Table of Contents
How did Vietnam impact the soldiers?
The Vietnam conflict impacted veterans in a variety of ways. Most combat soldiers witnessed violence and lost friends to the horrors of war. Some American veterans bore emotional and physical injuries that they would carry for the rest of their lives.
How did PTSD affect Vietnam veterans?
They reported lower satisfaction with their marriage, sex life, and life in general. They also indicated having more parenting difficulties, higher divorce rates, lower happiness, and more physical health complaints, such as fatigue, aches, and colds. Veterans with chronic PTSD were also more likely to be smokers.
How were soldiers treated when they came back from the Vietnam war?
Perhaps the cruelest aspect of the war was the treatment of the returning soldiers. Unlike the hero status given to the returning soldiers form World War II, the soldiers that served in Vietnam were portrayed as baby killers, psychos, drug addicts and war mongers.
Why did the Vietnam War have such a harmful psychological impact on the soldiers?
During the war, you were exposed to a lot of stress, confusion, anxiety, pain, and hatred. Then you were sent back home with no readjustment to the lifestyle in the states, no deprogramming of what you learned from the military, and no “welcome home” parades.
What do Vietnam vets suffer from?
Recent studies have found a high prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among Vietnam War veterans. Even decades after the war, there are still approximately a quarter of a million Vietnam Veterans that are suffering from PTSD symptoms.
How WWII and Vietnam veterans were treated differently?
During World War II, more than half of all men served, and men were only excluded from service if they had health problems, either physical or mental. During the Vietnam War, less than half enlisted, and men were able to evade service by enrolling in higher education.
What were two effects of the Vietnam War on American society?
The Vietnam War severely damaged the U.S. economy. Unwilling to raise taxes to pay for the war, President Johnson unleashed a cycle of inflation. The war also weakened U.S. military morale and undermined, for a time, the U.S. commitment to internationalism.
How did the Vietnam War affect the lives of American soldiers?
Because of the intense conditions that soldiers in Vietnam faced, memories of the war were not easily forgotten. Approximately 15 percent of the 3.3 million American soldiers who served in Vietnam were diagnosed with delayed stress syndrome, essentially extreme stress and even brain disorder caused by horrific memories of the past.
What are Vietnam flasbacks?
So called ‘Vietnam flasbacks’ are nothing bad depression and nightmares. Sometimes, in the worst cases, you have images (usually maimed corpses) flashing under your eyes during your daily life.
What is the transition from battle to home like for Vietnam?
This scenario is similar to what many Vietnam veterans have felt in their transition from battle to home. During the war in Vietnam, soldiers faced intensely extreme conditions, including hunger, disease, and of course, having to see close friends and other soldiers die.
What is post traumatic stress disorder Vietnam Veterans?
PTSD and Vietnam Veterans: A Lasting Issue 40 Years Later. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as having flashbacks, upsetting memories, and anxiety following a traumatic event. It was first officially recognized as a mental health condition in 1980, only five years after the end of the Vietnam War.