“In World War One, they called it shell shock. Second time around, they called it battle fatigue. After 'Nam, it was post-traumatic stress disorder,” noted by Jan Karon.
The United States of America was involved in the Vietnam War in Southeast Asia from 1961 to 1975 in which U.S. troops fought to try to stop communist North Vietnam and their allies from overtaking South Vietnam. The conflict intensified with the continuation on the Cold War. The war became increasingly unpopular and disliked among Americans as it continued and more young men were drafted. The United States’ principal motivations for involvement in the war include America’s fear of communism, the domino theory, the weakness of the South Vietnamese army, and the attack on the United States. There is still controversy surrounding the decision to engage in the war. Even though it was a fight against communism, the war did not directly affect the United States, it resulted in a large number of casualties, and it was an enormous financial expense.
Vietnam was under French colonial rule since the 19th century. Japan invaded Vietnam in World War II and had to fight them off as well as the French colonial administration. Ho Chi Minh, the prime minister of Vietnam, took inspiration from China and the Soviet Union and formed the Viet Minh, also known as the League for the Independence of Vietnam. After Japan’s 1945 defeat in World War II, they withdrew from Vietnam which left Emperor Bao Dai in control. Ho’s Viet Minh forces then took over the northern city of Hanoi and declared a Democratic Republic of Vietnam with Ho as president. Aiming to regain control of the region, France supported Emperor Bao and set up Vietnam in July 1949, with Saigon as the capital. Both sides wanted a unified Vietnam but Ho wanted a nation similar to other communist countries and Bao wanted to have close economic and cultural connections to the West.
The United States's involvement in the war happened gradually. Ultimately, the motivation for entering the war was to halt the spread of Communism. Communism is “a political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.” However, government officials would usually receive greater amounts money than the average people. In 1949, the fear of communism gripped American people. During the 1950’s, the Red scare occurred. Led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, the scare consisted of distrust and the seeking out of potential communists. After World War II, countries in Eastern Europe had fallen under Communist rule and the movement was spreading to other nations in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. As a result of this, the United States felt that it was losing the Cold War. The French were already fighting against the Viet Minh for control of Vietnam. This was the first time military personnel were sent to help the French. France was fighting to keep their colonial power, they were not as concerned with the spread of Communism. France split from the war in 1954. On the other hand, the U.S. sent more military personnel and supplies to benefit South Vietnam. Eventually, the U.S. was fighting the North Vietnamese on its own. In 1959, soldiers were granted permission to fire back if they were fired at. By 1965, combat units were being sent to Vietnam. Over 540,000 U.S. troops were in Vietnam in 1969. More than 58,200 US troops died, and over 150,000 were wounded. The U.S. was involved until 1975, right before the North Vietnamese captured the Southern Vietnamese capital.
Contrary to popular belief, some people believe that the United States should have been involved in Vietnam. They argue that the draft was not unconstitutional and has not just been implemented for the Vietnam war. It is every U.S. citizen’s duty to serve when they are needed, if they are physically and mentally able. The draft is a legitimate and constitutional approach to enlist soldiers in a time of war.
The United States brought peace to Vietnam and left South Vietnam with an effective military. North Vietnam negotiated peace after the bombing campaign, Linebacker II, was launched at the North Vietnamese capital and Haiphong harbor. North Vietnam also signed the Paris Peace Accords in which they agreed to halt military actions in the South. This allowed the United States to pull out the soldiers that were still in Vietnam and we exited the war. South Vietnam had full control and obtained an effective military.
Large numbers of soldiers and civilians die in every war so the Vietnam war was no different than any other. Even though it was a tragedy that so many people died, South Vietnam was defending itself and preventing the destruction of their democratic government. If the South Vietnamese and Americans were fighting for a different, unjust reason then the war would be completely unjustified, but South Vietnam was fighting to defend themselves which a justified reason for going to war.
Many human rights organizations criticize Vietnam for its treatment of people with certain political views, homosexuals, and religious beliefs. After the U.S. left, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia slaughtered about 2,000,000 civilians in 4 years. Those that were spared were forced into slave labor. Supporters of the Vietnam war argue that if the U.S. was still present in Vietnam, it would have stopped the ill treatment and saved millions.
Although there are valid reasons for the United States to be involved in the war, the reasons against it are stronger. The U.S. shouldn’t have invaded Vietnam because the country’s conflicts and political strife didn’t influence or connect to America. Even though U.S. leaders knew that Communism violated democracy and infringed on political freedoms, the struggles in Vietnam didn’t threaten U.S. government or freedom. Others believe that the invasion of North Vietnam was carried out to make the U.S. appear as the highest and strongest power, even though it had nothing to gain.
The cost of the Vietnam War was monumental. The U.S. spent an estimated $168 billion during the war, which is equivalent to about $950 billion today, according to Alan Rohn. These expenses contribute to America’s debt and leave fewer resources for programs. Some argue that the cost should have prohibited the U.S. from becoming involved.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Americans who died on battlefields and those who died from other causes surrounding the war amounted to 90,220. 47,434 soldiers died in combat. Some believe that the deaths were not justified and soldiers were not appropriately trained to fight the enemy. U.S. soldiers fought in a foreign country on unfamiliar terrain and often participated in hand-to-hand combat, and were not equipped to deal with those conditions. Soldiers were often attacked by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers who knew how to navigate the jungles and use guerrilla tactics. U.S. troops weren't prepared to face this type of warfare.
The U.S. invaded Vietnam and entered a war with a slim chance of winning. 500,000 U.S. troops and 700,000 South Vietnamese troops were no match for the 250,000 North Vietnamese soldiers, according to Robert F. Kennedy’s speech in 1968, published at ABC-CLIO.com. Even if the U.S. sent more troops to South Vietnam, the South Vietnamese would have difficulty sustaining their military successes after the war. Their lands were devastated by battle and they had access to limited resources to rebuild their nation.
The Vietnam War did not only kill American and Vietnamese military personnel. Many innocent Vietnamese, Laotian, Hmong and Cambodian civilians, were victims of the gruesome battles, bombings and attacks. Military strategists and politicians, such as Robert Kennedy, stated that the war and U.S. support would only lead to the increased slaughter of civilians. This would haunt America’s conscience and would not be overlooked. America should not have engaged in a war that contradicted its beliefs and conscience.
Male citizens were drafted because of a great need for soldiers. many times against their will. According to Debate.org, 25% of the draftees were considered to be in poverty and about 75% of the men came from the lower middle class. The men had no choice to join the army, made insufficient amounts money, and were not given an option to pursue a better job. The results of the Vietnam War and what it did for the United States was not worth taking away rights of American citizens.