Going to the Vietnam War Memorial with Mr. Vega Essay

Secretary of State John Kerry once said “I saw courage both in the Vietnam War and in the struggle to stop it. I learned that patriotism includes protest, not just military service.” The Vietnam War was a conflict that lasted from 1956-1975 which the United States participated in along with the South Vietnamese who fought against the Communist North Vietnamese. Many Americans strongly disapproved of the war which caused many protests and riots. The war lasted 25 years killing many people and eventually the North Vietnamese won. The Vietnam War was important to Americans back home because it tested the citizen’s right to free speech, effected future foreign policy, and created many issues for returning veterans.

SPRINGFIELD — Shirley Flores’ eyes filled with tears Friday as she read the name of her brother on a newly unveiled Vietnam War veteran’s memorial in Springfield.

The United States, the most powerful army in the world at the time of the war. The Vietnamese war started in November 1, 1955 and ended in 1975. To many people it was one of the most pointless wars in the United States history. It was like the country was split during the war. There was many protest against the some of which that drew blood. So why did the United States join the Vietnamese war. What was the impact on American society, the people of America. What was the impact of war on the United States foreign policy. The foreign policy determines how America conducts relations with other countries, further certain goals. So why did the United States join the war, what was the impact of the war on America society, and what was the impact of the war on the United States foreign policy.

How did a Vietnam soldier's life change during and after the war. Society had a lot of different views regarding the soldiers and the war. When coming home veterans faced many distinct challenges. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial helped to heal the nation. The Vietnam War had a major impact on the United States and the soldiers who fought in it.

I have learned a lot about what life was like at the time of the Vietnam War by interviewing my grandfather. My grandfather, Franklin Torr, was living in Dover, NH at the time, in his late thirties, married, and had three young children. The Vietnam War impacted my grandfather’s life in a unique way. One aspect of his life that changed at the start of the war was that a lot of his tenants, in the mobile home he owned, were in the New Hampshire National Guard and were stationed in Vietnam, flying missions, and some were advisors. He said the following about them; “Of the tenants that fought in the war, they thought they were doing the right thing at the time” When asked if he could provide a story of one of his Vietnam War veterans, he said that not a lot of them liked to talk about their war experiences in depth, two of his tenants that served in Vietnam died in Vietnam. One of his former classmates was a Marine Colonel, one thing he remembers this man mentioning was; “the troops did a great job while they were there”. The most shocking thing that he remembers from this

Prisoners of War (POWs): In international law, term used to designate incarcerated members of the armed forces of an enemy, or noncombatants who render them direct service and who have been captured during wartime.1

The Powerful country’s winning streak was broken. During 1954–1973 the United States went to war in Asia with the country Vietnam. This was a really tough battle for both Vietnam and the United States. After the fearsome battle Vietnam came out victorious. This was the first loss for the United States and it left a big impact that still stands today.

“The last American soldier left Vietnam during the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. For 2.4 million who served in Vietnam, there was no official homecoming. In June of 2005, Branson, Missouri held “Operation Welcome Home” for Vietnam Veterans. The parade and events were planned to provide the celebration and recognition they did not receive 30-plus years earlier.” (Vietnam: Homecoming) The veterans were able to see the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall and find the names of men they had known they had dies while serving. These veterans met with men they had formerly served with. Although this event was only a fraction of the welcome the soldiers truly deserved, many veterans were very appreciative of this. “Branson gave me

Home is not always a good place to be greeted from after coming back from a long, gory, and devastating war. The Veterans of the Vietnam War fought without a choice on the battlefield on Vietnam land. They were forced to hold back their opinions and do what they were told to do, which is to serve the country of America, home to them and many other Americans, in any way possible. Throughout their time in this war, they felt overwhelmed as horrifying events played out in front of them, such as the deaths of fellow soldiers. However, even as they were serving their country to the best of their ability, Vietnam soldiers were treated unfairly when they returned home from war.

The first American troops arrived in Danang, South Vietnam on 8th March, 1965. The troops’ mission was to defend the American airfield from the Viet Cong insurgents. However, their mission gradually extended to defensive patrolling and later on taking the offensive. As such, the number of US troops swelled to 184,300 by the end of the year and by1969, the number of American soldiers had swelled to 543,000. Correspondingly, opposition against the mission, which was previously minimal, rose magnanimously. In April 1967, a crowd of over 100,00 people marched from Central Park to the United Nations Buildings to ask for the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam. By this time, over 8,000 American troops had been lost in the war. Following the protests, six Vietnam Veterans, among those who had returned home formed the organization Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW). They wanted the government to “bring their brothers back home.”

The SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) gave perspective into the mindset of Washington University students during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. These students would provide demonstrations and opinions that would impact the social environment and activities of a time of confusion and political un-justification. Many returning Vietnam Veterans and students would take action during the anti-war era. As the war had continued, the public had changed their views of the war becoming aggressive and unsupportive to what they felt was a lost cause. After reviewing several leaflets and newspapers written by students of Washington University, demonstrations of their ideas and involvement during the anti-Vietnam War movement would give considerable detail to this era. “Peace on Earth” “G.I Movement Past and Present,” and “A US Infantry Squad Just Came through Here,” all provided evidence that civilians and military would not continue to support the war and take action regarding it.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial essay argues for a reading of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as a postmodern discourse. The authors suggest that the Memorial reflects the typical gestures of postmodern architecture. "People have cried at the wall, prayed there, screamed in anger and in pain, found friends and comforted strangers.” This quote is very toughing. I can’t imagine the pain the family members felt when they saw their love one’s name. But at the same time seeing the names of their family remembers of their heroes. The authors go on talking about the architectural art form of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. They say technology progress would constitute the aesthetic and provide the solution to social ills. "When people find . . . the

The veterans who fought in the Vietnam war are nothing but brave souls, and do deserve as much recognition as possible for their part in the war. There has been many mixed emotions about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. While still managing to be appropriate, it is a unique monument that does a very well job in honoring those who had fought in the Vietnam war. The idea of the memorial was chosen in a competition and the winner of that competition was 21 year-old Maya Ying Lin. Surprisingly, being so young, her design ended up winning first place in that competition. According to the New York Times style page of June 29, 1981 it says, “The Lin design has been highly praised.” However, some question the monument because it was

This quote by a Veteran shows the kind of relationship there was between soldiers in the war. The often still very young soldiers were thrown into the war and then separated thousands of miles away from their friends and family at home. Along with the hostile territory they found themselves in, their comrades were the only ones to remind them of the safety at home. With them being together they developed even more

Introduction. Vietnam is a unique civilization with highly cultured people. It is a country filled with natural beauty, tranquil rural settings, and bustling urban centers. In this period of renovation, Vietnam is emerging as an economic powerhouse in South East Asia. From the bustling commercial center of Ho Chi Minh City to the gracious capital of Ha Noi, local business is flourishing and international companies are lining up to invest in new projects. The nation, strangled by years of war, is now flexing its muscles. To succeed in international business is to understand the uniqueness of the culture you will encounter. The purpose of this report is to inform you of some of the business customs you could encounter in