Sections
Phases of the War
Phase 1:
Phase 1: 1961–63. USA had 16,000 military advisers in South Vietnam.
Phase 2: 1964–68. January 1969 there were nearly 550,000 US soldiers in Vietnam. US forces were commanded by General Westmoreland until 1968.
Phase 3: 1969–73. This phase ended with the removal of all US combat troops in 1973, followed by the final defeat of South Vietnam in 1975.
After the first world war, the Soviet Union and China were infiltrating communism in eastern Europe and Asia. North and South Vietnam desired a united country but could not agree upon government moving forward, making a distinctly separate north and south. At the time of Kennedy’s death there were 16,000 military advisors in South Vietnam. After John F. Kennedy’s assasination in 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President. He vowed to uphold the Kennedy administration's commitments and while running for the 1964 election promised to keep boys out of the war. Following President Kennedy's assassination in November 1963, Vice President Johnson was sworn into office. When Johnson took office, he willingly and publicly vowed to maintain the Kennedy administration's commitments: aiding from South Vietnam to West Berlin. Johnson won the 1964 election in landslide fashion, with his major initiative of the presidency being the Vietnam War.
Phase 2: 1964–68. January 1969 there were nearly 550,000 US soldiers in Vietnam. US forces were commanded by General Westmoreland until 1968.
Phase 3: 1969–73. This phase ended with the removal of all US combat troops in 1973, followed by the final defeat of South Vietnam in 1975.
After the first world war, the Soviet Union and China were infiltrating communism in eastern Europe and Asia. North and South Vietnam desired a united country but could not agree upon government moving forward, making a distinctly separate north and south. At the time of Kennedy’s death there were 16,000 military advisors in South Vietnam. After John F. Kennedy’s assasination in 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President. He vowed to uphold the Kennedy administration's commitments and while running for the 1964 election promised to keep boys out of the war. Following President Kennedy's assassination in November 1963, Vice President Johnson was sworn into office. When Johnson took office, he willingly and publicly vowed to maintain the Kennedy administration's commitments: aiding from South Vietnam to West Berlin. Johnson won the 1964 election in landslide fashion, with his major initiative of the presidency being the Vietnam War.
Phase 2:
Johnson quickly approved the NSAM 273, which was to order the United States Government to "assist the people and Government of South Vietnam to win their contest against the externally directed and supported communist conspiracy."
The U.S. Navy stationed two destroyers, the Maddox and the Turner Joy, in the Gulf of Tonkin. They reported an attack by North Vietnamese patrol boats on August 2 1964, and a second attack on August 4. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed by Congress August 7, 1964 authorized President Johnson to take any measures he believed were necessary to retaliate and to promote the maintenance of international peace and security in southeast Asia.
Johnson escalated the involvement of the United States with the use of the CIA, the order of air strikes, and reaching a peak amount of bombing of North Vietnam with operation Rolling Thunder. President Johnson sent more and more US troops to Vietnam during this second phase of the war as well. By the time he left office in January 1969 there were nearly 550,000 US soldiers in Vietnam.The operation began in March 1965 and lasted for three years. It became the heaviest strategic bombing campaign in history, dropping over 864,000 tons of bombs on North Vietnam by the end of 1967. By contrast, during the Second World War the United States dropped 623,418 tons of bombs on Germany and around 150,000 tons on Japan.
U.S. forces were commanded by General Westmoreland until 1968. His basic strategy was attrition – to engage enemy forces in large battles that permitted American firepower to kill so many communists that they would give up. He calculated that Americans could kill communists in the ratio of 1:12.
The U.S. Navy stationed two destroyers, the Maddox and the Turner Joy, in the Gulf of Tonkin. They reported an attack by North Vietnamese patrol boats on August 2 1964, and a second attack on August 4. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed by Congress August 7, 1964 authorized President Johnson to take any measures he believed were necessary to retaliate and to promote the maintenance of international peace and security in southeast Asia.
