How did the Vietnam war effect things on the home front?
Between the years of 1954 and 1973 the Vietnam war escalated because South Vietnam needed help fighting the communist North Vietnamese and the United States decided to join in. There were 110,000 combat deaths and half a million injuries were inflicted upon United States soldiers. Over 150,000 injuries and 10,000 people missing, which enraged the citizens back home. The Vietnam War caused much controversy and protesting at home in the United States.
Events During the War
Kent State ShootingsThere were many protests against the war at home, and some escalated. The Kent State Shootings in Ohio took place at a protest against the war. Citizens in an act of anger set fire to the ROTC building and the president dispatched 900 national guard soldiers and 28 shot at the protesters creating an uprise of anger nationwide.
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ProtestsAs the US government continued to drop bombs in Vietnam, questions started being asked by those at home. What was this war for? Was it really justified? Are we really fighting communism? These questions led to strong protests against the war. The anti-war movement began in colleges and with the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Soon there were hundreds of thousands of advocates for the anti-war movement across the nation.
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Over Seas ExperienceWhile overseas in Vietnam American soldiers encountered many hardships, such as developing drug addictions, injuries, and disease. Going through these struggles and committing some of the intolerable acts they did played a partial role as a catalyst for protests on the home front.
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The Beginning of the Vietnam War |
Economic Impact |
In 1954 the Geneva Accords separated Vietnam into two states, North Vietnam and South Vietnam. North Vietnam consisted of communism as South Vietnam did not. The US was scared that communism would spread south and then to other countries by through the leader of Ho Chi Minh. President John F. Kennedy decided to send troops to South Vietnam to stop communism and build a nation. By 1962 there were 9,000 US troops stationed in Vietnam. Then, in 1963 when Kennedy was assassinated Lyndon B. Johnson took over the presidency. Johnson then began to send more and more military over seas causing the war to escalate.
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During the Vietnam war, economic issues on the home front progressively got worse with the constant demand for weaponry.
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Impact the War had on Today |