1st Place Essay by Cadet Kennedy Ushiroda

“Lessons Learned from the Vietnam War: Citizen Soldiers By Cadet Kennedy Ushiroda

President Theodore Roosevelt High School Army JROTC

The Vietnam war is considered one of the deadliest and longest conflicts of the 20th century in United States history. The war, in effect, was fought within the context of containment of the spread of communism. The United States during this time was engaged in a larger, struggle against communism, otherwise known as the Cold War (against the Soviet Union and Communist China), which aimed to expand communism as a form of government. When the Vietnam war first began, the American public was generally in support. In fact, only two members of Congress voted against President Lyndon B. Johnson’s authority to wage war in Vietnam (Independence Hall Association). As demonstrated in the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, Johnson was able to use this authority and persuade Congress to send many more American troops to Vietnam in what would be a gradual escalation. However, as it became clear that hopes for achieving the war’s objective grew dimmer, and as soldiers were perishing, public support for the conflict would gradually become bleaker and bleaker. This essay will investigate the relationship the public had during the Vietnam War and the ultimate lessons that can be learned about the attitudes the citizenry should face towards the military in time of war. To begin, it is important to recognize the fact that the antiwar sentiment largely came from the Students for a Democratic Society in the 1960s. This group, with principles founded by Tom Hayden, would become recognized as a staunch activist against the Vietnam War. To provide context to the public’s distrust of the U.S. government, it is imperative to consider that in the late 1960s, it was now possible for newscasts and troops to bring televised equipment to record a first-hand perspective of war. What would be recorded would shock most Americans at home. Such television footage and photos inner turmoil brought by the war through Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, which would not be considered a would illustrate in homes across America, the death, drug use, and the unsightly side of war. These real and stark images would increase the negative ideas that would dwell in the minds of citizens as more US troops were sent to engage in the Vietnam War. The negative image of the war would be magnified by one of the more large-scale and escalating events, namely the Tet Offensive. In January of 1968, the Tet Offensive was launched by the forces of the North Vietnamese army and Viet Cong in which the United States played a major role in stopping it. Although it was seen as a major disaster for the communist party and a military win for the allies, at home in the U.S., it was a political failure and was felt as a devastating loss for the American public at home. This offensive would be the boiling point of the public’s distrust of government officials who proclaimed that the war would be over soon, but in actuality, the end was nowhere in sight. But more damaging still would be that many in our citizenry would stand in opposition the American soldier. Thus would begin a growing anti-military sentiment across the country.

Unfortunately, when Vietnam soldiers came back home from putting their life on the line to defend their country’s values, the majority of public response was indifferent. The veterans returning home were initially shocked by the negative response from their countrymen many of whom expressed anguish about the war, and so most Veterans returned to a quiet and distrusting society. In contrast to the celebrations and parades that greeted the World War II veterans, the Vietnam War veterans had “common experiences of rejection . . . not explicit acts of hostility but quieter, sometimes more devastating forms of withdrawal, suspicion, and indifference." (Enclycopedia.com, 2022). It was these attitudes that made many Vietnam veterans feel ostracized in society, a feeling even more perpetuated by the ongoing inner turmoil brought by the war through Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, which would not be considered a formal psychological condition until 1980 (Wyman, 2020). In addition, surviving veterans, unlike their World War II counterparts, were not adequately compensated for their efforts. The story of Peter Langenus, Commander of Delta Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment assigned to the 199th Light Infantry Brigade from 1969-70, is illustrative (Ciampaglia, 2018). Captain Langenus led his troops into the thick jungle in operations that would last 30 days or more. However, upon returning home, he found that the Vietnam Veterans’ benefits were virtually “nonexistent.” Langenus would also show symptoms of malaria living in New York, but would be

denied Veterans Affairs health care because he did not show symptoms in Vietnam. To add on, Langenus would not be funded with proper education benefits to attend his law school education where he was “paying $300 a credit” but his “entire educational benefit was $126.” And, in an act of tragedy too commonly held by many Vietnam Veterans looking for a job, Lengenus would be “met with thinly veiled disgust and discrimination from law firms” after learning he was a Vietnam Veteran. At the height of the Vietnam War demonstration, many males would evade or desert the draft, fleeing to Canada. While a future administration would later pardon these individuals, the majority of those who served still felt the stigma of being a Vietnam War veteran. Fortunately, it would seem that America would break from this cold and unpatriotic behavior in the next twenty years leading up to and following the Gulf Wars and the War on Terror. With the creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982, many Americans could finally see the names of the brave service men and women who fought in the war. It was a positive step forward to recognizing the valiant efforts the American troops undertook, and the challenges they faced. Yet, the 1990 to 1991 Gulf War also saw the positive embrace of the military with patriotic flag waving and celebrations of successful campaigns that President Bush announced seemed to have “kicked the Vietnam-Syndrome once and for all.” (Wyman, 2020). For Langenus, also a Desert Storm veteran, he described that as “Vietnam veterans, we couldn’t believe it. We could not understand getting letters from school kids … you couldn’t believe people were cheering you.” (Ciampaglia, 2018). These pro-military and veteran sentiments would only grow as America entered the 21-century, especially as a result of the devastating September 11, 2001 attacks. These positive phenomena should be the way the citizens of this nation should act towards its veterans and active service members. And while it is true that a simple “thank you” is appreciative by most US veterans, the injustices are still felt and questioned. Addressing this, Steven A. Wowwk, a 100 percent disabled Vietnam Veteran and Infantryman, explained that “deeds need to be done in addition to words [because] what are you doing in addition to saying ‘thank you’?” (Ciampaglia, 2018). Ultimately, these attitudes and behaviors the public held against the returning Vietnam veterans demonstrates a powerful lesson to be told and learned by today’s public. Vietnam veterans received a welcome from the public that was a far cry from the warm victory parades their fathers received from World War II. The negative phenomenon shown in the 1960s to 1970s should act as an unwavering example of how to not treat our nation’s veterans. The cold greetings and the dismissive turns should have been replaced with more understanding and open discussions. Fortunately, as strides have been made within the early 21st century, public support for the military has improved dramatically. Finally, in 2021, the United States Congress’ H. J. RES. 59 bill introduced the formal declaration of an apology to the Vietnam veterans and acknowledge the poor “treatment they received upon returning home” and an increase in education to “reflect the sacrifice and treatment of Vietnam veterans”, nearly 48 years after the pullout of American troops in the Vietnam War. This is a great start, but it urges that more work, on both the citizenry and government, should be done towards recognizing their sacrifices.

References

1. Ciampaglia, D. A. (2018, November 8). Why were Vietnam War Vets treated poorly when they returned? History.com. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.history.com/news/vietnam-war-veteranstreatment 2. Encyclopedia.com. (2022, April 5). ." Vietnam War Reference Library. . encyclopedia.com. 28 Mar. 2022 . 3. Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopediasalmanacs-transcripts-and-maps/coming-home-vietnam-veterans-american-society 4. Independence Hall Association. (n.d.). The Vietnam War. ushistory.org. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https:// www.ushistory.org/us/55.asp 5. Wyman, J. (2020, November 19). The battle after the War. Humanities Washington. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.humanities.org/blog/the-battle-after-the-war/#:~:text=Veterans%20returned%20from% 20Vietnam%20not,physical%20and%20psycho%2Dspiritual%20injuries.