Understanding The Homecoming Experience of Vietnam Veterans He said he could not and would not shake my son's hand because of the killing my son was involved in. The Vietminh wanted a free and independent Vietnam, while France sought to regain power in Vietnam, which had been a French colony. 20 0 obj Were They Spat On? <<>> My initial thought was, wow, "real people." <>stream What were some of the ways that young American men avoided military service in Vietnam? 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. WebThe veterans of World War II were welcomed home as heroes. Write a speech in which you attempt to persuade other lawmakers to vote for or against Clinton's impeachment. No one knew what to say. 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. they receive a cold mist or frost on the plants. Routing number of commercial bank of Ethiopia? Infantryman Steven A. Wowwk spent six months in VietnamJanuary to June 1969and was wounded twice in battle. They stopped to question me about my feelings about the war. They felt Johnson should escalate war more quickly. The first time I was in transmit from my ship to a temporary duty station. Were you spat upon when you returned from Vietnam? Instead I can happily state that I was responsible for helping to save the lives of several of our aircrew members whenever their planes came in disabled. inflammation grow more costly; Johnson asked to increase tax; vietnam war killed Great society. Yes, we were spat upon! My Vietnam service medals were always easily recognizable by these individuals, and even they did not spit on me. %PDF-1.4 More generally, they receive little "precipitation" (this can They aimed at my feet. Every night there was the war in Vietnam in our living rooms. endobj Also, of all the guys I flew with -- maybe more than 100 aviators in all (in my two squadrons) -- everyone has made a good adjustment to the real world. endobj In response to Westmorelands requests for more forces, the American presence in Vietnam grew to well over 500,000 troops. On board the plane, I noted several other Vietnam vets in uniform. We didn`t want to be there, but we felt stronger about going to Prison for draft dodging, than we did for defending our Flag & Country. Heres how its spending your money, Parents know best: Rep. Burgess Owens wants to fund school choice at national level, 2023 Sterling Scholars semifinalists: Southwest Region. <>2]/P 6 0 R/Pg 50 0 R/S/Link>> For the thousand-plus people who wrote to me, there was probably a measure of cahtarsis just in the act of writing. 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. Why did Vietnam veterans receive a cold homecoming? First student strike in U.S. history occurs. The question of who won the Vietnam War has been a subject of debate, and the answer depends on the definition of victory. Nearly 40 years after the war, American vets who live in Vietnam are working to foster reconciliation between the two countries, while other former US soldiers are The stories were usually very specific. then include cold deserts). Is the singer Avant and R Kelly brothers? 2 0 obj<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/ExtGState<>>> endobj endobj <>15]/P 25 0 R/Pg 50 0 R/S/Link>> endobj As I drew nearer, they began with some remarks and grins to each other, and then directed them toward me. The number of Americans killed in Vietnam was roughly__________, 4. In the 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. What broke our hearts was being spat on by our country. xZmo8 (/R'YtmWJ,,%E%Y\\Eg>C}]\|tb>^-7n$_22%w!}6|q!? But I also did nothing to shame myself or my country. I started crying and said, "I'm sorry it's 10 years late. I came home from Southeast Asia on Aug. 19, 1971. He came over to my porch and put the telephone books down, and stood there crying. Appligent AppendPDF Pro 6.3 The couple just walked away and melted into the crowd. WebWhy did Vietnam veterans have a hard time coming home? Since 1941 Congress has declared war only six times, all during World War II. <>3]/P 6 0 R/Pg 50 0 R/S/Link>> endobj It was the fall of 1970 and I was in Sacramento, Calif., bus station. It was great to be home. What Vietnam veterans received a Cold homecoming? They also assert that the U.S. overall suffered fewer casualties than its opponents. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. -jungle terrain, snakes uuid:180705bb-b618-11b2-0a00-c02f5b020000 the drug culture was in and soldiers were not the only ones being spat upon. Who canceled the Vietnamese elections? For years I had been hearing stories that when American troops returned home from Vietnam, they were spat upon by anti-war protesters. May I share my homecoming experience with you? However, from a constitutional perspective, this conflict did not technically count as a war. endobj endobj Its genesis was a controversial newspaper column of The only harrassment I ever received was a half-cocked remark from an uncle who asked, "What's your hang-up, George? 