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How were soldiers treated when they returned home from Vietnam?

How were soldiers treated when they returned home from Vietnam?

Rather than being greeted with anger and hostility, however, most Vietnam veterans received very little reaction when they returned home. They mainly noticed that people seemed uncomfortable around them and did not appear interested in hearing about their wartime experiences.

How did the Vietnam war affect soldiers?

The Vietnam conflict impacted veterans in a variety of ways. Most combat soldiers witnessed violence and lost friends to the horrors of war. Some American veterans bore emotional and physical injuries that they would carry for the rest of their lives.

How were the POWs treated when they returned?

They were often chained or imprisoned in small cages. Some of the younger RPOWs showed maturation deficiencies due to the malnutrition, disease and infections. For many POWs returning to their families, the enduring physical problems were not their only concern.

Who is the youngest Vietnam veteran still alive?

Dan Bullock (December 21, 1953 – June 7, 1969) was a United States Marine and the youngest U.S. serviceman killed in action during the Vietnam War, dying at the age of 15….

Dan Bullock
Born December 21, 1953 Goldsboro, North Carolina, U.S.
Died June 7, 1969 (aged 15) An Hoa Combat Base, Quảng Nam Province, South Vietnam

How did the Viet Cong treat POWs?

Although North Vietnam was a signatory of the Third Geneva Convention of 1949, which demanded “decent and humane treatment” of prisoners of war, severe torture methods were employed, such as waterboarding, strappado (known as “the ropes” to POWs), irons, beatings, and prolonged solitary confinement.

What happened after the Vietnam war in Vietnam?

After more than a century of foreign domination and 21 years of war and division, Vietnam was finally a single, independent nation, free from external control and interference. Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City, in honour of the revolutionary leader, who had died six years earlier.

How did the Vietnam War affect drug use?

Veterans who had not been in Vietnam were somewhat more likely to have begun using drugs after service, and generally indicated that their military experiences had not affected their drug use. When they did cite an effect of service, the factors usually indicated were boredom and a lack of meaningful activity.

How did Vietnam veterans feel after the war?

Instead of being treated like heroes as their fathers were after World War II, Vietnam veterans were shunned, ridiculed and expelled from their customary peer groups. Additionally, these veterans found it difficult to reintegrate into a workforce that largely had no use for their military skills.

What causes alcoholism and addiction in Vietnam Veterans?

PTSD is widely considered the most common cause of addiction or alcoholism among Vietnam veterans. This disorder occurs after a person has been exposed to some type of severe trauma –physical, mental, emotional, or a combination of all three.

What did soldiers do when the drug wore off?

When the drug wore off, the soldiers were so irritable that some felt like “shooting children in the streets.” 7,11 Unfortunately, soldiers were not able to detox from the drugs before being sent back home. Instead they reportedly suffered serious withdrawals on the flight home.