I have a difficult time writing about things I would just as soon forget. The Vietnam War was a protracted conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong, against the government of South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. Why US veterans are returning to Vietnam - CSMonitor.com Virtually no one sent a letter with a simple confir,mation or denial of being spat upon; the letters were long, sometimes rambling, invariably gripping essays on what it felt like to come back home after that war. I don't mean to make it sound melodramatic, but I've never forgotten it. Yes. Nixon adopts a policy of Vietnamization. What Happened After Americas Soldiers Returned from the V;.;Tqs?__D`ngP/S:LG-Jf}Xl\d#?r=H+J(CP\BQhG? 7. The whole purpose of the cold war was to avoid an atomic warVietnam was a fuse that could have led to an atomic explosiona fuse that world leaders wanted to ensure didn't detonate. 64 0 obj "To wipe a little spit off our hearts." <>/Metadata 2 0 R/Outlines 5 0 R/Pages 3 0 R/StructTreeRoot 6 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> It would be difficult to imagine a more powerful phrase than that one, and to analyze it too deeply is not appropriate; Mr. Leary has said it as well as it can be said. Homecoming: When the Soldiers Returned from Vietnam The stewardesses would not allow us to sit in the coach section, and insisted that we sit in the first-class section. 8. <>/MediaBox[0 0 612 792]/Parent 9 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> 4 0 obj It does not store any personal data. The Vietnam War lasted from 1964-1973the <> At that relatively young age it is almost impossible to express having your feelings hurt an dhurt deeply, especially after trying to prove your "manhood" in Vietnam. I coul dhave dwealt with being spit on by a hippie. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". It lasted from 1954 to 1975. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. All their families got hit with nothing. But many returning vets needed more help, and if the country woul dhave opeend its hearts to us, like it did to the Iran hostages, then the pain would have been easier to bear. Understanding The Homecoming Experience of Vietnam Veterans. WebVietnam veterans. Yes, we were spat upon! WebWhy were Vietnam veterans treated so badly when they came home? Johnson raised the number of South Vietnam deployments to 23,000 U.S. soldiers by the end of his first year in office. As they were smiling and seemed friendly, I said yes. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., lists more than 58,300 names of members of the U.S. armed forces who were killed or went missing in action. 3 0 obj I wish the American people could know what value they have in our men who served with honor and compassion. To end US involvement in Vietnam; replace troops with South Vietnamese troops which establishes "peace with honor". How did the Vietnam War affect President Johnson's Great Society? What did Eisenhower compared to a row of dominoes? I denied being a vet until recently because I was repeatedly told that Nam vets had flashbacks and could freak out on the job. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. I started crying and said, "I'm sorry it's 10 years late. Men came home on an No 'Welcome Home' parades for Vietnam vets. Why did Vietnam veterans have a hard time coming home? By nearly every metric, the Vietnam War was, in the common sense of the word, a war. 3 Why did Vietnam veterans have a hard time coming home? Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, but his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, continued the work that Kennedy had started. endobj Although North Vietnamese and Viet Cong casualty counts vary wildly, it is generally understood that they suffered several times the number of American casualties. As both a Vietnam veteran and a member of Among other countries that fought for South Vietnam, South Korea had more than 4,000 dead, Thailand about 350, Australia more than 500, and New Zealand some three dozen. 2 0 obj The questions and answers in this list are taken from the Top Questions sections of the articles on the Vietnam War, Ho Chi Minh, Ngo Dinh Diem, William Westmoreland, Richard Nixon, and Agent Orange. Why did the U.S. get involved in the struggle? However, while I was standing in line at the ticket counter, there was a well-dressed gentleman behind me who asked sarcastically, "How many people did you kill over there?" I did not ask the question lightly, or out of idle curiosity. %PDF-1.5 A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? I was wearing my Air Force uniform when my plane landed at Los Angeles International Airport. Coming Home: Vietnam Veterans in American Society It was great to be home. 9 Noteworthy Bog Bodies (And What They Tell Us), 12 Novels Considered the Greatest Book Ever Written, Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution, https://www.britannica.com/list/9-questions-about-the-vietnam-war-answered. I was not met by any spitting "hippies.". I bought a ticket for a flight to Chicago that was scheduled to depart at approximately 4 p.m. Pacific Time. 21. What broke our hearts was being spat on by our country. Why did Vietnam veterans receive cold homecoming? Routing number of commercial bank of Ethiopia? 