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Fourth 750 Words: The Vietnam War

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Fourth 750 Words Though the North and South fought for different reasons, their goals and perspectives of each other are closer than one may realize. Both the North and the South want to fight for peace, whatever version of that it may be for themselves, and both fight for their country’s pride. From the American perspective, Caputo feels the surge of patriotism remnant from World War I and wants to defend his country’s (U.S.A) honor and prove that they are truly an indestructible force. The American perspective of peace holds the image of a world free from the clutches of communism, which is exactly why the Americans aid South Vietnam to begin with. From the Viet Cong (North) perspective, they are fighting to free their country from the American ‘bandits’ (Tram, 2005). The Viet Cong believe that their cause is to give their country independence at long last after being colonized by the French and want to unite the North and South in order to create a strong state under one government. The North Vietnamese perception of freedom is the idea of being a united and independent country, liberated from any outside nation’s rule or influence. …show more content…

Both sides view the other as being mysterious and unpredictable in their actions, however both think that they may have an idea of what the other is plotting. (Although, the Americans are less wary of the Vietnamese initially and also later only compare them to phantoms, which also insults the Viet Cong by making them seem like cowards) In Tram’s diary she makes reference to the Americans sweeping plan, the plan to march through the country and exterminate the Vietnamese population, whereas the Americans think that the Viet Cong have the tactic of simply staging night time attacks to slowly decimate or wear out the American

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In A Viet Cong Memoir, we receive excellent first hands accounts of events that unfolded in Vietnam during the Vietnam War from the author of this autobiography: Truong Nhu Tang. Truong was Vietnamese at heart, growing up in Saigon, but he studied in Paris for a time where he met and learned from the future leader Ho Chi Minh. Truong was able to learn from Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary ideas and gain a great political perspective of the conflicts arising in Vietnam during the war. His autobiography shows the readers the perspective of the average Vietnamese citizen (especially those involved with the NLF) and the attitudes towards war with the United States. In the book, Truong exclaims that although many people may say the Americans never lost on the battlefield in Vietnam — it is irrelevant.

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O’Brien captures real-life events that he experiences first-hand in Vietnam. Including the incomprehensive presence of brutality, a disturbing lack of value for the lives of innocent Vietnamese civilians, and the soldier’s experiences with guerrilla warfare. These factors together encompass the main points in Tim O’Brien’s argument and give valid evidence that helps the reader grasp that America had little to no morally justifiable reason to become involved in the Vietnam

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Similarly to social tensions, political tensions must be resolved. As expressed in Country Joe’s song, Americans followed their government. Whatever was decided by the authorities, the civilians followed. “And it’s one, two, three, What are we fighting for? Don’t ask me I don’t give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam,” [Doc B].

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Fowler’s description of Vietnam depicts different examples of his view of the country. He describes the beauty of “The gold of the rice-fields under the flat late sun ... the gold and the young green and the bright dresses of the south,” along with the darkness of the war: “in the north the deep browns and the black clothes and the circle of enemy mountains and the drone of planes. ”(Greene, 1955, p.17). Fowler sees both the positive and the negative in the country of Vietnam and presents his knowledge of both.

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I find Ho Chi Minh’s letter far more persuasive than Lyndon B. Johnson’s. Using ethos, pathos, and logos, he forms a solid argument that supports Vietnam’s stance on the war. He appeals to one’s emotions by expressing the injustices faced by his people, writing, “In South Viet-Nam a half-million American soldiers and soldiers from the satellite countries have resorted to the most barbarous methods of warfare, such as napalm, chemicals, and poison gases in order to massacre our fellow countrymen, destroy the crops, and wipe out villages.” Words such as “massacre” and “barbarous” highlight the severity of these crimes, and invoke feelings of guilt and remorse in the reader. Chi Minh uses ethos to support his logos, or logical, views on the

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The Vietnam War gives valuable lessons that can be used in the present-day war campaigns. For one, the Vietnam War was based on deception that is the trend today as with the insurgents and terrorist groups. Though U.S. and South Vietnamese forces managed to hold off the Communist attacks, the offensive shocked and demoralized not only their forces but as well as the American public and further eroded support for the war effort. The victory gained by the ‘Tet offensive’ (CNN, 1988) that triggered the deliberate and shameful withdrawal of US forces from the region.

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The author, Tim O'Brien, uses a variety of criticism throughout his work. One of the main types is historical; as well as romantic in his short story. By referencing World War 2, Vietnam, and his love for Martha; O’Brien relates to these criticisms through his main character. The war setting of this story plays a large part in analyzation. By presenting Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, the main character, in world War 2 gives the reader knowledge of the time period the many characters are placed into.

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I have never wanted to be out of a place more than Vietnam. The place filled me with dread and I have never known the kind of fear I felt there any place else.” (The Vietnam War: A History in Documents, Document

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Fowler comforted the Vietnamese informant Mr. Heng when telling him, “If you are hinting that you are a Communist, or a Vietminh, don’t worry” (Greene 120). This shows that in almost all aspects Fowler can be extremely empathetic to where someone is coming from. This really speaks words to how Fowler behaves as a person day to day, he does not lack judgement, on the contrary all he suitably looks for is honesty in order to possess a more authentic perception on the other individual’s perspective. Fowler understands where the Vietnamese are coming from as well as that all they genuinely desire is to be able to take on their own fulfilling independent lives. The secretary of the notorious NSC committee warned the president that, “...every individual faces the ever-present possibility of annihilation should the conflict enter the phase of total war”(Doc

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