Johnson escalated the involvement of the United States with the use of the CIA, the order of air strikes, and reaching a peak amount of bombing of North Vietnam with operation Rolling Thunder. President Johnson sent more and more US troops to Vietnam during this second phase of the war as well. By the time he left office in January 1969 there were nearly 550,000 US soldiers in Vietnam.The operation began in March 1965 and lasted for three years. It became the heaviest strategic bombing campaign in history, dropping over 864,000 tons of bombs on North Vietnam by the end of 1967. By contrast, during the Second World War the United States dropped 623,418 tons of bombs on Germany and around 150,000 tons on Japan.
U.S. forces were commanded by General Westmoreland until 1968. His basic strategy was attrition – to engage enemy forces in large battles that permitted American firepower to kill so many communists that they would give up. He calculated that Americans could kill communists in the ratio of 1:12.
Johnson’s approval ratings as president quickly plummeted with more involvement of Vietnam, which were at 70% in 1965, but dropped to 40% at the end of his presidency. Americans began to lose confidence in the government, and also Johnson did not want to be known as the only United States President in history thus far to lose a war. However, while the 1968 election was drawing close, Johnson announces he would not seek reelection.
Phase 3:
Finally the third phase of the war between the years of 1969 and 1973 was de-escalation of the war. President Nixon gradually handed the war back over to the South Vietnamese Army. This phase ended with the removal of all US combat troops in 1973, followed by the final defeat of South Vietnam in 1975.
Photo Portrait of President Lyndon B. Johnson in the Oval Office. Arnold Newman, White House Press Office, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Lyndon_B._Johnson#/media/File:37_Lyndon_Johnson_3x4.jpg
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The Draft
A huge controversy during the war was the draft due the selective service act. Every man in the United States has to register for the selective service draft the age of 18 By registering all eligible men, Selective Service ensures a fair and equitable draft, if ever required. Between the years of 1965 and 1973 over 500,000 men became draft dodgers. Dodging the draft included feeling to Canada, faking medical illnesses or diseases. Some would volunteer to perform noncombatant work or public service jobs. Johnson's Presidency & War Tactics Following the assassination of Kennedy, VP Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into office aboard Air Force One, where he promised to uphold the beliefs of his predecessor. For his presidential candidacy for the election of 1964, he launched an ambitious slate of progressive reforms with the hopes of (re)building a “Great Society” for Americans. He won the election in landslide fashion, and along with his presidency came a hope for a brightened society, an aspiration shared by many Americans. Quickly then after winning the 1964 election, LBJ approved the NSAM 273, which essentially was an order for the United States Government to assist the people and Government of South Vietnam in their battle against the communist North; this was seemingly him vocalizing his commitment to the Kennedy administration’s beliefs and kept him in American’s good graces for the moment. Not too far into the future, Johnson kept the train rolling with United States involvement in the war and introduced the use of the CIA and air strikes on the North Vietnam troops, reaching a climax in 1965 when he approved Operation Rolling Thunder. Johnson was greeted during riots outside of the White House with chants such as “Hey, Hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today”. In a desperate attempt to portray himself and the Democratic party as peacemakers, he ordered a halt to the bombings of North Vietnam, which essentially did nothing for himself. As the war continued to drag on, Johnson’s popularity plummeted, by February and March of 1968, nearly 80% of Americans believed that Johnson’s policies were going absolutely nowhere; this was one of the various deciding factors of his decision to not pursue another presidency. Despite his attempt at leaving a legacy of achievements, he instead was marred by his failure to lead the nation out of war. |
Presidents Succeeding the war
Richard Nixon: As the Republican candidate, Nixon won the 1968 Presidential Election over Democratic candidate Hubert Humphrey.President Nixon gradually handed the war back over to the South Vietnamese Army. This phase ended with the removal of all US combat troops in 1973, followed by the final defeat of South Vietnam in 1975. Between the years of 1965 and 1973 over 500,000 men became draft dodgers (Office of the United States Congress). Dodging the draft included feeling to Canada, faking medical illnesses or diseases. Some would volunteer to perform noncombatant work or public service jobs. While Nixon began withdrawing troops, those who remained became increasingly frustrated as well as their families back home. Nixon ended the draft calls in 1972. With the end of the war left people feeling uneasy about the United States Government. Agent Orange was a powerful herbicide used by U.S. military forces during the Vietnam War to eliminate forest cover and crops for North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. It was later proven to cause serious health issues including cancer, birth defects, rashes and severe psychological and neurological problems among the Vietnamese people as well as among returning U.S. servicemen and their families leaving people to blame the United States for these health problems.
