How Did The Vietnam War Affect Families

Wars have been fought since the beginnings of humanity to settle disputes, and the core concepts of warfare has not changed for thousands of years. Unfortunately, all wars come with a devastating cost the world must pay - the loss of many lives, the destruction of environment, and a deep wound in society which would take years to stitch back to unity. Between 1955 and 1975, the United States participated in the Vietnam War in order to prevent the spreading of Communism by the Vietcong from North Vietnam. The Vietnam War ultimately impacted both the soldiers overseas and the families back home. Soldiers overseas were both physically and psychologically wounded from the injuries they sustain and the traumatic experiences they witness. Back home,
The aftermaths of any war is not a pretty sight - most everything in society is shattered like broken glass, with depression and confusion filling the atmosphere. Cities and monuments are left bombarded and casualties of both soldiers and civilians are through the roof. Men lucky enough to survive the war come home damaged both physically and mentally. Unfortunately, the things the soldiers carry in their minds are detrimental to their health after the war concludes. If a soldier is not physically wounded, they still have to often deal with depression, suicidal thoughts, alcohol abuse, etc. which all fall under the category known today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). By definition, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is “a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event.” Recurring symptoms often include vivid flashbacks, nightmares, and frightening thoughts. Fortunately, some PTSD cases can be settled through therapy sessions; In fact, Tim O’Brien is praised as the war stories he writes acts as a therapy for veterans who suffer from the traumatic syndrome. In an article, a veteran claims “[he] [tries] to put everything out of [his] mind” and “want[s] to forget it,” however, the stories “[O’Brien] writes, triggers memories for me” (Hacht 517). One method of therapy for suffering veterans include the act of intentionally triggering the soldiers’ memories from the war in order to prevent them from repeatedly flashing back in their minds. In this case, O’Brien’s novels act as a therapeutic process for many returning soldiers. Sure enough, mental professionals have praised O’Brien for his “insightful depiction of combat trauma” in his stories (Palmisano). Sadly, patients with severe psychological issues can often lead to self-inflicted harm due to overwhelming thoughts, traumatic memories, feeling displaced and useless, or a drastic