The 1950s And The Vietnam War - 2275 Words

The 1960’s and the Vietnam War are not often regarded as one of America’s finer moments in history. The increasing popularity of the television set in the 1960’s allowed for a window into the war, and the brutality that the American people saw did not increase national pride, but rather implanted doubts into the minds of Americans as to whether or not our soldiers were really the good guys in this case. Where WWII had involved the Nazi’s, the epitome of the bad guys, the Vietnam War had no such case. The dark sadism of the Nazi’s had once been a stark contrast to America’s virtuous soldiers, but the Vietnam War was a confounding fusion of the good and the bad. As Ph. D. Leslie Gelb explains, â€Å"the morality of that [Vietnam] War was very confused† (Brokaw 137). This idea was reflected in the following decade, the 1970’s, when movies began to portray their protagonist as a complex character with flaws rather than the tradition al faultless hero. In essence, the Vietnam War of the 1960’s led to the rise of the antihero in 1970’s American Cinema. The Vietnam War, ranging from 1955 to 1975, began the start of a new age; an age where death and war were no longer glamorized and the people were surfeited with the constant fighting. Originally, Vietnam was seen as a â€Å"great testing ground in the struggle between democracies and Communism† (Brokaw 131), with the domino theory being a very credible threat. But as the war continued, both the Home front and the soldiers of the war began toShow MoreRelatedThe Cold War And The American War1446 Words   |  6 PagesThe cold war and the American war in Vietnam are inseparable, if it was not for the cold war the Soviet Union, America, and China would not have gotten involved in a civil war that would have remained in the country. Because of the cold war it defined how the Vietnam War would be fought. Interesting fact, â€Å"the conflict in Vietnam stemmed from the interaction of two major phenomena of the post WWII era, DECOLONIZATION—the dissolution of colonial empires —and the cold war† (18). NATIONALISM during thisRead MoreSafety During The Vietnam War1645 Words   |  7 PagesSafety During Battle: Vietnam War Andy Nguyen Junior Division Individual Paper Fire, ash, cinders, and smoke. A loud noise comes from overhead. People are screaming and running in terror. A bomb has went off. This sequence of events happened multiple times during the Vietnam War. Many soldiers died, and even more citizens died. In the past, there may have not been many laws/regulations that protect citizens to prevent casualties, but everyone learns from their past. Apparently the world hasntRead MoreEssay On Differences Of The 1950s And 1950s761 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the 1950s and 1970s, developments in standards and social rights cleared the United States. These decades consisted of numerous riots, boycotts, court hearings, and the planning of other significant tasks to overcome the problems in America. Despite, the white majoritys disapproval the battles between the balance in training, housing, and employment were issues for minorities. There were achievements made in both decades of America during the 1950s and 1970s. The struggles with war and politicalRead MoreWhat Was A Communist Government?1093 Words   |  5 Pagesanti-communist in the 1950s and 1960s? American during the 1950s and 1960s was anti-communist due to the cold war occurring between the USA and Russia, a communist country, in the 1950s. While USA’s government system during this time was a Democracy. They had the fear of this communist society expanding throughout the entire south East Asia. 3. Describe France’s involvement in Vietnam’s history. When did they set up a colony? Why? Explain what led to the French leaving Vietnam? When did this occurRead MoreThe Vietnam War Was A Long And Costly Conflict1150 Words   |  5 Pages Causes if the Vietnam War Before WWII Vietnam belonged to the French Empire but during the war, it was taken over by the Japanese but since they were being defeated they retreated back to Japan. This gave the chance to the Vietnamese people to create their own government led by Ho Chi Minh but at the end of the war, the south was given back to the french while the north was led by the Chinese, who was not communist at the time, so Ho Chi Minh lost all his power. When the Chinese pulled out in 1946Read MoreThe Contribution Of Mark Atwood Lawrence Essay1255 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Commitment to the War in Vietnam is an American piece of literature published in 2005. Mark Atwood Lawrence is an Associate Professor of History, Director of Graduate Studies at the Clements Center for National Security at The University of Texas and Distinguished Fellow at the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law. Lawrence has published two books, Assuming the Burden: Europe and the American Commitment t o War in Vietnam and The Vietnam War: A Concise International HistoryRead More Evaluating the Success of Americas Policy of Containment of Communism1031 Words   |  5 Pagesstrategy of the US in the early years of the Cold war. The policy was to defeat the Soviet Union by preventing it from expanding the territories under its Communist control or otherwise extending its influence. This, naturally, resulted in strained relations and rivalry between the two superpowers. Despite the many difficulties, American policy of containment during the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam War did manage to contain the expansion of CommunismRead MoreSoviet Union Vs Cold War Essay1096 Words   |  5 Pagesin the North Africa in the year 1944 enters in to the war in mainland Europe. In 1940 between the Soviet and the allied forces they were able to win the European front of wwii. The end of that year Japan was fighting still. The US develops the atomic bomb they use on over Hiroshima and a few days later one in Nagasaki, doing this ends wwii the outcome of wwii was two remaining super powers those two were The soviet Union and the US the cold war was next. Eastern Europe was falling under the SovietRead MoreThe 70s Are Not Totally Happy `` Days1667 Words   |  7 PagesThe 50s are not totally â€Å" happy† days. In American history the post war 1950s, was a unforgettable era. T.V. shows were made, showing early childhood experiences in 1950s. For example, some shows such as LEAVE IT TO BEAVER and FATHER KNOWS BEST. These shows leave viewers with histo rical facts from the past. Not everyone was happy, a group of civilians and nonconformists pointed out the flaws in a suburb they believed had no moral, a government that was growing viciously with power. A lifestyleRead MoreA Society Post World War II1169 Words   |  5 PagesLiving in a society post World War II where social revolution is said to be unnecessary, there was solidity on Americans in the 1950s to conform to certain expectations and values. During the peak of the Cold War, any one who did not share the same values would be accused of being a communist. These common values that Americans believed in the 1950s were a liberal consensus that described America as an unflawed society that worked and did not suffer from any major struggles. The liberal consensus