OD News: Eyes on Skies, American Troops Enter Vietnam

Here is some of the footage that was taken by us doing our journey to Vietnam. 
The Views of War.....Click Me

By Anwar Abdul-Qawi

Published Nov 24, 1965

American troops line up, as they are ready to be deployed in the conflict in Vietnam. Hoping to

stop communist takeover in South Vietnam, the U.S. decides to help out.

  Many young American men have been drafted to support their country, but do they agree with it?

“Yea I’m ready, time to  put an end to these communist dirt bags you know, the American way,”

said 22 year old Jimmy Scott.

Young men are ready for their deployment into enemy territory, in the land of Da Nang, and also

prepare for a carpet bomb attack on North Vietnam.

Packed with M60 machine guns, assault rifle M16’s, grenades and more, these men are ready to

“Americanize” the war.

These young men may have been drafted but they seem to be ready to support their country.

“Yeah no worries...like Regan said, we should declare war on North Vietnam. . . .we could pave

the whole country and put parking strips on it, and still be home by Christmas....it’s as easy as

that, I'm ready to move my squad out, and do whatever it takes to finish this, oh that red white

and blue,” said Sergeant Miller.

Still it is weird to see that America is so eager to jump into a conflict that doesn’t involve them.

Many of these soldiers say that it is justified, and it is the right thing to do. But the question is “is

it?”

Some soldiers see it as the right thing to do, but others just don’t understand.

“I still don’t know why we are doing this,” said 24 year old Evan Shots. “I mean yeah I

understand that if that area turns Communist then we could have some problems, but it seems

as though it’s all about control. I mean I don’t think my government would brainwash me into

believing some fake excuse why we should go kill, whatever they say, I have to trust.”

Is it right for our soldiers to be drafted to become involved in another countries conflict?  After the

draft many of our young men were taken in, by the army to be trained. So far from all we know it

is about ending Communism.

More information on the attack will be stated, for now lets wish our troops the best.

The Views, American Involvement

The big question was,” was it right for America to get involved in the Vietnam conflict?” I feel as the involvement was unnecessary, and that many soldiers died for nothing. Starting from

1957-1975 the war for control went on between the US, and the communist in Vietnam. Some may

say it was all about fighting communism, and to some that sounds justified, but when it is deeply

looked into, it is all about control. Communist wanted control and independence, and the US wanted control. The US believed that communism was wrong, and there way was the right way.

In the 1940s Ho Chi Minh and other Vietnamese leaders sent out many request for support to help

them gain independence from the French. Ignored by the US, he than turned to the communist for

support. This was the main start of the US involvement in the war. Even though the communist

beliefs that were followed in Vietnam, differed from the ones in Russia, the US supported the

French. Even though the war generally didn’t involve the US, they US still was against

communism.


Vietnam never attacked, or harmed the US, it was because of their communist beliefs, which started

the conflict. Also the US and others felt that places other than West couldn’t handle, or be

responsible for their own land. So they felt as though it was their right to control it. Vietnam

followed communism, the only reason why it was followed was because of independence, since

they were rejected by the US.


In 1967 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech on his view on the conflict,

“They must see Americans as strange liberators. The Vietnamese people proclaimed their own independence -- in 1945 -- after a combined French and Japanese occupation and before the communist revolution in China. They were led by Ho Chi Minh. Even though they quoted the American Declaration of Independence in their own document of freedom, we refused to recognize them. Instead, we decided to support France in its reconquest of her former colony.Our government felt then that the Vietnamese people were not ready for independence, and we again fell victim to the deadly Western arrogance that has poisoned the international atmosphere for so long. With that tragic decision we rejected a revolutionary government seeking self-determination and a government that had been established not by China -- for whom the Vietnamese have no great love -- but by clearly indigenous forces that included some communists. For the peasants this new government meant real land reform, one of the most important needs in their lives.”

In this quote for his speech, he shows how crude people can be to each other. Vietnam only wanted

independence from the French, but other countries higher up in power felt as though they weren’t

ready for it. Many soldiers that were drafted didn’t know the full meaning of why they were there to

fight. They were told that there was communist trying to take over an area. But if they knew the

true reason behind it, than maybe they would not have followed through with their draft.


