Were They Spat On? 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. At me. For each of the following sentences, choose the correct word or words in parentheses. 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. I've never even heard a harsh word cast in my direction, let alone a spit! By 1967, how did most Americans feel about U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War? The Vietnam War lasted from 1964-1973the longest war in 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. As for my job in Vietnam, I was a crash/rescue team member and killed no one. All that can be said is that After all, most protesters had not been to Vietnam. As head of U.S. forces in Vietnam, William Westmoreland pursued a war of attrition: the number of dead enemy fighters was the key measure of merit. What Happened After Americas Soldiers Returned from the Why did the U.S. get involved in the struggle? It granted him broad latitude in handling the struggle against communism in Southeast Asia. Was I able to find a job when a prospective employer found out I was a Nam vet? The Vietnam War lasted from 1964-1973the @p+B72H4FT~ q4=;Cb3L%^DzY*IUh^Brv3W}r$.| ^ vDJfp=q#_N We were the visible manifestation of the unpopular war. 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. If the subject is understood, write it in parentheses before the sentence. Why did Vietnam veterans receive cold homecoming? Those who argue that the United States won the war point to the fact that the U.S. defeated communist forces during most of Vietnams major battles. Yes, we were spat upon! This was partly due to the logistics of the never-ending conflict. The banner said "Vietnam -- 10 years -- We Remember. Rewrite each sentence so that it is clear and correct. [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] But as I said, my story included a "hippie." - tunnels made by vietcong that allowed them to stand air strikes 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. We returned to political turmoil, peace marches, anti-war and anti-veteran activities and one giant lack of appreciation. Vietnam War (Chapter 22, Section 1), Vietnam Flashcards 21. I raised the question in my syndicated newspaper column. I wish some attention would be paid to the humor, compassion and heroism exemplified by our men in Vietnam. <>/Metadata 2 0 R/Outlines 5 0 R/Pages 3 0 R/StructTreeRoot 6 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> For years I had been hearing stories that when American troops returned home from Vietnam, they were spat upon by anti-war protesters. The stewardesses would not allow us to sit in the coach section, and insisted that we sit in the first-class section. I was recovering from injuries received in Vietnam at a military hospital near Philadelphia. He was tall and lean, with deep-set brown eyes and a receding hairline. 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. I started after him, but I lost him in the airport crowd. Why did Vietnam veterans receive a cold homecoming? He said he could not and would not shake my son's hand because of the killing my son was involved in. trust. I have a difficult time writing about things I would just as soon forget. 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. What authority did the Tonkin Gulf Resolution grant to the U.S. president? William calley accepts responsibility..100 innocent Vietnamese murdered by US soldiers- which further turned Americans away from war. SDS: Students for a democratic society No signs. 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. "My people" were angry. After all, most protesters had not been to Vietnam. How did the Geneva Accords change Vietnam? However, from a constitutional perspective, this conflict did not technically count as a war. At no time have I eve rheard him state that he had been spit on. Held anti-war demonstrations, burned draft cards, and head to Canada and other foreign countries. No, I was never spat upon by a civilian, I was just ignored by a country that didn't care. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. WebThe 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. I have never told a soul what I tell you here but it is true and I will swear on it. They stopped to question me about my feelings about the war. To see people step forward with a picture of their dead son or brother to see disabled veterans step out to shake hands .. for all of us to wipe a little spit off our hearts. It occurred to me that one of them resembled my best friend back home. 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. Homecoming: When the Soldiers Returned from Vietnam endobj THE BITTER HOMCOMING These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The U.S. military reported 58,220 American casualties. Why did many Americans lose faith in their government? The stories were usually very specific. These and other incidents made me question, to this day, why I went. A! The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died. 1 Why did Vietnam veterans receive cold homecoming? HW%HY&YXh-G5\9U)8ulr.\LoZ?\ry{[pMI;%bIfRl>TFh= By nearly every metric, the Vietnam War was, in the common sense of the word, a war. The country went wild and it was great to me to see our country unified and celebrating. What did Eisenhower compared to a row of dominoes? Let. I started crying and said, "I'm sorry it's 10 years late. Why? uuid:180705bb-b618-11b2-0a00-c02f5b020000 A young lady dressed in bell-bottoms, love beads and a peace symbol came up to me as the elderly woman walked away. How do you convert bonds to common stock? 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 May I share my homecoming experience with you? The protesters couldnt confront Johnson or Nixon 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. In the 1960s my husband and I were in our 20s and raising three little boys. 12. considerable snow. endobj During that time I experienced two spitting incidents. endobj A declaration passed by Congress that gave the president broad military powers in Vietnam. Wounds of War Vietnam 1 0 obj<> endobj endobj And the media telling us over an dover that our boys were on dope, were murderers and fools for being soldiers. 1. 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. Why did Vietnam veterans have a hard time coming home? Continue Learning about Movies & Television. During my military career I received nothing but respect from all the civilians I came in contact with. %PDF-1.5 VIETNAM VETS RECALL THEIR HOMECOMINGS -- OFTEN Why did Vietnam veterans receive a cold homecoming? I'm sure they hoped I would react violently. No 'Welcome Home' parades for Vietnam vets. V;.;Tqs?