000 American lives were taken and an estimated 2,000,000 Vietnamese were killed or wounded. That is about 10 percent of Vietnam’s population. Many bombs, weapons, and chemical warfare destroyed Vietnam’s infrastructure and land. Not only did this war bring destruction to Vietnam’s physical country, but it helped