Were Women a Help or Bother During the Vietnam War?

Women were a heavy presence in the Vietnam war. While 1/3 of the men in the Vietnam were drafted; most of the women volunteered. Many women wanted to escape having to settle down and get married and some had something to prove to their families. While others just wanted to help their country. 90% of the women were nurses, but they were also air traffic controllers, physicians, intelligence officers, clerks, among the positons. In the 1960’s, American women took a role and supported their country in many different ways.

Many people question if women went into the war because of patriotism or because they lacked other opportunities. Women responded to the call differently depending on age, race, class, marital status, and number of children. They switch from lower-paying female jobs to higher-paying factory jobs. While patriotism influenced women,

The war in Vietnam was a war against communism that tore apart the US. The United States of America plunged together with its allies and played a tremendous role as far as fight against communism is concerned. A huge number of American soldiers were deployed in Vietnam a practice that coupled with much unpreparedness. The soldiers were not aware what exactly they were up to in Vietnam. Most Americans at the time were very much against the act. It was one of the most deliberating wars America plunged herself into and the only one to have been lost. Most intriguing is the amount of publicity and media buzz created by the film industry. Vietnam War was the topic of many television networks, music and Hollywood. Journalist and veterans and scholar were never left behind and went ahead to produce tones of literature on the legacies and lessons to be learnt from the war (Hochgesang, Lawyer, and Stevenson). The exploitation of the soldiers and rejection of the veterans created just as much interest as the war had created. One such commentary came from George Kennan, who depicted the war as one of the most disastrous mission The United States has ever undertaken (Westheider 155-159).. This essay will establish the effects the war had to the US soldiers.

Although unfortunate for women, employers were able to pay lower wages and dismiss them if a man applied for the position. They also received minimal support from unions caused by concern that women would replace men in the workforce because they could be paid less. Despite being unfairly treated in the workforce, women had experienced an extent of freedom in society that would forever change how they were viewed. While men fought, women were also left with the emotional burden of waiting for their loved ones to return home, although many did not. This meant some women were left to raise and feed children as a single parent, whilst still supporting themselves. Those women’s husbands who did return, did not have it easier in any way. Predominance of men had injuries meaning women had to take care of them, whilst other men suffered depression, nightmares and trouble relating to previous civilian lives. Occasionally, this resulted in breakdown of marriage and family. In this regard, the war did not create a bright future for

The women had an incredibly important part in the war. I believe they had one of the hardest jobs in the war.They had to send off their husbands and some of their kids to war. Knowing that they may not ever see them again. Not to mention, that they had to do all the things their husbands could no longer do. Thing like farming, laboring, and any other jobs, that their husband may have had.

These women handled so much more than was expected of women of that time and generation. Wendy also explained how the women reacted to so many injustices that occurred during these hardships, and still went to pave the road for the women of today. The argument of this article is that women had to deal with the same heinous events that the men had to handle and more that occurred with the war while maintaining there modesty. Despite the readers now not experiencing or seeing the noted horrible condition and repercussion's of the war this article to my opinion is well credible. I was truly educated by the writings of the women of

Throughout the history of the United States, women have played vital roles in war efforts. This holds especially true in wars such as the Civil War, World War I, and World War II. Women played vital roles up front in the field, and as well as behind enemy lines. No matter what role these women took on, their lives and those after were forever impacted.

When women work in these areas they are said to be highly qualified for the job and are so good they out rank the men that have the same skills as they do. When these women worked many felt like they didn’t need to work and just refused it all together, some of the women were ashamed and didn’t feel they deserved to work, then there were some desperate ones that were in real need of the job and were proud they had one. And as for the typical 2000s children and adults that were female and still alive things began to get much easier than it was before for them. Although there weren’t big wars like WWI and WWII they still had small ones and women could have more parts in these war efforts. Although it's not as much as they wanted because there are still some officers in war that are doing everything they possibly can to remove women from the force. In an article by W.J Hennigans he states that many women are going to war in the 21st century. But they are still experiencing a whole bunch of problems. Which includes that many of the war branches aren’t too sure if allowing women to go to war is the best thing for them. And that women aren’t physically or mentally strong enough to be in war. Many women have tried to prove they were capable enough and should be taken seriously in the war but then men shoot them down by saying comments like this "There are some things

