An Unwinnable War - 1556 Words

As America find herself in today’s â€Å"War on Terrorism,† one can easily find a number of similarities between today’s situation and the war in Vietnam. As the Taliban steadily loses control and power over Afghanistan, it becomes exceedingly important to discuss potential replacement governments. Afghanistan is, like Vietnam in the 50’s and 60’s, a very volatile country full of a variety of people speaking different dialects and practicing different religions. It is very important, then, that the government that is installed is one that is capable of maintaining some type of control or authority over its diverse people. On July 7, 1954, Ngo Dinh Diem came to power as the Prime Minister of South Vietnam (Fishel 107). Diem was backed by†¦show more content†¦Of course the irony is that Diem â€Å"took steps to prevent the 1956 unification election,† which is normally a prerequisite for a democracy (Starr 39). He did stage an elec tion for himself, but it was certainly rigged being that â€Å"Saigon with roughly 405,000 registered voters, somehow cast 605,000 votes for Diem† (Starr 39). Diem was therefore determined to be the best man for the job of preventing communism in S. Vietnam. One reason is most likely because he was â€Å"Westernized† being that he â€Å"lived for some time in the Mayknoll Seminaries in New Jersey and New York State† (Genesis 116). He quickly gained the approval of American Catholics such as Cardinal Spellman, which â€Å"certified Diem as an important anti-Communist† (Scheer 116). Some Americans were skeptical of Diem at the time, but as Secretary John Foster Dulles simply stated, â€Å"the United States could simply not find ‘a better man’ to carry out its designs† and â€Å"Diem is only means US sees to save South Vietnam and counteract revolution. US sees no one else who can† (Gettleman 133). This is, however, a little unsettling being that it sounds as though the U.S. merely â€Å"settled† on Diem in lieu of a better candidate. The American people then, perhaps influenced by the media, agreed with their government’s approval of Diem. In the June 29, 1959 edition of Newsweek, Diem was deemed â€Å"one of the ablest free Asian leaders† and his governmentShow MoreRelatedVietnam War : The Unwinnable War1762 Words   |  8 PagesJacobs Vietnam War: The Unwinnable War Introduction: The Vietnam War was certainly controversial. There were many protests that erupted across college campuses and throughout numerous town and cities. Many individuals viewed the war as unnecessary and unwinnable. The draft was also very widely criticized and seen as a negative point in the war. The draft was forcing young college students to go fight in dangerous territory. The most controversial aspect of the Vietnam War is certainly that itRead MoreDrug Abuse And The Unwinnable War1462 Words   |  6 PagesDrug Abuse and the Unwinnable War Drugs are not a new thing by any means and have been commonplace in most cultures at one point or another. Throughout the known history of the world humans have used drugs to provide mind and mood altering experiences. Evidence of the production of alcohol can be traced back to the description of a brewery in an Egyptian papyrus as early as 3500 B.C (Fort, J. 1969). On a seemingly primal level, humans have always had some incessant need to alter their state of consciousnessRead MoreAnalysis Of The Unwinnable War : A Nature Of Herbicidal Warfare1512 Words   |  7 PagesChristopher Nguyen J301 Research Paper The Unwinnable War: A Nature of Herbicidal Warfare Mostly consisting of thick costal mangrove, the dense forest spread high across a wet, humid plateau in the countryside of North Vietnam. For centuries its environment provided raw natural resources such as nutrient-rich soil ideal for cultivating rice and flowing streams, providing a reliable water supply to the native people of the region. Now, on a summer day in 1961, it was under attack. Following directRead MoreEssay on The Solution to the Immoral, Unwinnable War on Drugs 1668 Words   |  7 Pagespolicy has received sharp criticism from members of the law enforcement, as well as groups of parents and other constituencies who believe that the government should pursue the goal of a â€Å"drug-free† society. The solution to the immoral, unwinnable war on drugs Key recommendations: †¢ All currently illegal drugs should be decriminalised. †¢ Up to a set quantity, possession of such substances would result in a misdemeanour charge. Education and rehabilitation would be offered as alternativesRead MoreWhy Has American Stopped Winning Wars?810 Words   |  4 PagesIn his article, â€Å"Why Has American Stopped Winning Wars?† Dominic Tierney discusses some of the topics in his recent book, â€Å"The Right Way to Lose a War: America in an Age of Unwinnable Conflicts.† The book, unlike the article, provides recommendations for how America can adapt to a new era of warfare. Having said that, Tierney’s article published in the The Atlantic, provides no such recommendations nor does it provide adequate reasoning to support his argument, rather he leaves the reader emotionallyRead MoreWas the War in Vietnam Justified?804 Words   |  3 PagesWas the war in Vietnam justified? The Vietnam War was the longest war in the history of the United States it lasted from 1959-1975. Billions of dollars was spent trying to win and unwinnable war. Countless of lives were lost and America failed to achieve its objective. The origins of the war stem from the Indochina wars that occurred in the late 40s and early 50s. After many years of colonial war, the Viet Minh a communist group led by Ho Chi Minh sought independence for Vietnam. The French wereRead MoreThe Vietnam War A Long And Hard Battle1069 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis two 4/20/2015 The Vietnam War a long and hard fought battle that lasted from November, 1954 and ended on April 30, 1975, but the United States didn’t get involved until June of 1965. (Vietnam War Statistics) The likely collapse of the South Vietnamese army and the fear for the spread of communism is why America joined in on this war, but joining the war was extremely controversial. Many people believe that the United States involvement In the Vietnam War should never have happened. I believeRead MoreEffects Of The 1968 Tet Offensive On American Policy And Public Opinion About The War1310 Words   |  6 PagesThe Vietnam War plunged the United States in an ever-increasing dilemma of how to exit what seemed to be an unwinnable war against a formidable foe without losing honor and respect in the global community. In a comparison of two essays regarding America’s involvement in Vietnam, the authors offer different perspectives on the war and what led to an America defeat. In the first essay, the effects of the 1968 Tet Offensive are examined and what impact it had on American policy and public opinion aboutRead MoreWas the Vietnam War Winnable1210 Words   |  5 PagesWas the Vietnam War Winnable? The war in Vietnam waged by America was unwinnable through the type of warfare that was used by the US . If they had concentrated on certain key aspects they may have prevented the spread of communism to South Vietnam and achieved their ultimate goal. Americas inability to obtain the â€Å"Hearts and Minds â€Å"of the Vietnamese led to a continual supply of fighters. The US was unable to fight against an ever-increasing civilian army. In Vietnam the US relied tremendously onRead MoreTraffic : The Post Modern Civil War1639 Words   |  7 PagesKevin Holcomb Pepe Zerda PSC 201-B01 22 September 2014 Traffic: The Post-Modern Civil War Traffic is a film written by Simon Moore and Stephen Gaghan, directed by Steven Soderbergh, and released in 2000 by USA Films. The movie tells three different stories. The first story is of two Mexican police officers, which become entangled in the Mexican cartel war, during a drug bust of one of the cartels. The second story in the movie is about a conservative federal judge in Ohio who has been appointed