Gerald Ford:Nixon’s Vice President was Gerald Ford, he was sworn in as the 38th president of the United States. Ford became Vice President after Sprio Agnew resigned after a tax evasion scandal. Needless to say the Nixon Administration faced many challenges. Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes during his presidency, which many Americans disapproved (Brinkley). Throughout the remainder of Ford’s presidency he faced a weak economy due to the energy crisis, with inflation over 112%. He then began the “WIN” campaign which encouraged people to reduce spending and consumption. This period received the highest amount of vetoes due to after the Watergate scandal democrats winning most seats in the house. In 1975 communist forces infiltrated South Vietnam and Gerald Ford proposed a $722 million aid package which congress also denied. After north Vietnamese raided Saigon, Gerald Ford announced the official end of the Vietnam was on April 23rd 1975.
While Gerald Ford had a lot of mistakes to clean up, he was able to do some noteworthy accomplishments as well such as the Education for all handicapped Children Act of 1975, which created special education throughout the United States. Ford declared the Presidential Proclamation 4313 which was an amnesty program for all those who fled the U.S. during the Vietnam could return if they worked in the military or public service for two years. When Gerald Ford ran for president again in 1976, he lost to Jimmy Carter. https://youtu.be/Mf4NBMvksKI |
Gerald Ford's presidential portrait: David Hume
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gerald_Ford_-_NARA_-_530680.jpg |
Jimmy Carter: Jimmy Carter was a democratic governor and state senator from Georgia. As the 39th president Jimmy Carter had an impressive background that appealed to Americans. A peanut farmer who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with his bachelors degrees and then went on to serve in the Navy. During his presidency he pardoned all draft dodgers from the Vietnam War. The Carter Administration was also the first to introduce the Department of Education and the Department of Energy where he established a new policy that included price control conservation and new technology to stabilize energy. The Carter Administration negotiated the Camp David Accords, the Panama Canal Treaties and the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. However Jimmy Carter’s success ended with Iranian Hostage Crisis. On November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian students stormed the U.S Embassy in Tehran. They were in support of the Iranian Revolution, and held 52 American diplomats hostage for 444 days (Larson 108). Jimmy Carter initiated a rescue mission on April 24, 1980, however ‘Operation Eagle Claw’ failed and left 8 Americans dead after Helicopters collided. Jimmy Carter’s acclaimed Carter Center which sought to pursue peaceful solutions to international conflicts won him a Nobel Peace Prize. He currently is the oldest surviving President, turning 95 on October 1st, 2019.
https://youtu.be/MVlU7F5Gwo8 |
Carter Smiling: Department of Defense. Department of the Navy.Naval Photographic Center.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JimmyCarterPortrait.jpg |
History of the Draft
Demographics of Vietnam Soldiers
Age:
During the Vietnam War, approximately 2.2 million American men were drafted from age 18-26. Finding exact numbers, specifically on men who were drafted to war, is difficult especially since statistics were still being configured into the 2000s. In order to get a general idea of the demographics, one must look to military fatal casualty statistics. The highest percentage of men who fought in the war were 20 years old. Then 19 to 21 years old made up about 55% of men serving. This may not seem right since draft boards typically selected older men to serve, but this is correct for two reasons. Once the draft changed, younger men were selected to serve before older men so that they did not have wait the entirety of their 20s waiting to see if they would get drafted. This way, they did not have to put their life and things such as marriage and school on hold. The second reason is many men choose to enlist in the war and were not drafted. Unfortunately, a lot of this enlistment was not for the opportunity to serve the country, but occurred instead because men figured they were going to get drafted and chose to enlist so they could at least pick their branch and have proper military training instead of being thrown in the war with no experience.
