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Fighting Vietnam and Communism |
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Fighting the Vietnam War dramatically changed
the lives of everyone even remotely involved, especially the brave individuals
actually fighting amidst the terror. One of the first things concerned when
reading these war stories was the detail given in each case. Quotes and other
specific pieces of information are given in each occurrence yet these stories
were collected in 1981, over ten years following the brutal war. This
definitely shows the magnitude of the war’s impact on these servicemen. These
men, along with every other individual involved, went through a dramatic experience
that will forever haunt their lives. Their minds are filled with scenes of
exploding buildings, rape, cold-blooded killing, and bodies that resemble Swiss
cheese.
Part of this assignment is to describe my impressions of the Vietnam War and
its impact on the men who fought it. This is a very difficult task. No matter
how many articles and stories I read, I will never truly understand the pain
and anguish these men have endured. I can’t even begin to imagine how hard it
would be to endure 2 months of being tied in the most awkward body-stretching
position possible. Sure, like anyone I believe that the U.S. government got
into an unwinnable war, but the bureaucrats were in a tough political position
and they felt this was essential. No matter the case, it is ridiculous how
American citizens displayed open dishonor and disgrace to both fallen and
returning soldiers. These men went through the worst imaginable experience and
they were slapped in the face and spit in the nose when they returned. They
went through those circumstances because the government they were loyal to put
them in that position.
Rambo gives the illusion that American armed forces would have won Vietnam if
their forces would have been let loose by conservative bureaucrats. This Rambo
misapprehension gives policy makers and Washington leaders a thicker chest and
the ideology that America is unshakable. This attitude put many soldiers in a
no-win situation and America should learn from this mistake.
George Herring saw the end of Vietnam as a place to move on and something to
learn from:
“To adapt to the new era, the United States must recognize its vulnerability,
accept the limits to its power, and accommodate itself to many situations it
does not like. Americans must understand that they will not be able to dictate
solutions to world problems or to achieve all of their goals. Like it or not,
Vietnam marked the end of an era in world history and of American foreign
policy, an era marked by constructive achievements but blemished by ultimate, although
not irreparable, failure.”
America cannot look past torture, tyranny, or poverty, but they must also
realize their place. There was seldom hope for long-range communism falter, but
non-communist countries did prosper following the Vietnam War and the effects
of American defeat were far less than anticipated.
Thirty years of wartime is going to be exhausting to any country and it’s going
to be very difficult to image much stability following 3 centuries of fighting.
The United States ended the war with a strong mentality of relief, hope, and a
sense of moving on. A strong look was taken towards American foreign policy and
intervention, but it consistently turned back to the issue of morality and
wisdom. It’s hard for anyone to look themselves in the mirror and say they were
immoral and ignorant, especially when considering the magnitude of this war.
The self-evaluation ultimately found the nation diverged with many arguments
explaining where the US went wrong in Vietnam and how they should prevent further
problems of this nature.