Another involvement that drastically effected Vietnam was the election of Ngo Dinh Diem who was

the president of South Vietnam. He imprisoned many including communist, and pretty much

anyone who did not follow his rule, but he was protected by the US. To insure Diem’s safety,

President John F Kennedy protected him with the CIA, and US troops. Also aside from military

support he was given money to help control the land. By this violence was triggered.


By Diem being in power, he became a tyrant abusing his power. The US gave him his position only

to fight against communism, but Diem took it to the point where he attacked religion and other

things. Later Kennedy saw the damage that was caused and realized that Diem was not solving the

communist problem, so to remove Diem from power, the US paid South Vietnam to deal with him,

resulting in Diem’s assassination.


The US was so blinded by their beliefs that they didn’t pay attention to those they put in power.

Because of that, US troops killed civilians for no just reason, but only with the communist threat

image in their brain.

In the end America went to war with Vietnam.


Bibliography:
Primary:
1. Digital image. Vietnam War Images. Web. .
1. Is useful because it shows the the transportation that was used to land in Vietnam. Also shows some of the equipment used. It shows soldiers landing, and preparing for an assault.

2. Another picture of a transportation, and troops landing out of a chopper.

3. Soldiers exited a tank. Useful because it shows more equipment used for traveling.

4. In this picture it shows a carpet bomb attack, which is a plane that flies above the target and
drops a barrage of bombs. Which was used for North Vietnam

5. Visual of a machine gun squad using M60 machine guns.

6. A visual of a combat squad in Vietnam.

7.Drake, By Jeff. "How the U.S. Got Involved In Vietnam." VIETNAM VETERANS HOME PAGE. Web. 17 Dec. 2010. .
Useful because it talks about the views of the war from an actual soldier. He talks about why he went to war, and what he was brainwashed to believe, and ends with him mourning over his lost comrades who died for nothing. it was really useful, because it gave a lot of emotion to the situation, and gave an opinion aside from just facts.

Secondary:
1. The War in Vietnam, 1965-1968. Printhttp://faculty.smu.edu/dsimon/Change-Viet2b.html
This source was useful because it included information about the war. It broke the war down into different sections, and explained what occur ed in that period. It also provided photographs that helped me have a more visual aid.

2. Hedberg, Betsy. Opposing Views of Vietnam War. Discovery.com, Print. http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/vietnam/
This source was useful because gave more facts about what occurred in the war. It talked about the different views on the war, and how it ended. Sense this source didn’t show emotion, or a personal opinion is was mainly used as a research back up, with facts.

3. PBS. "Battlefield:Vietnam." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 17 Dec. 2010. .
This is a very good source. It provides many aspects of information pertaining to the lengthy Vietnam War. The site provides a brief summary, timeline of key/major events, different tactics used, and also more reliable web resources. I used many of the dates to narrow down the start and end of the war and many incidents that "kicked" off the war and also brought it to an end. This is a very reliable source because the publisher is PBS, and that is a very trusted source.

4. Naval Historical Center. "Tonkin Gulf Crisis, August 1964." Naval History and Heritage Command. Web. 17 Dec. 2010. .
This is a very valuable site. It contains a lot of information about the whole Tonkin Gulf Crisis. It provides many images of evidence of the incident, such as fragments of the North Vietnamese machine gun bullet that was recovered from the USS Maddox. I took many pieces of information from this site, but I was careful about doing so. I used many of the ship names and dates. This is a somewhat reliable site, but only when there are facts being presented not the author's opinions.

5. 1. Digital image. Vietnam War Images. Web. .
This site is useful because of its many pictures of the Vietnam War. They show give a useful visual aid, for the reader, and they do something that words alone can’t show.




As an ending result in this case was the first time the US has lost a war, and many Americans were

in the idea of countries making their own choices, and that America shouldn’t involve themselves

in other foreign conflicts. Also because of the many lies that were given to the public, many

Americans started to lose trust in the government. Along with losing trust in the government many

viewed the returning troops in a bad way, losing trust in them as well. Instead of getting a

welcoming celebration, they were greeted with cold faces. Aside from that troops also suffered

from PTSD(post traumatic stress disorder.) An illness that many soldiers experience after the

memory, and experience of the war, resulting in suicide. The only good thing that was achieved

from the war was the ending of the draft. Now if there is any war, or conflict soldiers have the right

to volunteer.