__D`ngP/S:LG-Jf}Xl\d#?r=H+J(CP\BQhG? At 7 in the morning I was sitting on the front proch having coffee and a young man came by delivering telephone books. Vietnam veterans receive a cold homecoming. It lasted from 1954 to 1975. For the thousand-plus people who wrote to me, there was probably a measure of cahtarsis just in the act of writing. He reflected Monday on the cold homecoming many Vietnam servicemen experienced upon returning. Most returning veterans were 18 to 22 years old. Understanding The Homecoming Experience of Vietnam Veterans. ?>E_f6Wgjfw67lTv R,xJgsY|M_)XLE;. <> Be sure to include all parts of a verb phrase and all parts of a compound subject or verb. Was I spit on at the airport? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. While my son was home on leave from Vietnam, a Presbyterian minister refused to shake his hand as we were leaving church. Coming Home: Vietnam Veterans in American Society Was I able to get a date with a girl if she knew I was a Nam vet? After the United States withdrew from the Vietnam War, North and South Vietnam __________________, continued fighting until north Vietnam emerged victorious, 5. one woman was standing alone and clapping her hands and sayig "Welcome home." Two young guys -- complete with beards, long hair, John Lennon glasses and garbed in the appropriate apparel that the times dictated -- came into sight. Rather than being greeted with anger and hostility, however, most Vietnam veterans received very little reaction when they returned home. U.S. military aircraft attacked targets throughout North Vietnam, group in Cambodia that seize power and want to establish peasant society. I remember one of my corpsmen staying up with a Vietnamese woman in her 70s who was suffering with a high temperature. As I drew nearer, they began with some remarks and grins to each other, and then directed them toward me. <>3]/P 6 0 R/Pg 50 0 R/S/Link>> All their families got hit with nothing. The real issue isn't whether or not we received a ticker tape parade down Fifth Avenue. 2. I walked past him and proceeded to my destination. The U.S. Constitution grants Congress sole authority to issue declarations of war. 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 The result was an expanded U.S. military presence and increased military activity in neutral Cambodia. In my opinion, most veterans were not even sure what they felt at the time. <>1]/P 6 0 R/Pg 50 0 R/S/Link>> endobj Suddeny one of the females began calling me a baby killer and spat on me. I kept my experiences private, as did many Vietnam veterans, to avoid the pain of that war. Was I even welcome at the local American Legion post as a Nam vet? Instead, most Vietnam veterans returned to a society that did not seem to care about them, or that seemed to view them with distrust and anger. 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. They believed that it was not fair for antiwar protesters to question their actions during the war. Write a speech in which you attempt to persuade other lawmakers to vote for or against Clinton's impeachment. A Vietnam vet could take being spat on by one person. For me it's been 16 years, and it's a shame that ridiculous movies like "First Blood" and "Apocalypse Now" had to be made before anyone cared enough to ask questions about us and our experiences. uuid:180705bb-b618-11b2-0a00-907dfefefc7f !k9jwj-STo [&F_+JEy_<2:?B0@+/"? So we shut if off and shut it out. 2 0 obj They believed that it was not fair for antiwar protesters to question their actions during the war. He reflected Monday on the cold homecoming many Vietnam servicemen experienced upon returning. We were told we were immoral because we believed in democracy and this country. In April 1968, the students at ____________ held a massive protest over the school's community policies. 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. Let. Most of them look like the hippies that were supposedly doing all the spitting back in the '60s. In response to Westmorelands requests for more forces, the American presence in Vietnam grew to well over 500,000 troops. Vietnam I returned in September 1969 and was in Atlanta, Ga. 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. Graham was twenty-five, just months out of the army and back from Vietnam. No one is whine boxing around for a parade in their honor and for the most part, the Nam is in the past, where it belongs. Neighbouring Laos and Cambodia similarly fell to communists. But there is no forgetting the spitting. There were no victory parades or welcome-home rallies. William calley accepts responsibility..100 innocent Vietnamese murdered by US soldiers- which further turned Americans away from war. You heard that at every peace rally in America. This herbicide mix was deployed in urban, agricultural, and forested areas in Vietnam to expose the enemy and destroy crops. 1 0 obj 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. For Leary, the catharsis came on the day of the parade. National Vietnam War Veterans Day Quickly, though, just the point that what Mr. Leary and so many others are talking about, clearly, is catharsis. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. when the task is complete the neighbor goes in his house wihtout a wrod and closes the door. favored stronger military force in Vietnam, allowed students to put off military duty (mostly wealthy upper class people, founded Students for a Democratic Society, system that calls up citizens for military service, Served in disproportionate numbers in Vietnam, after the Tet Offensive, the renowned journalist ____________ declared that the Vietnam War seemed destined "to end in a stalemate.". In Vietnam I only tried to do my job and maintain my sanity in a world gone crazy. It was the leaders of gobernment, and the top generals -- at least that is how it seemed in memory. Why Did Vietnam Veterans Receive A Cold Homecoming? %PDF-1.4 Congress authorized troop deployment in Vietnam, but, because it did not issue a declaration of war on North Vietnam or the Viet Cong, the Vietnam War is, technically speaking, not considered a war in the United States. No. From Vietnam I went directly to Berlin for a four-year tour of duty. ursa major is the scientific name for the big dipper. No. 8. Explain the significance of the following key terms The Silent Majority and the Pentagon Papers. 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. 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: 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. 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.

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