Race:
There was not a lot of diversity in race. Once again looking at the causality statistics, 85.59% were Caucasian and 14.41% were other ethnicities.
Gender:
Few women also served in the war. There were about 11,000, and 90% served as military nurses, but some did have other positions such as physicians, air traffic controllers, intelligence officers, clerks and more. Fortunately, very few women’s lives were lost with an estimation of only eight of the 58,222 Americans in the war.
Education & Income:
Most American soldiers that were drafted were from poor and working-class families. A lot of men were from rural towns and farms and very few were drafted from an upper-class families. About 25% of men were poor and 55% were working-class. Communities had local draft boards composed of community members. This board held a lot of power but was also under a lot of pressure. When a man’s name was called he was required to go to his local draft board who would then evaluate the man’s status. The man’s life rested in the hands of the people who made up the board. This was unfair because the board would sometimes feel obligated to exempt men who were family or friends. Also, there was a lot of discrimination due to the rules and exemptions of the draft. For instance, men with good jobs or men that were in college could be exempt. This discriminated against underprivileged member of society because with such a low income, they would not have the opportunity to attend college at all, while some men stayed in college as long as they could to keep away from the war.
Age:
During the Vietnam War, approximately 2.2 million American men were drafted from age 18-26. Finding exact numbers, specifically on men who were drafted to war, is difficult especially since statistics were still being configured into the 2000s. In order to get a general idea of the demographics, one must look to military fatal casualty statistics. The highest percentage of men who fought in the war were 20 years old. Then 19 to 21 years old made up about 55% of men serving. This may not seem right since draft boards typically selected older men to serve, but this is correct for two reasons. Once the draft changed, younger men were selected to serve before older men so that they did not have wait the entirety of their 20s waiting to see if they would get drafted. This way, they did not have to put their life and things such as marriage and school on hold. The second reason is many men choose to enlist in the war and were not drafted. Unfortunately, a lot of this enlistment was not for the opportunity to serve the country, but occurred instead because men figured they were going to get drafted and chose to enlist so they could at least pick their branch and have proper military training instead of being thrown in the war with no experience.
Race:
There was not a lot of diversity in race. Once again looking at the causality statistics, 85.59% were Caucasian and 14.41% were other ethnicities.
Gender:
Few women also served in the war. There were about 11,000, and 90% served as military nurses, but some did have other positions such as physicians, air traffic controllers, intelligence officers, clerks and more. Fortunately, very few women’s lives were lost with an estimation of only eight of the 58,222 Americans in the war.
Education & Income:
Most American soldiers that were drafted were from poor and working-class families. A lot of men were from rural towns and farms and very few were drafted from an upper-class families. About 25% of men were poor and 55% were working-class. Communities had local draft boards composed of community members. This board held a lot of power but was also under a lot of pressure. When a man’s name was called he was required to go to his local draft board who would then evaluate the man’s status. The man’s life rested in the hands of the people who made up the board. This was unfair because the board would sometimes feel obligated to exempt men who were family or friends. Also, there was a lot of discrimination due to the rules and exemptions of the draft. For instance, men with good jobs or men that were in college could be exempt. This discriminated against underprivileged member of society because with such a low income, they would not have the opportunity to attend college at all, while some men stayed in college as long as they could to keep away from the war.
Draft After the Vietnam War to Present Day
The draft was drastically changed so there would be fewer reasons to excuse someone from serving. A man in college can now only have his service deferred one semester, unless he is a senior, then he can attend the entire last year of his schooling and defer his service until graduation. Now, the Uniform National Call is to check and ensure all men are treated equally and that the draft boards no longer show any favoritism. Another change would be the earlier call of younger men to the draft. In the past, older men were typically drafted first, but this left many young men spending longer than a decade of their lives anxiously waiting to see if they would be drafted. Finally, if a man needed to appeal his draft, he now is guaranteed a meeting with the draft board where in the past they were not always given this right to appeal in person.
