Vietnam War Influence

Few wars have had the impact that the Vietnam War had on American politics and military. Starting off as a conflict between France and Vietnam, it eventually grew into a long, divisive conflict pitting the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its ally, the United States. In the early years of the war, the United States had a small number of troops in Vietnam and was only providing aid to the French forces. However, in 1964, under President Lyndon B. Johnson it was clear that this conflict would soon escalate into a full-scale war. By 1965 “Johnson approved sending up to 82,000 ground troops to defend U.S. airbases and engage in limited combat” (Vietnam War). As U.S. presence in Vietnam increased, American morale

Therefore, in September 1967, the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) provided U.S. soldiers with instructions of the rights of Viet-Cong prisoners and guidelines on how to treat them. Known as the “Nine Rules,” the soldiers received a pocket card, “which encouraged soldiers to ‘treat women with politeness and respect’ and make ‘personal friends’ among the ‘common people’” (Codes of Conduct). However, the frustration and the growing impatience of American soldiers set MACV’s efforts up for failure. The Charley Company of the First Battalion arrived in Vietnam in December, and by March, Viet Cong “mines and traps inflicted significant casualties on the company” (Codes of Conduct). The Battalions’ frustration grew as more soldiers were killed, and on March 14, they lost a popular sergeant to a booby trap. They decided it was time to take matters into their own hands and get revenge. The following day, Captain Ernest L. Medina “stated that the company would finally engage the enemy, razing and torching its homes, killing its livestock, and poisoning its wells” (Codes of Conduct). Fueled by their anger, the Charlie Company geared up and landed near My Lai on March 16 and launched an attack on the village. The U.S. soldiers proceeded to brutally murder unarmed civilians, and “several members of the company randomly opened fire on anything that moved” (Codes of Conduct). Even though there were no Viet Cong members in the village, the U.S. troops were unbothered, and in four hours, My Lai was destroyed. In total, “more than 500 people were slaughtered in the My Lai massacre, including young girls and women who were raped and mutilated before being killed” (History.com). MACV’s training and the “Nine Rules” proved to be massive failures for the U.S. Army and the massacre at My Lai was