5 0 obj While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. We were in an ambush site near a village, and he ministered to htis woman all night until her fever broke. % L'5ffO:NgrrQ 7$5[6'y"}K2.`F$h*,au(1 _U{.k.n"PpuB8v4-7 Mq#3h##0T-{9+=8y6j,8Q&7uQlk]ie/S2$m^HE9J6q Most veterans moved a piano for over a year (and much worse) and the door was closed on all of us. . Why did Vietnam veterans recive a cold homecoming? &;&BE"7;2wk{z X1}&Ds(=6m7WH\cVaadQdr4c{SB;&F54zF~-t~z2g.?/ 8`}a~XV@s. <>6]/P 32 0 R/Pg 48 0 R/S/Link>> What authority did the Tonkin Gulf Resolution grant to the U.S. president? For large numbers of others, the catharsis comes when they visit the Vietnam Memorial in Washington. It was like being bombarded all day every day with utter disrespect for all we were trying to live and teach our children to value. WebThe Vietnam Veterans Memorial was completely funded by veterans, individuals, corporations and other organizations. [49 0 R 52 0 R 54 0 R 56 0 R 57 0 R 58 0 R 59 0 R 60 0 R 61 0 R 62 0 R 63 0 R] 45 0 obj In what sense was the Vietnam war a "working class" war? At 7 in the morning I was sitting on the front proch having coffee and a young man came by delivering telephone books. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Why did Vietnam veterans receive a cold homecoming? I returned in September 1969 and was in Atlanta, Ga. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. endobj I kept walking, to the tune of "baby killer, baby killer.". What is the answer punchline algebra 15.1 why dose a chicken coop have only two doors? Clemons, a pastor at the Lane Memorial CME Church in Jackson, received a commemorative pin and a "thank you," from U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg in a Memorial Day ceremony at South Jackson Community Church. These and other incidents made me question, to this day, why I went. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. According the War Powers Act, Congress must give its consent for U.S. troops to remain in a hostile region any longer than_____________, 2 what did each of the following play in the, US History Ch. -jungle terrain, snakes I would like to get my 2 cents' worth in. Vietnam I have a ture story that involves a "hippie.". 20. So we shut if off and shut it out. Most plants need sunlight in order to grow however there are a few kinds of plants, such as mushrooms, that can grow without any light at all. It was the first week in June. Sergeant First Class Jorge A. Otero Barreto (born 7 April 1937), a.k.a. Analyze why Vietnam veterans received a cold homecoming? I kept my experiences private, as did many Vietnam veterans, to My loving and close family was elated to have me home, but there was no sense of appreciation from anyone -- my friends and people I knew never said anything. 1. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. That depends in which cold desert. WebHomecoming by Dennis J. Stauffer I left Vietnam nearly 14 years ago and tried to put that phase of my life behind. Who is Jason crabb mother and where is she? I think the turning point was when the hostages came home from Iran. We were working hard trying to raise our children and teach them what we considered the real values of life. Many Vietnam veterans blamed the antiwar movement for the chilly reception they got upon returning to the United States. What were some of the reasons that "doves" opposed the war? Veterans views of the antiwar movement. I marched in the big veterans' parade in Chicago last summer. 18 0 obj This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. What difficulties did US troops encounter in Vietnam? No. From every section and corner of the country, well over a thousand people took the time to sit down, put their thoughts on paper, and tell me what happened when they returne dto the United States from Vietnam. the Puerto Rican Rambo and Sergeant Rock, is a former United States Army soldier. The United States had provided funding, armaments, and training to South Vietnams government and military since Vietnams partition into the communist North and the democratic South in 1954. !k9jwj-STo [&F_+JEy_<2:?B0@+/"? SDS: Students for a democratic society many supported his decision because he was following the policy of confronting communism. 9 Questions About the Vietnam War Answered For some reason, in the stories it is always an airport where the spitting allegedly happened, and it is always "hippies" who allegedly did the spitting. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. A declaration passed by Congress that gave the president broad military powers in Vietnam. I felt so good to be marching with thousands of Marines who were bursting with pride singing the Marine Corps Hymn. She looked me in the face and told me she was sorry for the way the returning vets were being treated. Personally, my famiy and friends telling me that it was good to have me home again was all the welcome home I ever needed. They missed. Told to report back to the plane in an hour, the vast majority of us headed immediately for a cold one in the airport lounge. then include cold deserts). I'm fortunate that I returned from Nam alive and was able to handle the emotional pain of spending a year in hell. What did the Nazis begin using gas chambers instead of mobile killing units and shooting squads after a while? The second incident occurred when I returned from JVietnam in the fall of 1971. I landed at Travis Air Force Base in California, went to the Oakland Army Terminal, and was cleared to go home for 30 days' leave. 4 When did American troops return home from Vietnam? Infantryman Steven A. Wowwk spent six months in VietnamJanuary to June 1969and was wounded twice in battle. US soldiers that were required to go to war did not want to go so they did drugs and alcohol; government was negotiating to end; didn't understand values. Kennedys expansion stemmed in part from Cold War-era fears about the domino theory: if communism took hold in Vietnam, it would topple democracies throughout the whole of Southeast Asia, it was thought. I will remember vividly for the rest of my life leaving Vietnam on a plane loaded with Marines. Those who argue that the United States opponents won the war cite the United States overall objectives and outcomes. It seemed to me that if the spitting-on-soldiers stories were true, we should know it. VIETNAM VETS RECALL THEIR HOMECOMINGS -- OFTEN We read everything we can get our hands on, but for the 10 years after the Vietnam War we read nothing about the war. The spread of Communism. "My people" were angry. ursa major is the scientific name for the big dipper. inflammation grow more costly; Johnson asked to increase tax; vietnam war killed Great society. He was president of North Vietnam from 1945 to 1969, and he was one of the most influential communist leaders of the 20th century. At no time have I eve rheard him state that he had been spit on. Diems heavy-handed tactics against the Viet Cong insurgency deepened his governments unpopularity, and his brutal treatment of the opposition to his regime alienated the South Vietnamese populace, notably Buddhists. While waiting for a bus home there, an elderly woman came up to me, looked me square in the face, and called me a hired killer. We were told we were immoral because we believed in democracy and this country. South Vietnam surrenders to North Vietnam. When did American troops return home from Vietnam? WebNo Welcome Home parades for Vietnam vets. Veterans views of the antiwar movement Many Vietnam veterans blamed the antiwar movement for the chilly reception they got upon returning to the United States. I was in my dress uniform in San Francisco airport waiting for my wife to arrive from out of state, when a guy ran up to me, called me a war monger, spat on me and ran off. Explain the significance of the following key terms The Silent Majority and the Pentagon Papers. For the thousand-plus people who wrote to me, there was probably a measure of cahtarsis just in the act of writing. These are the stories -- some shocking, many disturbing, some loving -- that I have compiled in "Homecoming.". Striking her would have been playing right into their hands, since I saw one of the group had a tape recorder and a camera ready to record my reaction. He promised to help South Vietnam and kick out the French. Continue Learning about Movies & Television. In early February 1972, I was in the honolulu airport -- in uniform -- with 200-plus other GIs who were returning to the world We were in Hawaii for a refueling; it was our first step on American soil, and it was very late at night. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 34 0 obj endobj My Lai Massacre: makes some Americans view US military as 'baby killers', 1. I never got the chance to thank her, nor even got her name. Many Americans lose faith in their government. They weren't really protesting much of anything. I have always been proud and it was a chance to celebrate that pride. WebWhy they received a cold homecoming is because the us government turned its back on them and refused to take responsibility. Why Were Vietnam War Vets Treated Poorly When They I was repeatedly asked how I could live with myself after killing all those innocent people. What was the challenge that the Framers faced when setting out to write the Constitution, and how did they meet it? when I returned from Nam I was an emotional wreck, but I kept it all to myself so my family and friends thought I was OK and acted like I had never left. That was the message. Some college students/ young people. But the homecoming was very different for most Vietnam veterans. One of the most popular chants during the anti-war marches was, "Stop the war in Vietnam, bring the boys home." "It was a time when America itself was in turmoil," he