The draft was drastically changed so there would be fewer reasons to excuse someone from serving. A man in college can now only have his service deferred one semester, unless he is a senior, then he can attend the entire last year of his schooling and defer his service until graduation. Now, the Uniform National Call is to check and ensure all men are treated equally and that the draft boards no longer show any favoritism. Another change would be the earlier call of younger men to the draft. In the past, older men were typically drafted first, but this left many young men spending longer than a decade of their lives anxiously waiting to see if they would be drafted. Finally, if a man needed to appeal his draft, he now is guaranteed a meeting with the draft board where in the past they were not always given this right to appeal in person.
Changing Role of the U.S. Military from 1990's to Present Day
Size and Personnel:
In total, the U.S. military has approximately 1.3 million men and women actively serving in the armed forces as of 2014. Numbers dropped from nearly 2.1 million troops in the mid-1980s to approximately 1.3 million troops by the end of the 1990s, resulting in a total reduction of nearly 40 percent. When compared to the size of the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, these numbers have significantly decreased. In 1968 at the peak of the Vietnam War, the U.S. military consisted of approximately 3.5 million soldiers.
The size of the U.S. military fluctuates depending on the United States’ global affairs. Some global affairs that influence the size of the U.S. military include the nation’s involvement in wars, the degree in which the U.S. supports its allies overseas and the defense of the homeland against terrorist threats. Advancements in technology and change in missions attribute to the U.S. military's decrease in size.
As of 2014, the U.S. Army alone has approximately 515,888 troops containing the most personnel of any branch. The U.S. Army relies on a boots on the ground approach to accomplish its missions, which requires a larger quantity soldiers. During the peak of the Vietnam War in 1968, the U.S. Army contained roughly 1.57 million troops.
In total, the U.S. military has approximately 1.3 million men and women actively serving in the armed forces as of 2014. Numbers dropped from nearly 2.1 million troops in the mid-1980s to approximately 1.3 million troops by the end of the 1990s, resulting in a total reduction of nearly 40 percent. When compared to the size of the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, these numbers have significantly decreased. In 1968 at the peak of the Vietnam War, the U.S. military consisted of approximately 3.5 million soldiers.
The size of the U.S. military fluctuates depending on the United States’ global affairs. Some global affairs that influence the size of the U.S. military include the nation’s involvement in wars, the degree in which the U.S. supports its allies overseas and the defense of the homeland against terrorist threats. Advancements in technology and change in missions attribute to the U.S. military's decrease in size.
As of 2014, the U.S. Army alone has approximately 515,888 troops containing the most personnel of any branch. The U.S. Army relies on a boots on the ground approach to accomplish its missions, which requires a larger quantity soldiers. During the peak of the Vietnam War in 1968, the U.S. Army contained roughly 1.57 million troops.
The U.S. Marine Corps also relies on a boots on the ground approach, but when compared to the Army, the Marine Corps deploys soldiers to trouble spots in a more precise manner. In 1968, the Marine Corps had 307,252 soldiers and by 2014 this branch decreased in size by nearly one third with 192,787 soldiers.
Throughout the Vietnam War, the U.S. Navy 765,457 sailors. Over time, the U.S. Navy benefited from advancements in technology which expanded their mobility but reduced their size to around 319,120 sailors in 2014.
The 326,259 U.S. Air Force personnel in 2014 also benefited from technological advancements. Improvements in missiles, computers, airplanes, weapons, satellites, and drones have increased the U.S. Air Force effectiveness without increasing numbers of personnel. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Air Force contained roughly 904,850 airmen.
Missions:
Since the Vietnam era, the U.S. military shifted from using large quantities of soldiers to a more stealth mission approach. The military developed several special operations divisions within each branch of the United States military. The Green Berets and Army Rangers, serve as the special operations division of the U.S. Army. Similarly, an elite group of fighter pilots known as the “Black Aces” serve in the U.S. Air Force carrying out complex missions. Likewise, the Navy SEALs serve as the special operations team for the U.S. Navy.