This shows the extent of the US, and how eager it was to win a battle that didn’t involve them. Anything from brainwashing US citizens, to putting tyrants into power, shows how a country like the US can become thing they claim to fight against.

Bibliography:


The New York Times, . "On This Day." NY Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec 2010. .
This was a very valuable source for many reasons. It provides a variety of information regarding the Gulf of Tonkin Incident and helped my research further. The website provided a scanned-in image of The New York Times’s article, but the website also typed out everything that could be found on the image for easier accessibility. It provided a lot of information pertaining to President Johnson’s resolution that he proposed to Congress. This information is very key in seeing the exact views that this specific newspaper had at the exact time which this all happened.



Naval Historical Center, . "USS Maddox (DD-731), 1944-1972 -- Actions in the Gulf of Tonkin, August 1964." U.S. Navy Ships. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec 2010. .
This is a highly valuable source. The information and imagery provided is very valuable and shocking too see. This site does a great job of breaking down everything into different sections. There is a nice summary and then multiple images with information presented by the side. The formatting of the site also makes it a valuable source. The site provides multiple images taken during the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. There are pictures of the North Vietnamese torpedo boats and many more.


Paperless Archives, . "Gulf Of Tonkin Incident." Paperless Archives. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec 2010. .
This is another highly valuable source. It provides sensitive material that is very key in digging deep into the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. The site provides many things including; documents, audio recording, and photos, all pertaining to the incident. These are very crucial pieces to the incident and information like this isn’t provided in many places, therefore; this is a very valuable source. I used many things from this site to dig deeper. I used some of the documents on the sites, which were actual letters written by high officials in charge during the Incident.


P., Tony. "Gulf of Tonkin Incident: U.S. Destroyer Attacked by North Vietnamese." News In History. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec 2010. .
Great source for many reasons. This source provides many things including a nice, long summary and quotes from people involved with the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. This is a key source in digging deeper into the Incident as much as the other websites/articles. The summary provides a great in-depth analysis to help someone who doesn’t know much about the Gulf of Tonkin Incident grasp what happened, for the most part, almost fully.



The Associated Press, . "First Amendment Topics."Classified article questions Vietnam War buildup rationale . N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec 2010. .
This a good source for a couple reasons. It shows some more in depth analysis of President Johnson’s reaction to the Incident. Also, it goes into the Gulf of Tonkin Incident some more. This is a valuable source because it provides quotes that are helpful.

OD News: North Vietnam Attacks, America Responds!

August 11, 1964
By Blase Biello

Now that the dust has, for the most part, settled. I can deliver a report about what happened in the past two weeks. The U.S. government is calling what occurred on August 2 & 4 of 1964, The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. Or the USS Maddox Incident. On August 2, 1964; the USS Maddox was performing a routine DESOTO patrol, when it was engaged by three North Vietnamese torpedo boats. These torpedo boats were part of the 135th Torpedo Squadron. Shortly after, a sea battle was engaged resulting in the damage of one US aircraft, one direct blow to the USS Maddox from a 14.5mm round, 3 North Vietnamese boats were damaged, 4 North Vietnamese killed and 6 wounded. However, there were no U.S. casualties.

On August 4, there was a second attack. This attack however, seems to be very vague. There was another DESOTO patrol right off of the North Vietnam coast. The ships, USS Maddox and Turner Joy received multiple radar, sonar and radio signals that indicated another North Vietnamese attack. The ships then proceeded to fire on numerous radar targets for approximately two hours. Herrick of the Turner Joy said,"Freak weather effects on radar and overeager sonarmen may have accounted for many reports. No actual visual sightings by Maddox.” There was no wreckage of North Vietnamese boats found.

President Johnson took action quickly after the attacks with a stern talk with Congress. On August 5, 1964; Operation Pierce Arrow was launched. Aircraft from the USS Ticonderoga and USS Constellation conducted air-strikes on about 30 North Vietnamese vessels. After the air-strikes, President Johnson went on television and radio and educated the public about the incident. He stated that the United States would “continue to protect its natural interests.” Yesterday, August 11, the Southeast Asia (Gulf of Tonkin) Resolution was passed. This gives Johnson power to use military force. Only time will tell to show how the US will in fact, protect its natural interests.