said. We put the banner up at 6 in the morning before my son left for college. He came over to my porch and put the telephone books down, and stood there crying. During that time I experienced two spitting incidents. Why? Did When I returned to my hometown, I was greeted as a patriot, with an interview by our local paper replete with frontg page story and photo. WebWhy did Vietnam veterans have a hard time coming home? For approximately eight years, over thousands of acres in Vietnam, we were spat upon -- not with a drop or two of saliva, but rather with millions of gallons of Agent Orange. National Vietnam War Veterans Day Vietnam and anything associated with the Vietnam War was not popular. The United States committed some 550,000 troops to the Vietnam front at the height of the conflict, suffered more than 58,000 casualties, and engaged in battle after battle with communist forces in the region until its withdrawal in 1973. What prompted the war between the Vietminh and the French? Many Vietnam veterans blamed the antiwar movement for the chilly reception they got upon returning to the United States. However, I just walked away. And although I was a bit conservative at the time, I thought, "my people." You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I believe that most of us were well received, although we probably felt unfomfortable adjusting, some having guilty about surviving while many of their compatriots didn't make it. A! 1 Why did Vietnam veterans receive cold homecoming? The terms of this expansion included yet more funding and arms, but a key alteration was the commitment of U.S. soldiers to the region. While my son was home on leave from Vietnam, a Presbyterian minister refused to shake his hand as we were leaving church. It has been my experience that people who come up with statements such as this are the same type who walk around with a chip on their shoulders just begging for trouble. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Once he became president, he sought to establish enough stability in the region for the South Vietnamese government to take over. Base your answers on the rules of standard, formal usage. 50 0 obj I'm sure they hoped I would react violently. endobj Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Heres what you need to know, Japanese official denies Lee statement on commitment to expedite release of Lt. Ridge Alkonis, Utah Legislature finalizes record $29B budget. How do you convert bonds to common stock? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. As president of South Vietnam (195563), Ngo Dinh Diem assumed dictatorial powers. Two young guys -- complete with beards, long hair, John Lennon glasses and garbed in the appropriate apparel that the times dictated -- came into sight. 38 0 obj Mi Kyung saw a huge boulder. 4. s-?1R[][St=OsK5H9-`# @f"|D_[]/3(x1X&xo]]T\E|zAC+o"#UuD8Fiz00TnUPy2|U]YN^&?@k;k2 V^(u_b^d,YJtWS1!g\W51,l: WebNot successful- sustained bombing campaign Ho Chi Mihn Trail In 1959, Ho Chi Mihn supplied military arms to the Veitcong from North Veitnam via a network of paths along the boarder of Veitnam and Cambodia Strategic Hamlet Ran Go on "search & destroy" missions to eliminate the Vietcong from South Vietnam villages The symbols of this new attitude are many -- the Vietnam Memorial in Washington is the most dramatic, but the box-office successes of such movies as "Platoon" and "Full Metal Jacket" also are testimony that, while the nation may still be divided over the politics of the war, the soldiers themselves are finally being welcomed home with warmth and gratitude.Yet even while the country has begun to tell the Vietnam veterans that they are loved and respected, the stories have continued to ciruclate: When those veterans returned from Vietnam, they were spat upon. I came home from Southeast Asia on Aug. 19, 1971. All Rights Reserved, VIETNAM VETS RECALL THEIR HOMECOMINGS -- OFTEN PAINFULLY, Bidens not in a rush to announce hes running for reelection, The 2023 Utah Legislature has wrapped. How did most Americans react to President Johnson's decision to commit troops to the war in Vietnam? A soldier, fresh from Vietnam duty, wearing his uniform, gets off the plane at an American airport, where he is spat upon by hippies.. <>0]/P 17 0 R/Pg 50 0 R/S/Link>> Why did Vietnam veterans receive a cold homecoming? - Answers At me. The number of Americans killed in Vietnam was roughly__________, 4. After all, most protesters had not been to Vietnam. After serving in Vietnam from June '66 to June '67, I returned to the States to a wonderful reception. First student strike in U.S. history occurs. Richard Nixon won support during the presidential race by vowing to restore ______________ to the country. But as I said, my story included a "hippie." Was I even welcome at the local American Legion post as a Nam vet? Suddeny one of the females began calling me a baby killer and spat on me. Yes, we were spat upon --- in Vietnam with Agent Orange and again when we came home with Uncle Sam's indifference to our plight. xZmo8 (/R'YtmWJ,,%E%Y\\Eg>C}]\|tb>^-7n$_22%w!