United States of America (U.S.) involvement in Vietnam began as an advisory role beginning in the late 1950's, and continued into the early 1960's. By 1964, U.S. troop presence in Vietnam would number approximately 20,000. With the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964, the U.S. Congress authorized the U.S. President "to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the U.S. and to prevent further aggression". The stated goal by the U.S. government, was to preserve a separate, independent, non-communist government in South Vietnam. To this end, over 58,000 U.S. troops would die in the Vietnam War.
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The first U.S. troops landed in Vietnam in March 1965. This war would be unlike any other we had fought. There were no "front lines" or "rear areas". This was a guerrilla war, and small unit tactics would play a pivotal role. Special units such as the U.S. Navy SEALS, the Marine Force Recon, and the Army Special Forces played a major role and served with distinction and honor. Helicopters, artillery and close air support would be vital to the men on the ground, as tremendous air bombardment of North Vietnam would surpass the total tonnage dropped on Germany, Italy, and Japan in World War II (WWII).
During the war, U.S. troops fought with heroism and determination under some of the most difficult circumstances ever encountered by U.S. troops. Names such as Hamburger Hill, Hue City, Plei Mei, and Khe Sanh would become forever enshrined with tales of heroism in the face of a formidable enemy. Many of our troops were taken prisoner by the enemy, enduring unspeakable acts, poor rations, little medical attention and extreme torture during captivity. However, the U.S. would receive a black eye at the massacre of My Lai. While we defeated the Viet Cong during the Tet Offensive in 1968, our exit was imminent. In April 1975, President Gerald Ford announced the end to the war in Vietnam, and evacuations of U.S. troops were hastened. A week later, the enemy we fought for almost twenty years overcame the capital city of Saigon.
The Vietnam era saw many changes in the world. The U.S. would watch in horror as President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The nation was in turmoil and the presidency would change four times during this war with President Lyndon B. Johnson not seeking a second term, President Richard M. Nixon resigning while in office and President Ford issuing a pardon to President Nixon only to see the U.S. embassy in Saigon fall. In addition to President Kennedy, we would see promising leaders such as Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy gunned down before our very eyes. Politically, the entire world seemed to be in upheaval during this time exemplified by the unfolding of such events as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Six-Day Arab-Israeli War, the downing of the U-2 spy plane, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) crisis, and the Watergate scandal. Even the Space Race was wrought with anxiety and worry when Soviet Union cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man to travel in space. Throughout the war, this environment contributed tragically towards the U.S. outlook on the troops returning home. The U.S. troops received virtually no recognition for their service and sacrifice because of the raging domestic controversy over U.S. policy in conducting the war. This legacy is perhaps the most damaging event to the U.S. Unlike other wars, most returning U.S. troops were not greeted by parades and speeches. While some of the Vietnam War Veterans were spat upon and subjected to insults such as "baby-killer". These U.S. troops would be shunned by the mainstream, and would withdraw from society to deal with the horrors of war, many having post-traumatic stress syndrome among other ailments.
In 1980, the U.S. Congress authorized the building of a national memorial dedicated to the Vietnam War Veterans. The [Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund] (http://vvmf.org/) (VVMF) was the organization selected for the project, and in 1982, the Vietnam War Memorial was completed and dedicated. This provided a place for Vietnam War Veterans and the public to reflect upon and grieve for the loss of life resulting from the war 1. The Vietnam War Memorial is a simple, but moving symbol of a time when many young U.S. troops were asked to give their best, and in some cases their lives, for their country, and they responded.