How did soldiers feel about the Vietnam War?
The tense atmosphere and frustrating nature of the war eventually caused a significant decline in the motivation and performance of American forces in Vietnam. Some American soldiers reacted to their situation by lashing out violently against the Vietnamese, while others took out their anger on U.S. military leaders.
How were veterans treated after the Vietnam War?
Some people who opposed American involvement in the Vietnam War treated U.S. soldiers and veterans poorly. These stories added to the soldiers’ resentment of the antiwar movement. Rather than being greeted with anger and hostility, however, most Vietnam veterans received very little reaction when they returned home.
What do we know about the Vietnam War?
The Vietnam War was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The conflict was intensified by the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Why did many Vietnam veterans protest the war?
Vietnam Veterans Against the War Homepage Over 30,000 Vietnam Veterans were protesting the war while it was still going on. They knew better than anyone else the horrors of war, post-traumatic stress disorder, health problems caused by agent orange and other chemicals.
Were You exposed to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam?
Veterans who served in Vietnam anytime during the period beginning Jan. 9, 1962, and ending May 7, 1975, are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. VA established an Agent Orange Registry to study the health effects associated with exposure to herbicides such as Agent Orange.
Do Vietnam-era veterans suffer from psychological problems?
While the majority of Vietnam Veterans successfully readjusted to postwar life, a substantial minority of Vietnam-era Veterans have suffered from a variety of psychological problems, and have experienced a wide range of life-adjustment problems.
How many Americans served in Vietnam?
Approximately 2.7 million American men and women served in Vietnam. During the war, over 58,000 U.S. military members lost their lives and 153,000 were wounded. There were 766 prisoners of war of which 114 died in captivity. The war was officially ended by Presidential Proclamation on May 7, 1975.
How common is PTSD in veterans who served in Vietnam?
The NYU Langone Medical Center’s department of psychiatry and Abt Associates are conducting the study. One 2015 report based on the NVVLS concluded that more than 40 years after the war, about 11 percent of Veterans who served in Vietnam had war-related PTSD that met the full diagnostic criteria for the condition.