Vietnam War Aftermath

By BLASE BIELLO
Published: December 22, 2010

The Vietnam War was, and still is, considered a very controversial war. Spanning officially from November 1, 1955 to April 30, 1975, this 19 year “conflict” had a huge amount of both supporters and opposers. Which side is truly correct is a never-ending argument. Regardless, the war still happened and it effected the United States as well as the world both positively and negatively.

Starting off, socially. The Vietnam War had many social impacts during the span of its happening as well as to this day. After the Vietnam War, many people had a huge loss of confidence in the U.S., which they thought was “invincible.” During the Vietnam War, one of the biggest social impacts was the use of protesting. Protesters believed that mass gatherings and constant protesting would actually influence government decisions. Whether it did or not, is something to debate. But, from the outside looking in, the protests did nothing to stop the U.S. from getting involved, the war continuing, or ending. To this day, the mass gatherings and protests are still being applied. Socially, our race diversity began to change as well with the addition of many Vietnamese refugees looking to escape the civil war occurring in their home country. After the war, there were over 1 million refugees from Vietnam. However not all were Vietnamese, some were Cambodian as well. This mass emigration from Vietnam effected America socially in many ways. Some thought the refugees were smarter for coming here and some just wanted them gone because they looked at them as the ‘enemy’. When the troops returned they faced many problems socially as well. Since the Vietnam War was one of the most controversial wars, as if the US should get involved or not, many of the people in the US who did not participate in the war looked at the troops as wrongdoers. However, overtime, people have began to respect the troops for their efforts.

Second, economically. The Vietnam War definitely contained some economic impacts. What war wouldn’t, right? Although there were some advantages to the Vietnam War in the economic standpoint, but for the most part the war effected the US economy more than negatively. According to an outside source, HistoryCentral, “The Vietnam War was an important factor in bringing down the American Economy from the growth and affluence of the 1960s to the economic crises of the 1970s.” The Vietnam War hurt the economy for a number of reasons. One of the major reasons was that factories in the US, which were usually used to make consumer goods, were converted to make supplies, weapons, equipment for the war in Vietnam. This meant that shopping rates decreased, thus hurting the economy. Also, the Vietnam War was a very expensive war for the US. Much of the US’s money went to the war, causing a weak American dollar. Also, inflation increased and interest rates rose as results to the massive spending.

Third, politically. The US will always be scrutinized in their decision to get involved in a war that wasn’t theirs. The fact that the US gave up and had to pull out after over a decade of fighting, was also very painful and embarrassing for such a strong country. Many things were learned during the Vietnam War to prevent mistakes from happening again. For example, in 1973 the Passage of the War Powers Resolution made it impossible for presidents to “single-handedly dictate military policy as commander in chief of the armed forces.” This meant that the president could no longer ignore Congress’s word, much like Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon did. Now, politically decisions to engage in war are done more consciously and smartly. After the decision to enter the Vietnam War and then give up, showed that it should’ve never happened in the first place. President Reagan also said that there would be “no more Vietnams”. The Vietnam War resulted in a more controlled political structure for going about wars and conflicts.

Last, militarily. The Vietnam War had many effects and impacts on the current military structure. Most of the impacts, however, were more abstract and not so much physical. For example, after and during the Vietnam War many new guns and technologies were developed but also many ideas were developed to. The US developed a better understanding of guerrilla warfare. The US also developed a new look on how to approach decisions by forming new laws that made sure that things were thought out and passed through Congress before immediate action was taken, which could result in a larger problem. But, for the most part, military was impacted by the Vietnam War in its structure and how the US should go about solving problems and sticking their nose into others’ business.

The Vietnam War left many lasting impacts on the US today. These impacts shaped the US into a better place and ensured that something like this would more than likely never happen again. The Vietnam War had many negative factors but also positive factors. Especially, in the belief of “what doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger.” So, in my opinion, America got stronger from the Vietnam War and wised up, figured out what they shouldn’t do and realized how the US has to go about carefully in deciding how to resolve problems. The Vietnam War, along with all of the other wars and conflicts, have shaped the US’s systems into the powerful ones that they are today.