The Vietnam War was one of the many bloody Cold War era conflicts. It was a conflict between North and South Vietnam, who both had different ideals; the North was communist, and the south was anti-communist. Although the war was brutal and bloody for both sides, it has greatly impacted and changed both societies in one shape or form, shaping them into the ones we know to this day. There is no doubt that the Vietnam War had affected society during its time and still has a lasting effect on society today, seeing as it has damaged and affected the entire country of Vietnam, changed foreign and military policies in the US, and caused social and political changes in the US and Canada.
The Vietnam War affected life in Vietnam during the war, and …show more content…
To begin with, the war itself left the country in ruins. During the war, 8 million tons of bombs were dropped on Vietnam, destroying the land.1 Some of these highly explosive bombs failed to explode on impact during the war. They remain scattered across the countryside where they can detonate at any moment near or on unsuspecting farmers. Additionally, the chemicals sprayed during the war, specifically Agent Orange, still impacts the country and its citizens. Agent Orange is a herbicide whose side effects has the potential to damage the chromosomes of a fetus.1 Thousands of people were and are still born with physical deformities caused by Agent Orange. Furthermore, Agent Orange devastated the land during the war. 1,034,300 hectares of forest was destroyed by just this chemical. The war left remnants of itself in Vietnam, and those of which still cause problems for the citizens to this day. Furthermore, the war affected not only the environment and life in Vietnam, but also left a mark on the society of Vietnam. The Fall of Saigon caused a permanent split between the two poles of Vietnam - the further north someone travels, the more visible Ho Chi Minh’s presence and influence becomes, and on the …show more content…
The war resulted in the U.S. government changing their military and foreign policies, and they now use a volunteer system instead of military drafting and conscription as their way of enlistment. This was a direct consequence of the uproar of American citizens who were against the Vietnam War. Thus, they implemented the volunteer system so that their people were free to choose and support which war efforts they wanted. In addition to this change, the U.S. government developed “Vietnam Syndrome” after the war; the country became more wary to involve themselves in foreign affairs, fearing that it would end up the same as Vietnam. The situation was the same for the citizens of the US. The Vietnam War was the first war to be broadcast on American television and it left haunting memories for people because gruesome scenes of murdered soldiers and civilians were shown. The showing of this war led to the citizens and government of the US fearing to involve themselves in other nation’s problems, as they feared it might result in ‘another Vietnam’. In other words, they wanted to avoid another loss of the same magnitude where several thousand people died. The devastating images and news of the war surged through the US and created fear and doubt in the people. The Vietnam War greatly impacted and affected American society, thereby causing their foreign and military policies to
The Vietnam War affected life in Vietnam during the war, and …show more content…
To begin with, the war itself left the country in ruins. During the war, 8 million tons of bombs were dropped on Vietnam, destroying the land.1 Some of these highly explosive bombs failed to explode on impact during the war. They remain scattered across the countryside where they can detonate at any moment near or on unsuspecting farmers. Additionally, the chemicals sprayed during the war, specifically Agent Orange, still impacts the country and its citizens. Agent Orange is a herbicide whose side effects has the potential to damage the chromosomes of a fetus.1 Thousands of people were and are still born with physical deformities caused by Agent Orange. Furthermore, Agent Orange devastated the land during the war. 1,034,300 hectares of forest was destroyed by just this chemical. The war left remnants of itself in Vietnam, and those of which still cause problems for the citizens to this day. Furthermore, the war affected not only the environment and life in Vietnam, but also left a mark on the society of Vietnam. The Fall of Saigon caused a permanent split between the two poles of Vietnam - the further north someone travels, the more visible Ho Chi Minh’s presence and influence becomes, and on the …show more content…
The war resulted in the U.S. government changing their military and foreign policies, and they now use a volunteer system instead of military drafting and conscription as their way of enlistment. This was a direct consequence of the uproar of American citizens who were against the Vietnam War. Thus, they implemented the volunteer system so that their people were free to choose and support which war efforts they wanted. In addition to this change, the U.S. government developed “Vietnam Syndrome” after the war; the country became more wary to involve themselves in foreign affairs, fearing that it would end up the same as Vietnam. The situation was the same for the citizens of the US. The Vietnam War was the first war to be broadcast on American television and it left haunting memories for people because gruesome scenes of murdered soldiers and civilians were shown. The showing of this war led to the citizens and government of the US fearing to involve themselves in other nation’s problems, as they feared it might result in ‘another Vietnam’. In other words, they wanted to avoid another loss of the same magnitude where several thousand people died. The devastating images and news of the war surged through the US and created fear and doubt in the people. The Vietnam War greatly impacted and affected American society, thereby causing their foreign and military policies to