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The War in Vietnam . Summary of the War and its Effects . The Cost of War . The War cost the USA government $150 billion 2 million Americans saw action USA lost 57,939 men in Vietnam
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The War in Vietnam Summary of the War and its Effects
The Cost of War • The War cost the USA government $150 billion • 2 million Americans saw action • USA lost 57,939 men in Vietnam • The USA dropped more tonnage of bombs on North Vietnam than the sum total of bombs used by all the belligerents during WWII • USA was left w/ less influence in South East Asia • Turmoil, sometimes violent, resulted at home b/c of opposition to the war • Limitations were introduced w/ regard to the President’s powers to wage war
Why the USA lost the War Difficulty in winning a war against nationalist guerrillas Unpopularity of the war at home as represented by: • The anti-war movement • The cost of war in casualties • The cost of war to the economy (inflation) International disgrace. In the eyes of the world the stature of the USA suffered greatly Even some of the South Vietnamese saw the US troops as the enemy (invaders – not liberators) The American military was half-hearted and disillusioned
Lessons from the War in Vietnam The limitation of Power • Even Nuclear superpowers had their limitations • In time the majority of Americans realized that this war could not be won Home support • USA government learned that war without popular support at home is difficult to wage in a democracy • Intervention in Nationalist Uprising • Military intervention in a popular nationalist uprising can be futile
Conscript armies • Conscript armies fighting for questionable causes are not a reliable military force • USA would cancel the universal draft after the Vietnam War Presidential restrictions • The powers of the President to wage war were constitutionally restricted Questioning • The war raised many questions. • Issues like the power of the President • The role of the military • Was it worth opposing the spread of communism
The end of the Second World War brought the beginning of a new war in Indo-China. 1) Describe the course of the war in Indo-China between 1945 and 1954. 2) Describe the course of the war in Vietnam between 1954 and 1975.