}6|q!? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The response was astonishing. Purpose was to remove Vietnamese and VC supply centers from Cambodia-many Americans see escalation of war & become angry, First Student strike in US history occurs, Purpose to protest the invasion of Cambodia. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". And who did I really fight for? Needless to say, my son doesn't venture to church very often, even after all these years and different ministers. I was there two times, 24 months in all, Marine Corps pilot; when I returned each time I returned to a supportive group of friends and family. Shaped like a camel's head. Were They Spat On? Understanding The WebWhy did Vietnam veterans receive cold homecoming? Heather Vlieg They stopped to question me about my feelings about the war. We were told that we were materialistic asses because we wanted a nice home for ourselves and our children. Being 21 and not being able to get a job, a date, a place to live, or a drink with other vets was the hard part. It lasted from 1954 to 1975. On the 10th anniversary of the end of the war, my son made me up a banner on the computer, which we put across the front of the garage. All the countless others that left chunks of their young and healthy bodies behind returned not as heroes but to a complete lack of appreciation. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Vietnam becomes divided along the 17th parallel. I was confronted by five anit-war protesters -- two females and three males. Vietnam The first time I was in transmit from my ship to a temporary duty station. Tensions escalated into armed conflict between the two sides, and in 1961 U.S. President John F. Kennedy chose to expand the military aid program. This was partly due to the logistics of the never-ending conflict. endobj But nobody ever gave a damn about what the Vietnam vet had to endure in that war or the emotional scars that never go away. In the following sentences add semicolons, add colons, or change commas to semicolons or colons where needed. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I served in Vietnam from May 1969 to May 1970 in the 101st Airborne and spent 11 of my 12 months at a small landing zone. By 1967, how did most Americans feel about U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War? <>15]/P 25 0 R/Pg 50 0 R/S/Link>> They also assert that the U.S. overall suffered fewer casualties than its opponents. This was on April 15, 1970. Their backpacks were beside them, and it was rather obvious that they were simply waiting on a plane. No. What is the reflection of the story of princess urduja? What does it mean when you wear a bandana in your back pocket? Vietnam War (Chapter 22, Section 1), Vietnam Flashcards Vietnam War (Chapter 22, Section 5) Flashcards | Quizlet what were the terms of the Geneva Accords? Graham was twenty-five, just months out of the army and back from Vietnam. endobj one woman was standing alone and clapping her hands and sayig "Welcome home." Judge Newman issued a withering rebuke of Murdaugh in Friday's sentencing. <>31]/P 28 0 R/Pg 50 0 R/S/Link>> Both of these incidents have bothered me for years. It blew me away. But I could never forget her face and those few kind words. He said he could not and would not shake my son's hand because of the killing my son was involved in. We were told that drugs were fine -- they didn't do anyone or society any harm. 3 min read. 2 0 obj How did Ho Chi Minh respond to the return of the French? <>/ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> %PDF-1.4 "It was a time when America itself was in turmoil," he said. It granted him broad latitude in handling the struggle against communism in Southeast Asia. Ho Chi Minh led a long and ultimately successful campaign to make Vietnam independent. Purpose was to remove Vietnamese and VC supply centers from Cambodia-many Americans see escalation of war & become angry. For years I had been hearing stories that when American troops returned home from Vietnam, they were spat upon by anti-war protesters. Agent Orange is a mixture of herbicides used during theVietnam Warby the U.S. military to defoliate forests and clear other vegetation. Americans were torn and bitter about the war and didn't not honor returning soldiers, President must notify congress within 48 hours of committing troops-put in place to curb the presidents war making power, Mainly due to its unpopularity & controversial. I remember landing in San Francisco and the wild cheering among us in the plane and the feeling of making it home. WebWhy did the U.S. get involved in the struggle? To end US involvement in Vietnam; replace troops with South Vietnamese troops which establishes "peace with honor". What is the labour of cable stayed bridges? The U.S. Constitution grants Congress sole authority to issue declarations of war. Nothing. <> However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
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