The author instills emotion in the audience by using many true cases to create a lasting impression on them about the reasons for “fears of putting women in the trenches” (Collins 2) that could contribute to the lack of respect they are getting for wanting combat roles because of them. She mentions a true scenario case involving “Shoshana Johnson, a cook [who] was shot in both ankles, taken captive and held for 22 days” (Collins 2).

Many question women’s overall mental ability to handle the extreme circumstances during war. But the truth of the matter is that no human is immune to mental effects and trauma (Sisters in Arms). According to former Marine officer Jane Blair,“Post-traumatic stress disorder is an unfortunate consequence of war, especially for those who have served multiple deployments — and sadly, no gender is immune to it (Blair).” Blair makes a very clear argument about how men and women are all human and that we are all subject to discomfort from conscious decisions. Troops, whether it be male or female have no control over their mental state after seeing some of the harsh effects of war, whether it be a fallen friend in their batoon, or having to take the life of an innocent child in the wrong place at the wrong time. Things like this can have a powerful effect on any person, no matter their gender.

The roles of women and men in the Vietnam War varied greatly due the stereotypical characterizations of society. While women were not included in the draft, protected from its brutality and tragedies, men were forced from their homes, enlisted in the army. In O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, women are portrayed as apathetic towards Vietnam soldiers. They are the homebound sex, too fragile and moral to be aware of the world outside their own, and unable to empathize with the emotional baggage that the soldiers carry. Through The Things They Carried, O’Brien characterizes women as ignorant and thus, insensitive towards the men’s pain in war.

Back then, women weren’t allowed to fight or own anything to help the men. Their social standing was low, but it didn’t stop the women in Vietnam. According to M. Carlos, “Between 1962 and 1973, according to Department of Defense statistics, approximately 7,500 women served on active military duty in Vietnam. The Veteran's Administration puts the numbers even higher, at around 11,000. Independent surveys estimate that the number of women, both civilian and non-civilian, working in Vietnam during the war is between 33,000 and 55,000 (Marshall 4-5).”

The sexist stereotypes of men and women greatly enforced their roles in the Vietnam War. While women were not included in the draft and protected from war’s brutality and tragedies, men were forced from their homes to be enlisted in the army. In Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, a platoon is comprised of struggling young men whose lives are challenged each day. On the other hand, women are blissfully living in the states, providing complete security and comfort, both of which the soldiers are not able to acquire. According to society, women are supposedly the homebound sex, too fragile and moral to be exposed to the world outside their own, and unable to empathize with the emotional baggage that the soldiers carry.

One study (Binkin & Bach) found that many NATO and several WARSAW PACT countries employed women in combat roles during World War II. Russia was reported as using military women on the front lines. In Israel, where they are actually conscripted, women have also experienced armed combat. (Binkin & Bach) found that in the first phase of Israel’s war of Liberation, one out of every five soldiers was female and they shared equality in both offensive and defensive battle situations. Holm found that some 7,500 military women served in S.E. Asia during the Vietnam War. She maintains that these women proved the modern American military woman is fully capable of functioning effectively in a military role in a combat environment, even under direct hostile fire.

Since 1901, women have served in some form of the military, however, dating back to the American Revolution women have had an unofficial role. Women have had and will continue to have an important role in the military, the question is whether women should be allowed to occupy specific combat positions. Traditionally women have not been allowed in combat occupations, but recently these restrictions have been somewhat lifted, making certain occupations available to women. Despite the lift complications arise from women being in combat vocations and it’s not just because of the physical differences, there is also the increased risk of sexual assault. Due to the detrimental impact on the military, soldiers, and society, women should not