Fighting the Vietnam War and Communism

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Recommended: Effects of the Vietnam war

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.

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