The Vietnam war was a brutal war killing millions of vietnamese civilians, thousands of americans, and destroying miles of jungle. it also caused long term effects that to this day are making people physically ill, ruining habitats, dividing people on both home fronts, and causing a high tension point between a people and its government.
The vietnam war started in 1956 due to the division of the (GVN South Vietnam) and the (DRV North Vietnam). American pressure caused these two countries to stay split between each other after french rule had ceased. The united States influence on the country was in state in order to prevent a communist vietnam; however the elected leader chosen to represent a democratic south vietnam turned out to be paranoid …show more content…
The people of the U.S thought the war to be unnecessary and that they should not be involved, and to make matters worse, since people were not willing to join the war effort, a draft was created in order to recruit people. During the war, the brother of Ngo Dinh Diem, Ngo Dinh Nhu had assaulted a buddhist temple claiming that they were harboring communists. After that point the buddhists began to kill themselves in the streets by igniting their bodies in flame. This image was sent across the country, and started automatic mistrust of the Democratic leaders in south vietnam worldwide. In the meantime, the viet cong were advancing throughout the two countries. The people on both fronts had reasons to not trust their governments. In 1964 the DRV launched an attack against U.S ships in the gulf of tonkin however, when reported the U.S government stated that there were two separate attacks against these ships. The reason for there rouse was so that they could persuade the senate to give them more powers of war. As a result the the Gulf Of Tonkin Resolution was created and shortly following, massive airstrikes on the DRV. These airstrikes were …show more content…
However the most common and firm belief is that vietnam took victory in the end. But what was there price? There were millions of vietnamese that died during the war, soldiers, mothers, children, with a death toll in the millions, but what about the people still affected by it today? In the years of 1961 up to 1971, the u.s government was sending out a chemical known as agent orange and spreading it all over the country in order to kill the jungle and take away the viet kongs advantage. Agent orange is a chemical that is filled with dioxin; one of the most deadly substances to man. It not only is a carcinogen, but a teratogen as well. Now a people plagued with war, fighting amongst themselves, and the united states was now poisoned as well with a substance that not only deforms and kills, but carries into their children, and their children 's children (Cohn). It is no surprise that the longest war in U.S history has also had the longest effect on those involved in it. The United States government is still in mistrust. Everything is classified now and those who catch a glimpse behind what is classified are either prosecuted or sworn to secrecy. The reason being is they learned a valuable lesson although not the one intended. If they are to do unspeakable acts that are inhumane and unconstitutional, they need to do it behind closed doors. After the vietnam war that is exactly what they did. War
The vietnam war started in 1956 due to the division of the (GVN South Vietnam) and the (DRV North Vietnam). American pressure caused these two countries to stay split between each other after french rule had ceased. The united States influence on the country was in state in order to prevent a communist vietnam; however the elected leader chosen to represent a democratic south vietnam turned out to be paranoid …show more content…
The people of the U.S thought the war to be unnecessary and that they should not be involved, and to make matters worse, since people were not willing to join the war effort, a draft was created in order to recruit people. During the war, the brother of Ngo Dinh Diem, Ngo Dinh Nhu had assaulted a buddhist temple claiming that they were harboring communists. After that point the buddhists began to kill themselves in the streets by igniting their bodies in flame. This image was sent across the country, and started automatic mistrust of the Democratic leaders in south vietnam worldwide. In the meantime, the viet cong were advancing throughout the two countries. The people on both fronts had reasons to not trust their governments. In 1964 the DRV launched an attack against U.S ships in the gulf of tonkin however, when reported the U.S government stated that there were two separate attacks against these ships. The reason for there rouse was so that they could persuade the senate to give them more powers of war. As a result the the Gulf Of Tonkin Resolution was created and shortly following, massive airstrikes on the DRV. These airstrikes were …show more content…
However the most common and firm belief is that vietnam took victory in the end. But what was there price? There were millions of vietnamese that died during the war, soldiers, mothers, children, with a death toll in the millions, but what about the people still affected by it today? In the years of 1961 up to 1971, the u.s government was sending out a chemical known as agent orange and spreading it all over the country in order to kill the jungle and take away the viet kongs advantage. Agent orange is a chemical that is filled with dioxin; one of the most deadly substances to man. It not only is a carcinogen, but a teratogen as well. Now a people plagued with war, fighting amongst themselves, and the united states was now poisoned as well with a substance that not only deforms and kills, but carries into their children, and their children 's children (Cohn). It is no surprise that the longest war in U.S history has also had the longest effect on those involved in it. The United States government is still in mistrust. Everything is classified now and those who catch a glimpse behind what is classified are either prosecuted or sworn to secrecy. The reason being is they learned a valuable lesson although not the one intended. If they are to do unspeakable acts that are inhumane and unconstitutional, they need to do it behind closed doors. After the vietnam war that is exactly what they did. War