The Many Effects of the Vietnam War in America
American Dream Essay
The Many Effects of the Vietnam War in America Before the war, the American Dream was seen almost everywhere in America. Men and women were marrying, buying homes, moving into suburbs and starting families. The American Dream was something that people strived for in life, and used it as a reason to succeed in life. Women were usually housewives that worked minor jobs, and men were automatically viewed as the head of the household and sole source of income. All was well in these types of homes, until the war started. The one-time business owners and working husbands were drafted into the war, leaving their wives and children behind. The women would soon become the head of the household and would take up jobs that men predominantly worked. This was a drastic difference caused by the war. Every American was extremely patriotic and proud of their country. They began rationing their food, planting their own gardens, canning and preserving food, and making sacrifices for their country. This was nothing close to the highly sought-after American Dream. The war in Vietnam greatly affected many different types of people. America’s role in the war was very prevalent. There was a feeling of obligation as a free nation to prevent the Vietnamese from becoming communist, fearing it would result in a domino effect. The public, however, mostly disagreed with this. As soon as the draft was enacted, thousands of eligible men were sent their draft cards, and sent to fight for a war they hardly knew anything about. The war in Vietnam was extremely violent and deadly, and Americans at home could watch from their own television. Since there was no way of keeping track of who was winning the war, body counts were taken at the end of each day, which sadly determined which side was winning. The images of dead civilians and soldiers were embedded into the minds of Americans, which led to resentment and anger toward our government. Soldiers often complained about the
The Many Effects of the Vietnam War in America Before the war, the American Dream was seen almost everywhere in America. Men and women were marrying, buying homes, moving into suburbs and starting families. The American Dream was something that people strived for in life, and used it as a reason to succeed in life. Women were usually housewives that worked minor jobs, and men were automatically viewed as the head of the household and sole source of income. All was well in these types of homes, until the war started. The one-time business owners and working husbands were drafted into the war, leaving their wives and children behind. The women would soon become the head of the household and would take up jobs that men predominantly worked. This was a drastic difference caused by the war. Every American was extremely patriotic and proud of their country. They began rationing their food, planting their own gardens, canning and preserving food, and making sacrifices for their country. This was nothing close to the highly sought-after American Dream. The war in Vietnam greatly affected many different types of people. America’s role in the war was very prevalent. There was a feeling of obligation as a free nation to prevent the Vietnamese from becoming communist, fearing it would result in a domino effect. The public, however, mostly disagreed with this. As soon as the draft was enacted, thousands of eligible men were sent their draft cards, and sent to fight for a war they hardly knew anything about. The war in Vietnam was extremely violent and deadly, and Americans at home could watch from their own television. Since there was no way of keeping track of who was winning the war, body counts were taken at the end of each day, which sadly determined which side was winning. The images of dead civilians and soldiers were embedded into the minds of Americans, which led to resentment and anger toward our government. Soldiers often complained about the