The Vietnam War and Communism - 1192 Words

The Vietnam War was costly not only to our armed forces but to our American economy and American morale. We entered the war in an attempt to end the communist regime of North Vietnam and their southern allies, the Vietcong, from taking over South Vietnam. South Vietnam was an ally of the United States and due to this political relationship; the United States was entitled to help defend their ally. More than 58,000 Americans were killed in the Vietnam War. By 1969 it was the peak of American involvement in the war and more than 500,000 U.S. military personnel were involved in the Vietnam conflict. Throughout the war growing opposition towards participation of military forces threatened the support of the war. American citizens began to†¦show more content†¦The second lesson is to always stay faithful to your country. Throughout the war many soldiers were taken as hostages and became missing during the war. These Prisoners of War and Missing in Action victims possibly faced the most brutal treatment that a human could endure. Based off of personal testimonies they said that they faced â€Å"days and nights with no sleep, kneeling on concrete twenty-four hour a day, electric shock treatment about three hours per session, getting beaten with a fan belt about fifty times†. This treatment was unfair and unjust to these American soldiers but they endured the physical pain that came with service to their country. Along with the physical pain they also faced â€Å"physiological torture â€Å"which† was even worse†. Claims said that â€Å"they would come down and interrupt your daily interrogation and say that you may be released but never truly release you.† Those mind games deteriorated the mental stability of these soldiers. They questioned the plans of the Americans and tried to find answers about the future movements of Americans. The Vietcong played mental games with these men and they had to remain mentally strong to stay committed to their country. They had to endure these inhumane treatments and could not release any information that could endanger their country. In the end they were still faithful soldiers who still believed in the strength of their country. If they hadShow MoreRelatedCommunism Of The Vietnam War And The Cold War1181 Words   |  5 PagesCommunism is an ideology that has a very long history more than one-third of the globe. This ideology is followed by Russia, Cuba, Laos, China, North Korea , and Vietnam. This ideology is the source of many revolutions and conflicts throughout the history likes the English Civil War, the Bolshevik Revolution, the Vietnam War, the Korea War and the Cold War. However, what makes Communism different from other ideologies is its origin, its policy, and its effects on the poor and the working class. CommunismRead MorePreventing the Spread of Communism in the Vietnam War941 Words   |  4 PagesThe Vietnam War was a protracted conflict between the Unites States and the communist forces in Vietnam. The US with the aid of the South Vietnamese Government wanted to prevent the spread of communism. In opposition, the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in the South known as the Vietcong wanted to unify Vietnam under one communist government. The war lasted from 1945 to 1975 and was not one that the US was destined to win. Despite its huge wealth and power the US was unableRead MoreFear of Communism Caused the Vietnam War Essay1622 Words   |  7 PagesThe Vietnam war has been referred to by many names, one of the longer ones was the cornerstone of the free world southeast Asia. It was called that by John F. Kennedy. He was talking about Vietnam being and essential country in a non-communist world. He believed that if Vietnam became a communist country, all of the surrounding countries would also become communists. This is the main reason America was involved in the Vietnam war. Another reason was that America wanted to spread their â€Å"politicalRead More The Soviet Union, Communism, and the Vietnam War Essay3150 Words   |  13 PagesSaigon, Vietnam continues to exercise a powerful hold of the American psyche. No deployment of American troops abroad is considered without the infusion of the Vietnam question. No formulation of strategic policy can be completed without weighing the possibility of Vietnanization. Even the politics of a person cannot be discussed without taking into account his opinion on the Vietnam Ware. This national obsession with Vietnam is perfectly national when viewed from a far. It was the only war that theRead MoreThe Conflict Of Vietnam War And The Fight Against Widespread Communism Essay1367 Words   |  6 Pages The conflict concerning Vietnam can be dated back to the Cold War and the fight against widespread c ommunism. The fear of a domino theory in Southeast Asia lies at the heart of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Starting with president Truman and ending with Nixon, the Vietnam conflict continued to become progressively worse with time. Unlike previous wars, the Vietnam War tarnished America’s image as it was the first time in history the U.S. came out defeated while being far more advanced. However whetherRead MoreThe Vietnam War: How America Lost the War Against Communism Essay1094 Words   |  5 PagesThe Vietnam War was a conflict, which the United States involved itself in unnecessarily and ultimately lost. The basis of the conflict was simple enough: Communism vs. Capitalism, yet the conduct of the Vietnam War was complex and strategic, and brought repercussions which had never been seen before. The struggle between North and South had an almost inevitable outcome, yet the Americans entered the War optimistic that they could aid the falling South and sustain democracy. The American intentionsRead MoreContainment: Vietnam War and Communism Essay examples947 Words   |  4 PagesAll Odds of Communism After the defeat of the Axis powers in World War II it was apparent that the victors would come out as the new world powers. With the United States and the Soviet Union being the strongest nations of the victorious Allies they were the two countries who emerged as the new world powers but their views varied drastically. The Democratic United States and the Communist Soviets butted heads about each others views and the U.S. wanted to halt the spread of communism so it couldn’tRead MoreThe Battle Of Dien Bien Phu1256 Words   |  6 PagesBien Phu To Vietnam War â€Å"It will be a war between an elephant and a tiger. If the tiger stand still, the elephant will crush him. But the tiger will never stand still. It will leap upon the elephant’s back, ripping out huge chunks of flesh and then will disappear back again into the dark jungle and slowly the elephant will blead to death† (PeriscopeFilm, 1962). After World War II, the world experiences one of the longest wars that have ever occurred in the twentieth century, Vietnam War which lastedRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War983 Words   |  4 Pages â€Æ' The Vietnam War, a war involving the invigorating power of the superpower America and its democracy and freedom versus the almighty Russia and its tight fist of communism. This infamous war would go on to be one of the most controversial wars to date, but people rarely tend to have the knowledge behind everything that took place in the Vietnam war. You see The United States involvement in the Vietnam War did not do what do anything in the way of stopping communism. Because of this war, many menRead MoreThe United States Involvement During The Vietnam War1514 Words   |  7 PagesThe United States involvement in the Vietnam War developed into one of the most brutal, yet necessary wars of The Cold War. Although the war was viewed poorly by most, it helped a weak, crumbling South Vietnam stand up to a strong powerful North Vietnam that was forcing communism on them. President Johnson even stated that â€Å"Our objective is the independence of South Vietnam and its freedom from attack. † The United States wanted to stop an oppressive government and to make sure the world is a safer