First of all, one reason many Americans oppose US involvement in the Vietnam war is that Vietnam War was the first war reported live coverage by many medias. So when Americans are having a breakfast, the war is keep going at the opposite of earth and they could see the shocking movie. For example, on March 16, 1968 The My Lai Massacre happened. It was a massacre by U.S. soldiers of three hundreds to five hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians, mostly women and children, on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War. Becoming a symbol of US-American war crimes in Vietnam, it prompted widespread outrage around the world and reduced public support for the war in the United States. In addition, on February, 1968 Tet Offensive occurred. However, America beat back NLF, it received as American's defeat. Because, media reported about Tet Offensive, and as a result, after the Tet Offensive, US anti-war movement got violent. Media can give lots of people information; so actually, media had huge influence on the anti-war movement on the Vietnam War.
Secondly, US government spent too much money on the Vietnam War. From 1953 to 1957, US government gave $ 823.3 million to South Vietnam as a economic aid and $ 277.8 as a military aid.In addition they gave $900 million as an economic and military aid in a year. According to my resource, US government had to spend $2000 million for keep going fight. If it's practical, may be people didn't complain about it. US Dropped three times number's of bombs compare with WW2 and they also had used new weapons, such as cluster bombsbut and napalm bombs. But no matter how they bomb, how many bomb do they use, bombing couldn't give Vietcong major damage because their land is covered by forest. Since L. B. Johnson had used so much money on war, so he couldn't carry on his election slogan in 1964, Great Society. Anyways, US spent huge number of money but they had done nothing, so it's natural that US public blame their government.
Thirdly, many Americans oppose US involvement in the Vietnam War because many people were killed or injured. In 1968, over 15,000 Americans had already died in the conflict. And at the next year, this number greatly increased. At the end of the war, 58,000 died in the Vietnam War.
Number of Casualty of America on Vietnam War. (Marines got damage the most )
Total mobilization Total casualty War dead People dead in accident Solder who injured Mean of casualty percentage
army 4,368,000 134,921 360,867 7,252 96,802 3.08%
navy 1,842,000 6,694 1,605 911 4,178 0.36%
marine 794,000 66,141 13,066 1,683 51,392 8.33%
Air Force 1,740,000 3,249 1,715 603 931 0.18%
total 8,744,000 211,005 47,253 10,449 153,303 2.41%
According to above diagram, air force got a little damage that's because they were protected by the marines. At the beginning of Operation Rolling Thunder in 1965, US government didn't want send marines, but after all they decided send marine because L. B. Johnson feared communist reprisals for the bombing campaign. And it caused grow number of casualties, therefore US public disagree with US involvement in Vietnam War.
In conclusion, many Americans opposed US involvement in the Vietnam War, because they had above three reasons. All reasons are important, but the first reason is the most important factor, because it was the first war that media reported war from local. Instruction it was utilized in the Gulf War.
1. Point: Vietnam War is the first war that reported by media. US population can see shocking picture from Vietnam when they are having breakfast.
Evidence: report about My Lai massacre, picture of a young Buddhist monk in flame, burning himself in protest at Diem's regime in South Vietnam. Media reported that the American embassy was occupied by Vietcong for a while. The chide of police shot Vietcong without any asking. And this was reported by media.
Explain: the shock about occupation of American embassy was big, because at that time US embassy should be the safest place in S.Vietnam. The massacre of women and children at My Lai in 1968 caused public outrage. Because of these kind of report, US population couldn't judge which is good guy and which is bad guy in Vietnam. It caused of Draft Resistance Movement.
Conclution:
2. Point: US government spent too much money on Vietnam War.
Evidence: see figure on page 87 of text book.
Explain: Al though US government spent $ 900 million on S.Vietnam in 1966, they didn't seem to win.
LBJ couldn't carry on his election slogan in 1964, Great Society because he spent too much money on the War.
The war was costing the USA $2000 million per month.
US Dropped three times number's bombs compare with WW2.
Conclution:
3. Point: many people died or injured in Vietnam War.
Evidence:
Casualty of America on Vietnam war.(marines got damage the most )
Total mobilization Total casualty War dead People dead in accident Solder who injured Mean of casualty percentage
army 4,368,000 134,921 360,867 7,252 96,802 3.08%
navy 1,842,000 6,694 1,605 911 4,178 0.36%
marine 794,000 66,141 13,066 1,683 51,392 8.33%
Air Force 1,740,000 3,249 1,715 603 931 0.18%
total 8,744,000 211,005 47,253 10,449 153,303 2.41%
http://www.special-warfare.net/data_base/101_war_data/vietnam_war/vietnam01.html
Explain: in 1968, over 15,000 American s had already died in the conflict. And at the next year, this number greatly increased. At the end of the war, 58,000 died in the Vietnam War.
Conclution:
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