U.s. Vietnam War On American Culture, Politics, And...

Regarded as one of the most controversial and polarizing military conflicts in U.S. history, the Vietnam War has left a deep and lasting impact on American culture, politics, and foreign policy. From 1964 to the present day, the Vietnam War redefined the scope of U.S. influence both at home and abroad, and caused a fundamental shift in American society that dramatically changed the way in which Americans viewed their government and the role of the United States as a world power. For an entire generation of Americans, who watched as the horrors of the war in Vietnam unfold before the spotlight of the national media, the Vietnam War directly challenged the superiority of the American way and the infallibility of U.S military dominance. In truth, the U.S government, U.S. military, and the American people as a whole struggled to accept the lessons of America’s greatest military failure and the sobering reality of the war’s consequences. To this day, the legacy of this so-ca lled â€Å"American War† continues to resonate throughout the fabric of American society as a cautionary tale of U.S foreign intervention and blind acceptance of open-ended conflict. For the United States government, the failure of U.S intervention in Vietnam provided lessons about where and under what circumstances the United States should intervene in foreign conflicts. Throughout the mid-twentieth century, U.S. foreign policy was characterized by the idea of â€Å"containment†. Coined by George Kennan in 1946,Show MoreRelatedMilitary Strategy and Planning1649 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Part 1 Military theory after World War II drastically changed for two major reasons: the dropping of Atomic weapons on Japan and what would become known as the Cold War between the USSR and the West. Foreign policy, which became military policy, starting in 1947 is known as the Truman Doctrine. This began with U.S. support of Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to prevent those countries from falling under Soviet influence. The policy was written as a response to the events that tookRead MoreFrom World War II to the present, policies both foreign and domes tic have reshaped and changed700 Words   |  3 Pages From World War II to the present, policies both foreign and domestic have reshaped and changed American culture and Identity. Several of the events that greatly shape and impacted policies in the United States are Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War and the September eleventh terrorist attack in 2001. The Civil Rights Movement has changed what life is like in America and has improved in a better way. Previous to the movement, many races were treated as inferior. Race riots broke out everywhereRead MoreThe Hostage Crisis By David Farber1038 Words   |  5 PagesWhen a group of radical Islamic students stormed the U.S. embassy in Iran and took the Americans working there hostage during the fall of 1979, the nation reacted with shock and outrage that far outweighed the necessary emotion for the situation. As David Farber writes in his book Taken Hostage, â€Å"The Iranian imbroglio, in fact, affected the American people less directly than any of the others†¦it happened faraway, and caused little immediate pain to any but the hostages†¦Yet, as measured by publicRead MoreThe Cold War On American Politics947 Words   |  4 PagesWhen one U.S. historian wrote, â€Å"the Cold War was undoubtedly the most significant factor shaping the American experience during the second ha lf of the twentieth century†, they were likely referring to the Cold War’s colossal influence on American economics, military buildup, and social climate. The Cold War’s effect on these three topics resulted in a back and forth between the United States and its citizens, leaving the nation completely different than it had been at the midpoint of the centuryRead MoreThe Failure Of Guerilla Warfare Methods During The Vietnam War1369 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Vietnam War: An Analysis of the Causality of the â€Å"Counter Insurgency† Governmental Policies and the Presidential Campaign of 1968 This colloquium will define the connection between various sources related to the â€Å"counter insurgency† policies of the American government throughout the 1960s that caused a slow escalation of the Vietnam War in the fight against communist expansion in Southeast Asia. The Campaign of 1968 defines the legacy of president Kennedy â€Å"counter insurgency† policies, whichRead MoreImpact Of Antiwar Protests Movements During The Vietnam War2657 Words   |  11 Pagesand impact of antiwar protest movements in the United States during the Vietnam War. The antiwar protest movements that took place throughout the Vietnam War were one of the most divisive and tumultuous internal forces during twentieth century U.S. history. The divisive nature of the antiwar protest movements becomes multiplied, because instead of a social conflict where there are two dichotomised â€Å"camps†, (those who are pro-war and those who are antiwar,) we are instead presented with antiwar sentimentRead MoreThe United States During The Cold War1733 Words   |  7 Pagesthroughout World War II, and during the Cold War. Post WWII America was thriving with industry, and the economy flourishing. This marked the start of the baby boomer era, and people were happy because the depression was over. America had political interest in both Vietnam and the Philippines because of they wanted to spread democracy and defend people against communism. They also wanted to give Vietnam to France as they once had it, but Ho Chi Minh declared independence for Vietnam an d himself presidentRead More All You Need is Love: The History of the Peace Corps Essay1090 Words   |  5 PagesIn the 1960s many Americans attempted to redefine their nations identity both at home and abroad while the Peace Corps was taking place. Nothing reflected this better than the Peace Corps. In All You Need is Love Elizabeth Cobbs-Hoffman explores the history of the Peace Corps, and reveals, that by tracing its development in the last forty years, one can gain a better understanding on how it became the ideal institution of social reform in the 1960s. Cobbs-Hoffman begins her story by exploring theRead MoreThe Impact Of Exceptionalism On The United States944 Words   |  4 PagesHolsti, 2010). The current U.S. President Obama also stresses a similar point by stating that â€Å"I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism† (Obama, cited in Ceaser, 2012, p.4). However, exceptionalism purposed by the U.S. is different from those of other countries. Firstly, although each countries believe in their own uniqueness (Hoffmann, 2005), no country but the U.S. claims and attempts toRead MorePublic Sentiment Regarding the Vietnam War1111 Words   |  5 Pagesof the democrats within the legislative branch turned against Johnson’s war. Scholar’s conflict on the reason why Johnson’s own party turned against him, some scholars attribute it to the growing number of antiwar constituents, while other scholars such as E.M. Schreiber, Burstein and Freudenburg cite the numerous deaths of American soldiers in combat. One democrat by the name of Eugene McCarthy labeled the entire Vietnam War as an â€Å"error† and describes the Johnson administration as â€Å"misguided.†