The War
In 1950 The U.S. entered South Vietnam in an attempt to stop a communist takeover, as part of their containment strategy. U.S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s, with U.S. troop levels tripling in 1961 and tripling again in 1962 Opposition
Some advocates of the peace movement wanted a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam. One reason given for the withdrawal is that it would contribute to a lessening of tensions in the region and therefor, less human bloodshed. Another, reason was that the Vietnamese should work out their problems independent of foreign influence. Early opposition to America's involvement in Vietnam was centered around the GenCon of 1954 and their support of Diem in refusing elections, was considered to be thwarting the very democracy that America claimed to be supporting.
Results
The U.S. lost an estimated 58,000 and the Vietnamese lost millions upon millions What Did We Learn?
U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger wrote in a secret memo to President Gerald Ford that "in terms of military tactics, we cannot help draw the conclusion that our armed forces are not suited to this kind of war. Even the Special Forces who had been designed for it could not prevail." Even Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara concluded that "the achievement of a military victory by U.S. forces in Vietnam was indeed a dangerous illusion."
The War
In 1950 The U.S. entered South Vietnam in an attempt to stop a communist takeover, as part of their containment strategy. U.S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s, with U.S. troop levels tripling in 1961 and tripling again in 1962
Opposition
Some advocates of the peace movement wanted a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam. One reason given for the withdrawal is that it would contribute to a lessening of tensions in the region and therefor, less human bloodshed. Another, reason was that the Vietnamese should work out their problems independent of foreign influence. Early opposition to America's involvement in Vietnam was centered around the GenCon of 1954 and their support of Diem in refusing elections, was considered to be thwarting the very democracy that America claimed to be supporting.
Results
The U.S. lost an estimated 58,000 and the Vietnamese lost millions upon millions
What Did We Learn?
U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger wrote in a secret memo to President Gerald Ford that "in terms of military tactics, we cannot help draw the conclusion that our armed forces are not suited to this kind of war. Even the Special Forces who had been designed for it could not prevail." Even Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara concluded that "the achievement of a military victory by U.S. forces in Vietnam was indeed a dangerous illusion."
A Vietnam Story
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