The Struggle of Vietnam

In the Junior Hummanites class called Policy. We learned about the excutive branch how it works. We also learned about  polices and, who can carry them out. As well as how policy can he judged right or wrong. We learned about Vietnam war and many other wars in history , we even visited the
National Veterans Mueseum, to learn more about the stories behind the soldiers that fought in the war as well as what they went through. For this Action Project, we had to choose a war and choose wether or not the war was justified or not. I chose to do the Vietnam War and I chose to say that the war was unjustified. It all started in 1954 the Vietnam war. It lasted for roughy 20 year. 20 years of young men and women who helped to fight the war and heal the wounds of those that were in need.  The Vietnam war was  unjustified fought in South and North Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.The United States had been making plans to prepare for the war before hand, but didn’t enter the war until 1965 in early March.  This “war” was between(Anti-Communist),North Vietnam supported by South Korea,and the United States.The other side being in support of Communism was South Vietnam supported by Soviet Union and China.

Vietnam war protestors,(2005) W.Wolny :Wikimedia

The United states,leader Dwight Eisenhower was a very strong believer in Anti-Communism, He even said that “We have got to fight it [Communism] with something better, not try to conceal the thinking of our own people. They are part of America. And even if they think ideas that are contrary to ours, their right to say them, their right to record them,and their right to have them at places where they are accessible to others is unquestioned, or it isn't America” (Dwight AZ Quotes.com). Later on in 1961 when Eisenhower's presidency ended and John F Kennedy’S Presidency began JFK continued those beliefs. As he stated by saying “There are many people in the world who really don't understand, or say they don't, what is the great issue between the free world and the Communist world. Let them come to Berlin. There are some who say that communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin. And there are some who say in Europe and elsewhere we can work with the Communists. Let them come to Berlin. And there are even a few who say that it is true that communism is an evil system, but it permits us to make economic progress. Let them come to Berlin.”(JFK AZQuotes.com) Before,JFK was assassinated in 1963 he made sure that the soldiers prepare for war by going to the Vietnam to train in combat. Lyndon B Johnson became the president in 1963 in November. In 1968 the United States had 548,000 soldiers in Vietnam, and lost 30,000.

In 1965 The United States started to gain more soldiers when they realized that the South Vietnam government was losing the war.The Viet Cong members used guerrilla tactics like digging tunnels and surprising the soldiers from the U.S and attacking them, as well as dressing as farmers. Which is how they eventually ended on the “Winning” side of the war this war that killed so many, was unjustified since the people in charge were afraid of “Domino Theory”. “In the land of the free home of the brave” (Smithsonian "Star Spangled Banner").Domino theory is the theory That communism will spread from one country to the next without being able to be put under control. The government decided to join a war and to lose the lives of the men and women of the United states. Instead of actually following the constitution that our first president George Washington signed and let the people believe in what they want as stated in the constitution in the first amendment “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances”.

In 1973 the congress, started the “War Powers Act” or the War Powers Resolution of 1973. The congress proposed this act, because they wanted to have control over the president. The War Powers act is an act that is intended to keep the president's power to enforce the United States to an armed conflict without asking permission of the U.S. Congress. This act was justified because they wanted to keep the president in control without making him give up all his power. Due to this act as well as the war we lost over 58,220 lives.as well as spent 168 billion dollars included in that 111 billion dollars in weapons.

The Vietnam war was unjust because the United states was afraid of Communism, which would make them lose money. We lost the lives of those that were beloved by their families as well as money the they wanted to keep so bad by funding the weapons needed for the war. The United states is supposed to be the “land of the free home of the brave” (Smithsonian "Star Spangled Banner") yet we are afraid of communism. By participating in this war we are not following the constitution we are not allowing people to believe in what they want as well as having freedom of speech. Vietnam war is a war full of lose and greed, so when you think of this war think of those that died.

Citations:
"First Amendment". LII / Legal Information Institute. N.p., 2017. Web. 23 May 2017.

"John F. Kennedy Quotes About Communism | A-Z Quotes". A-Z Quotes. N.p., 2017. Web. 23 May 2017.

"NMAH | The Lyrics". Amhistory.si.edu. N.p., 2017. Web. 23 May 2017.

The Causes Of The Vietnam War". English.illinois.edu. N.p., 2017. Web. 23 May 2017.

"Your Right To Free Expression". American Civil Liberties Union. N.p., 2017. Web. 23 May 2017.