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Vietnam was the only war in U. ... history since the Civil War in which there was a very large percentage of the population opposing it. World War II had been more straightforward; the Nazis on one side and us on the other, but Vietnam was a complicated war that was difficult to justify — any rationalizations were unclear. Another fact that contributed to people’s discomfort was that live video footage of mangled American soldiers and suffering Vietnamese villagers was broadcasted daily into the homes of the public; for the first time ever, they were able to watch the uncut, uncensored brutalities of war.
As the war progressed, the number of people protesting against the war increased dramatically; what were at first small rallies grew and grew into huge demonstrations in which up to a quarter million people gathered to speak out against the killing. ... The nation was torn apart between the “doves,” the pacifists who opposed the war, and the “hawks,” who supported the war and it’s goals.
Up until the late 1950s, Vietnam had been a French colony (Gumport). After they were driven out by the rising communist powers, the United States and other democratic nations divided the country into North Vietnam (communist) and South Vietnam (democratic) (Gumport), to prevent Communism from taking over completely. ... If Vietnam fell to Communism, then Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and eventually all of Southeast Asia would fall soon after. To prevent this from happening, the United States and other democratic forces had to send troops into Vietnam to fight back the Communist rebels. ... merely sent over political consultants, medical supplies, and food to help the South Vietnamese deal with the war, but by the early 1960s, President John F. ... By the end of 1964, 23,000 American soldiers were fighting in Vietnam (Gumport).
By this time, the protesting in Vietnam had already begun. Many couldn’t see why they were suddenly in a divided country and were being pitted against each other in a war that they couldn’t understand. The vastly unpopular leader of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, who had won the election by an obviously rigged vote, was being openly protested against by his people. ... troops in Vietnam increased from 23,000 to 385,000 (Gumport). ...
Another problem the military faced in Vietnam was the fact that they couldn’t really tell friend from foe. ...
The people back home were outraged by all of this unnecessary killing — of American soldiers and refugees alike. ... Some said that there was none, and that they “didn’t give a damn” if Vietnam was Communist or not. ... It shook the nation and opened the eyes of many military officers to the seriousness of the effect of the Vietnam War on the American public (McNamara 47). ...
The nation was torn apart between the “doves,” who openly protested and opposed the war, and the “hawks,” who defended the war and it’s goals. Public protesting against the war grew and grew, starting as small rallies with very few people, and eventually escalating to antiwar demonstrations in which up to a quarter million people gathered to speak out against the bloodshed.
Approximate Word count = 2490
Approximate Pages = 10
(250 words per page double spaced)
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