American Experience of the Vietnam War, Essay Example

Nixon’s Vietnam War, 1969-1971

The United States during the Vietnam War played a significant and notorious role in world history, with a substantial loss of life for which many Americans to this day do not understand the purpose. This war was devastating on many levels and caused irreparable harm to the United States on many levels. Therefore, it is important to recognize the role of power in President Nixon’s decision-making processes during the war and how they impacted the nation and its soldiers who fought for their nation in heroic fashion (Moss). Diplomacy was difficult in some ways for Nixon, yet he made efforts to demonstrate his prowess and skill in this area through his work with Vietnamese leaders in order to protect U.S. interests effectively (Moss). The country was reeling from these events, yet Nixon did not back down and faced many difficulties along the way (Moss). During this period, the Nixon administration did not win over its critics because the war continued to exist and many American lives were lost in the process, and in a sense, the war became a symbol of cultural turmoil and challenge that remains difficult to accept by many Americans.

Nixon’s Vietnam War, 1971-1973

During this era of the war, President Nixon sought to end the war on reasonable terms, with attempts to negotiate with the Vietnamese government to end the war and to stop the continuous loss of life, seemingly with no meaning (Moss). However, the United States could not back down from its original intent and needed to be effective in maintaining its position and focus on the war and in determining how to best move forward and to develop a strategy that was effective in supporting the needs of the United States through the war effort (Moss). Nonetheless, there was a significant opportunity to support a strategy that would be effective in ending the war and the strife that continued to dominate world politics during this era (Moss). Nixon was required to be an effective and diplomatic communicator regarding the war effort and to be recognized for his efforts to address the war in such a way that it could end as peacefully as possible (Moss). This process was essential since by all accounts, the war continued to go on without any real end in sight and the effort was fruitless on many levels (Moss). As a result, President Nixon was required to make the best of an already devastating situation and to be recognized for making his mark on the presidency and the people who were impacted by the war on a personal level (Moss). In this context, the United States faced a difficult and ongoing battle to address its role in the war and to justify its reasons for the war effort so that the nation could eventually restore its reputation in foreign affairs, while also demonstrating the President’s negotiation skills at the highest possible level.

Conclusion

As an observer of the Vietnam War from a historical perspective, the war forever changed the landscape and focus of the United States in foreign affairs and international relations. This experience for the United States remains in a difficult position when considering the war effort and how it devastated many lives. Nonetheless, lessons may be learned from this experience that provide a greater sense of value in recognizing the power of the United States and its impact on international politics. To this day, the United States remains a force to be reckoned with in spite of the Vietnam War, and this supports the nation’s continued involvement in many foreign affairs that impact U.S. interests. Nonetheless, the war scarred the United States in many ways and continues to be a black mark on an otherwise heroic and productive decision-making process throughout history. Furthermore, these events mark a difficult period in modern history that remain a challenge to emerging generations to understand, even though they face a world of turmoil in its own right.

References

Moss, G. D. Vietnam. An American Ordeal [VitalSouce bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://devry.vitalsource.com/books/9781256086260/id/ch11lev1sec10Go