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. The banner said "Vietnam -- 10 years -- We Remember. WebHomecoming by Dennis J. Stauffer I left Vietnam nearly 14 years ago and tried to put that phase of my life behind. endobj 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. When Iran finally released the hostages the entire country opened up its arms and its heart to their return. when the task is complete the neighbor goes in his house wihtout a wrod and closes the door. No, I was never spat upon by a civilian, I was just ignored by a country that didn't care. During this time my oldest son, still on active duty today in Germany with the U.S. Army, did his tour at Long Binh about seven miles from Bien Hoa. Richard Nixon, arguably, tried to prolong the Vietnam War during the 1968 presidential campaign in an effort to win the presidency. Those who argue that the United States opponents won the war cite the United States overall objectives and outcomes. What did this Vietminh victory cause the French to do? uuid:180705bb-b618-11b2-0a00-907dfefefc7f 19 0 obj At me. I cried, it felt so good, even 17 years laters. I remember the parade just forming up and leaving Navy Pier to start the parade route. I had many occasions to visit East Berling, always in uniform, where I came in contact with epople of the Oriental race who were obviously from Vietnam. They believed that it was not fair for antiwar protesters to question their actions during the war. I have always been proud and it was a chance to celebrate that pride. 2023-01-20T17:35:10-08:00 What factors led to a decline in the morale of many US soldiers? We weren't spat upon by one person, but by the entire country. Quickly, though, just the point that what Mr. Leary and so many others are talking about, clearly, is catharsis. Purpose was to remove Vietnamese and VC supply centers from Cambodia-many Americans see escalation of war & become angry. What organizations and groups of Americans tended to oppose the war? Vietnam veterans receive a cold homecoming. I'm sure they hoped I would react violently. He went up to the garage and read the banner. We were working hard trying to raise our children and teach them what we considered the real values of life. WebWhy were Vietnam veterans treated so badly when they came home? And the media telling us over an dover that our boys were on dope, were murderers and fools for being soldiers. "My people" were angry. I was not a hero. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. endobj Ana has done a very (credible, creditable credulous) job. My Lai Massacre: makes some Americans view US military as 'baby killers', Chapter 23 Section 2 Guided Reading Women Fig, Chapter 32 Section 2 Guided Reading - Waterga, Watergate: Nixon's Downfall Guided Reading, Eric Hinderaker, James A. Henretta, Rebecca Edwards, Robert O. Self, John Lund, Paul S. Vickery, P. Scott Corbett, Todd Pfannestiel, Volker Janssen. 28 0 obj This herbicide mix was deployed in urban, agricultural, and forested areas in Vietnam to expose the enemy and destroy crops. Vietnam and anything associated with the Vietnam War was not popular. I was in the U.S. Navy from 1967 until 1971. That depends in which cold desert. How did the Vietnam War affect President Johnson's Great Society? After hasty attempts of Vietnamizationthe process of training and arming South Vietnamese troops for fighting alone after U.S. forces would pull outall U.S. troops were evacuated by March 29, 1973. But as I said, my story included a "hippie." 46 0 obj This was the war that set the media war dogs I'm sorry for what happened to them, but I was very bitter about their reception home and the praise and admiration they received. endobj 6 0 obj Because in both instances I felt like I was in a fishbowl and everyone around me was waiting for a violent reaction which would confirm their suspicions that all returning veterans were baby killers and drug addicts. And who did I really fight for? Kent State shooting where they burned the federal building, Congress repeals the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, Purpose: to protest Nixon's bombing & invasion of Cambodia without first notifying congress- attempt to gain control over US. I walked past him and proceeded to my destination. He was tall and lean, with deep-set brown eyes and a receding hairline. Congress does this to take away some of the Presidents abroad powera, Purpose to force a negotiated peace settlement-north Vietnamese, South Vietnamese surrenders to North Veitnam, NV full scale invasion of SV and the capture of Saigon-there were no US troops there when the NV won, Vietnam veterans receive a cold homecoming, 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, Many Americans lose faith in their government, This is due mainly to the Watergate Scandal: nixon S administration found corrupt ursa major is the scientific name for the big dipper. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 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. The protesters couldnt confront Johnson or Nixon WebAs waves of Vietnam veterans returned home in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the nation was locked in a bitter debate about the war. What did Eisenhower compared to a row of dominoes? 1. As both a Vietnam veteran and a member of Domestic support for the war plunged as U.S. deaths rose. When I cam back from Vietnam, I was dumb enough to wear my dress uniform in the San Francisco International Airport. /r"U,fJV09HL@M`! Jackson Cit Pat: Vietnam veteran remembers cold homecoming, savors appreciation ceremony | Congressman Tim Walberg I remember landing in San Francisco and the wild cheering among us in the plane and the feeling of making it home. 1 0 obj At no time have I eve rheard him state that he had been spit on. I was confronted by five anit-war protesters -- two females and three males. These are the stories -- some shocking, many disturbing, some loving -- that I have compiled in "Homecoming.". Two young guys -- complete with beards, long hair, John Lennon glasses and garbed in the appropriate apparel that the times dictated -- came into sight. The security officer calmed me down and stayed with me until my flight left. Suppose that you are a member of Congress. How do you convert bonds to common stock? Stand there and take it? As they were smiling and seemed friendly, I said yes. It seemed to me that if the spitting-on-soldiers stories were true, we should know it. I probably would have broken him in two.