Jenna and Lilly Mrs. Asher AP Language and Composition 30 October 2024 Word Count: 1,696. Rhetorical Analysis on “The Vietnam Veterans Memorial” From 1955 to 1975, Vietnam and France battled for control. America sent over 8.7 million Americans to serve in the Armed Forces to help France's army. The Vietnam War became America's longest and most costly conflict since the Cold War (“Overview of the Vietnam War”). The casualties from the long and hard fight are forever shown on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The black granite walls list the names of more than 58,000 men and women who gave their lives or those who remain missing (“Vietnam Veterans in Washington, District of Columbia”). Through the years, names are continually added, making sure …show more content…
Americans felt angry, regardless of their opinion of the war. Many Vietnam veterans claim that most people treated them without the respect they earned and also seemed uncomfortable listening to their stories from battle. The Vietnam War divided American society. Those who served were often treated as deserters instead of heroes and found it difficult to adjust (“Veterans Return Home: Oklahoma Historical Society”). The controversy was eventually settled, with the original design for the memorial added an American soldier statue and American flag, causing those who felt it wasn’t representing American soldiers, to be satisfied (“Maya Lin and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial - the History Reader”). Maya Lin utilizes Symbolism, Proportion, and Point of View to appeal to one's sense of remembrance and contemplation in order to convince the audience of the significance of The Vietnam War. In American society, the military is taken very seriously, and we are taught to respect our soldiers. This is reflected in the memorial being built to honor those that gave their lives in combat for the sake of our country. It contradicts itself though, because those who lost their lives were given mercy and shown respect, and the Vietnam Veterans that