What was America like during the Vietnam War?

What was America like during the Vietnam War?

The Vietnam War severely damaged the U.S. economy. Unwilling to raise taxes to pay for the war, President Johnson unleashed a cycle of inflation. The war also weakened U.S. military morale and undermined, for a time, the U.S. commitment to internationalism.

How did American citizens react to the Vietnam War?

Despite the growing antiwar movement, a silent majority of Americans still supported the Vietnam effort. Many admitted that involvement was a mistake, but military defeat was unthinkable. When Richard Nixon was inaugurated in January 1969, the nation was bitterly divided over what course of action to follow next.

What problems did the Americans face during the Vietnam War?

Much of the fighting in Vietnam took place in hot, wet jungle terrain. Soldiers suffered from heat stroke, malaria, trench foot, fungal infections and other ailments brought about by hot, humid conditions.

How were citizens affected by the Vietnam War?

About 58,000 American soldiers were killed during the Vietnam War, and another 304,000 were wounded. The widespread destruction of the farms and villages in the South Vietnamese countryside turned huge numbers of peasants into homeless refugees. …

What was different about the Vietnam War compared to the United States?

The Vietnam War was different than any other war that the United States had fought to that point. The major enemy for the US was more of a guerrilla organization that did not fight traditional battles. This was also different than other US wars because it was not a war to take territory.

Which statement best describes how Americans in the 1960s feel about the Vietnam War?

Which statement best describes how Americans in the 1960s felt about the Vietnam War? In the early 1960s, few Americans concerned themselves with the war. By the end of the decade, most Americans believed that the war had been a mistake.

What was it like during the Vietnam War?

Vietnam War soldiers also struggled with boredom At times, Vietnam resembled “a hated, dreary struggle” that dragged on and on with no end in sight. Since large-scale warfare was rare, soldiers could go for weeks without encountering enemy forces, but far from being a respite, the quiet only heightened the tension.

What was the average age of American soldiers in Vietnam?

The men who served in Vietnam also tended to be younger than the U.S. soldiers who had fought in previous wars. The average age of American troops in Vietnam was nineteen, compared to an average age of twenty-six for U.S. soldiers in World War II (1939–45). During most of the Vietnam War,…

How did the American soldiers in Vietnam feel?

Their feelings of vulnerability were increased by strained relations with Vietnam’s rural communities. In the early years of the war, some U.S. soldiers expected the South Vietnamese people to greet them as heroes. Instead, the local farmers and villagers usually viewed the Americans with distrust or even hostility.

What was life like in the Vietnam War?

The land was a dangerous enemy by itself, but its biggest threat was the dangers it concealed. Whether in the thick of the jungle or deep in the rice paddies, the landscape was strange to the U.S. soldiers, but it was familiar to the Viet Cong, who expertly hid themselves in the land.

When did the US get involved in the Vietnam War?

Introduction According to federal law, the United States’ military involvement in the Vietnam War began in February 1961 and lasted until May 1975. Approximately 2.7 million American men and women served in Vietnam. During the war, more than 58,000 servicemen and women lost their lives.