Difference between revisions of "329--Week 13 Questions/Comments"
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Kind of going off of Ashley and Jason's comments, what did you all think about the remark that Vietnam was a "white man's war"? -Kelly Wuyscik | Kind of going off of Ashley and Jason's comments, what did you all think about the remark that Vietnam was a "white man's war"? -Kelly Wuyscik | ||
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| + | Kelly, I think that the belief that Vietnam was "a white man's war" was common during the conflit. Although many of the soldiers fighting in Vietnam were black, most were drafted, meaning they were forced to fight. Racial tensions within the USA during the 1960s and 1970s were still very heightened. Many felt that America should not be fighting a war overseas for freedom while there was still a battle for civil liberties going on within the country. Some believed that "the white man" was more concerned with communism abroad than improving the lives of Americans, especially poor, underprivileged African Americans. The hospital scenes depict this attitude, when the attendants and nurses tell Ron they do not care about Vietnam, that it is not their fight, and they therefore have little respect for Ron's sacrifice. ~Juliann Boyles | ||
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Kelly, I have to say that I found that remark incredibly inaccurate. This was the first war fought by a desegregated military. As Dr. McClurken mentioned in class, this was a war fought overwhelmingly by working class whites and black soldiers. In Vietnam, for the first time in American history, we saw a class and racial disconnect in the makeup of our military forces. Vietnam was fought by those disadvantaged by society: young, poor white and black men. Not exactly those you think of when describing the makeup of congress or the presidency. - Sarah Richardson | Kelly, I have to say that I found that remark incredibly inaccurate. This was the first war fought by a desegregated military. As Dr. McClurken mentioned in class, this was a war fought overwhelmingly by working class whites and black soldiers. In Vietnam, for the first time in American history, we saw a class and racial disconnect in the makeup of our military forces. Vietnam was fought by those disadvantaged by society: young, poor white and black men. Not exactly those you think of when describing the makeup of congress or the presidency. - Sarah Richardson | ||