Since the Vietnam era, the U.S. military shifted from using large quantities of soldiers to a more stealth mission approach. The military developed several special operations divisions within each branch of the United States military. The Green Berets and Army Rangers, serve as the special operations division of the U.S. Army. Similarly, an elite group of fighter pilots known as the “Black Aces” serve in the U.S. Air Force carrying out complex missions. Likewise, the Navy SEALs serve as the special operations team for the U.S. Navy.
SEAL stands for Sea, Air and Land representing the three theatres this special force division operates in. The Navy SEALs often operated at night, deploying from boats and helicopters to carry out short direct-action missions like ambushes, hit-and-run raids, personnel recovery, intelligence collection and reconnaissance patrols. The Navy SEALs originated in WWII to assist with the Invasion of Normandy but were not officially established until 1962 by President Kennedy.
During the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War from 1965 through 1972, SEALs trained South Vietnamese troops and developed their reputation as an elite special ops force. Since Vietnam, the SEALs have been involved in several stealth missions around the world.
During the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War from 1965 through 1972, SEALs trained South Vietnamese troops and developed their reputation as an elite special ops force. Since Vietnam, the SEALs have been involved in several stealth missions around the world.
- Operation Urgent Fury (1983 ): Invaded Grenada to overthrow communist government and safely rescue Grenada’s governor general.
- Operation Just Cause (1989): Disabled an airfield to prevent the Panama’s President, Manuel Noriega, from escaping. U.S. government charged Noriega with drug trafficking and harassment of U.S. citizens living in Panama.
- Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield (1991): Collected key reconnaissance along the Kuwaiti coastline after Saddam Hussein's troops invaded due to a strife regarding oil. This was the largest scale conflict that the SEALs tackled since the Vietnam War.
- Operation Red Wings (2005): Captured a high-ranking Taliban leader in the mountains of Afghanistan’s Kunar Province. Taliban fighters attacked and killed three of the four SEALs leaving the fourth, Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell, unconscious and seriously wounded.
- Rescue of Captain Phillips (2009): Killed three Somali pirated that invaded merchant ship MV Maersk Alabama and took Captain Richard Phillips hostage. Three SEAL snipers simultaneously shot all three pirates bobbing lifeboat 90 feet away saving Captain Phillips.
- Operation Neptune Star (2011): Culmination of a ten year man hunt for Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 attacks. A team of two dozen SEALs raided a compound in Pakistan killing bin Laden.
Budget:
A nation's military budget quantifies a nation's military strength. The U.S. military budget, much like the size of the military, fluctuates depending on the nation’s involvement in wars, the degree in which the U.S. supports its allies overseas and defense of the homeland.
The budget for U.S. military spending for October 1, 2019, through September 30, 2020 is $989 billion. The budget is divided into four components.
These four components include:
Throughout the 1990s, the U.S. involvement in the Gulf War minimally affected the military budget, as spending remained relatively stable.
At the turn of the century, U.S. military spending spiked in 2001 with the terrorist attacks on September 11th. By the mid-2000s, U.S. military spending continued to increase as involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan War deployed U.S. forces overseas. Since 2001, the Overseas Contingency Operations budget has spent $2 trillion to pay for the War on Terror.
A nation's military budget quantifies a nation's military strength. The U.S. military budget, much like the size of the military, fluctuates depending on the nation’s involvement in wars, the degree in which the U.S. supports its allies overseas and defense of the homeland.
The budget for U.S. military spending for October 1, 2019, through September 30, 2020 is $989 billion. The budget is divided into four components.
These four components include:
- The base budget for the Department of Defense ($576 billion)
- Overseas Contingency Operations for foreign affairs ($176 billion)
- Other agencies that protect the U.S. homeland ($219.9 billion)
- Overseas Contingency Operations for domestic affairs ($26.1 billion)
Throughout the 1990s, the U.S. involvement in the Gulf War minimally affected the military budget, as spending remained relatively stable.
At the turn of the century, U.S. military spending spiked in 2001 with the terrorist attacks on September 11th. By the mid-2000s, U.S. military spending continued to increase as involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan War deployed U.S. forces overseas. Since 2001, the Overseas Contingency Operations budget has spent $2 trillion to pay for the War on Terror.
