US entry into war in Vietnam marked a new phase that proved costly to Vietnamese as well as to Americans.” Analyse the statement
US entry into the war in Vietnam marked a new phase that proved costly to Vietnamese as well as to the Americans as mentioned below : To Vietnamese : (1) Effects on Vietnam : The widespread attacks and use of chemical weapons destroyed many villages and decimated jungles. Civilians died in large numbers. (2) Effects of US involvement on life within US itself were as follows : Many people became critical of the government for involvement in the war that was seen as indefensible. Compulsory service in the armed-forces was introduced. It mostly affected the minorities and the children of working-class families because it could be waived for university graduates who belonged to the privileged elite. The US media and films played a major role in both supporting as well as criticising the war. For example, John Wayne’s Green Berets (1968) supported the war. It was responsible for motivating many young men to die in the war. Some films were more critical as they tried to understand the reasons for the war. Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (1979) reflected the moral confusion that the war had caused in the US.