In 2008, as operations in the Iraq War lessened and the withdrawal of U.S. forces in Afghanistan began in 2012, U.S. military spending waned.
- 2013: Sequestration cut spending.
- Sequestration- automatic spending cuts that occur through the withdrawal of funding for certain (but not all) government programs.
- 2014: Wind-down of Afghanistan War.
- 2015: Sequestration cut spending. Still higher than in 2007.
- 2016: Resurgence of ISIS.
- 2017: Increase in VA and FBI funding. Trump asked Congress for $30 billion more in military spending.
- 2018: Trump asked Congress to repeal sequestration for the defense budget. Requested a spending increase to fight ISIS.
- 2019: Congress repealed sequestration for defense for two years.
History and Celebration of Veterans Day
Americans traditionally celebrate Veterans Day on November 11th every year to honor veterans and acknowledge their sacrifices. The United States does not a collective means of celebrating, but members of the military, members of government, and military families in communities across America gather to raise and lower flags, decorate graves, and participate in processions and parades. Even though the U.S. does not have a unified way of honoring its veterans, the Arlington National Cemetery holds an annual memorial service every Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
November 11th has special significance because November 11th 1918 marked the end of World War I. The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month signified the end of the First World War, which later became known as Armistice Day. Three years later, in 1921, Congress declared November 11th a legal federal holiday to honor all those who participated in World War I. In this same year, Congress also established the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery and established an annual ceremony on November 11th.
By 1954, American military personnel braved both World War II and the Korean War prompting the 83rd U.S. Congress and President Dwight Eisenhower to revise the word "Armistice" and insert the word "Veterans". November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. Then in 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill moved the celebration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. Seven years later in 1975, President Gerald Ford restored Veterans Day to November 11th because of the historical significance of the date. In 2001, the United States Senate expanded the celebration of Veterans Day from November 11th to encompass the entire week of November 11th through November 17th. This week became known as National Veterans Awareness Week throughout which elementary and secondary schools educate younger generations about the contributions and sacrifices of veterans.
Since there was a large amount of controversy over U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, civilians did not embrace soldiers returning from this war. To counteract this improper discrimination veterans encountered in the late 1970s, the U.S. government has recently taken several measures to honor those who served in the Vietnam War. The U.S. government created new policies to improve veterans’ lives. One of these new policies included the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, which helped integrate veterans into communities providing equal opportunities and avoid discrimination by supplying vocational training and job placement consultancy services for skilled disabled veterans.
More recently in 2017, President Trump signed into law The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017, establishing The National Vietnam War Veterans Day that will be celebrated each year on March 29th. On March 29th 2019, the Department of Defense began a new tradition at the Vietnam Memorial by hosting a wreath laying ceremony with the Department of Veterans Affairs specifically for those who served in the Vietnam War.
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https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/gulf-of-tonkin
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Pruitt, Sarah. “Navy SEALs: 10 Key Missions.” History Stories, History Channel, 22 Aug. 2018, https://www.history.com/news/navy-seals-10-key-missions.
Scarboro, Dale. The Vietnam War in Context. Hodder Education Group, 2015. Ebook. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1022087&site=eds-live.
Tung, Lam. “Vietnam War Era.” The Vietnam War, 21 June 2013, https://thevietnamwar.info/vietnam-war-era/.
“Vietnam Statistics.” US War Dog Association, The United States War Dog Association, http://www.uswardogs.org/vietnam-statistics/.
“Vietnam War Casualties (1955-1975).” Military Factory, Military Factory.com, 2019, https://www.militaryfactory.com/vietnam/casualties.asp.
“Vietnam War U.S. Military Fatal Casualty Statistics.” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, 30 Apr. 2019, https://www.archives.gov/research/military/vietnam-war/casualty-statistics#race.
Walker, Dinah. “Trends in U.S. Military Spending.” Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, 15 July 2014, https://www.cfr.org/report/trends-us-military-spending.