Vietnam War and the Decline of the American Dream

The Vietnam War had a vital impact on American society, particularly in relation to the American Dream. The war's duration, cost (The Vietnam War cost $168 billion, or $1 trillion in today's dollars, that included $111 billion in military operations and $28.5 billion in aid to South Vietnam), and unpopularity led many Americans to question its validity and the government's honesty. This erosion of trust resulted in a growing sense of detachment among the younger generation.

Moreover, the economic consequences of the war were significant. It strained the federal budget, leading to inflation and high unemployment rates. These economic challenges created barriers for young people seeking to pursue the American Dream through conventional means, such as finding good jobs and buying homes.

The decline of the American Dream was a major factor in the social unrest of the 1960s and 1970s, with youth protesting against the war and perceived societal and economic inequalities. The Vietnam War fuelled the growth of youth activism, as disillusioned young individuals actively protested against the war and societal inequalities. These protests and movements were manifestations of the declining American Dream.

Timeline 

(from the balance)

  • 1887: The roots of the Vietnam War begin when France colonizes the country.6

  • 1940-1945: Japan beats the French in Vietnam during World War II.

  • 1945: France takes Vietnam back. Communist Ho Chi Minh leads a nationalist guerrilla fight to declare independence.

  • 1950: The Viet Minh and Chinese troops, armed with Soviet military equipment, attack French outposts in Vietnam. President Eisenhower sends military advisors to assist the French in their fight against the spread of communism.

  • 1954: The Viet Minh defeats France. President Eisenhower warns of a domino effect that could propel all of Southeast Asia into a communist rule.7 The Geneva Accord divides Vietnam on the 17th Parallel. The U.S.-backed democracy governed the South, while Ho Chi Minh led the North.

  • 1959: North Vietnam's troops build the Ho Chi Minh Trail through Laos and Cambodia to supply guerrilla attacks against South Vietnam's government.

  • 1960: President John F. Kennedy sends 400 Green Berets to fight the Viet Cong.

  • 1962: U.S. aircraft begin spraying Agent Orange to defoliate vegetation that hides Viet Cong.8

  • 1963-1965: JFK increases U.S. military advisers to more than 16,000. A U.S.-backed military coup replaces Ngo Dinh Diem. Twelve more coups occur, destabilizing South Vietnam's government.

  • 1964: ​President Lyndon B. Johnson reports that North Vietnam patrol boats torpedoed the USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy in the Gulf of Tonkin. Congress authorizes U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam conflict. There are 23,300 troops in Vietnam.9

  • 1965: President Johnson increases troops to 184,300.

  • 1966: U.S. troops in Vietnam increases to 385,300.

  • 1967: LBJ increases U.S. troops to 485,600.

  • 1968: At Khe Sanh, 5,000 Marines hold off 20,000 North Vietnamese for 77 days.10 Months later, U.S. military leaders abandon the base. North Vietnam launches the Tet Offensive.11 It attacks 100 cities and outposts in South Vietnam, including the U.S. Embassy. The My Lai massacre further weakens support for the war.12 Antiwar protests encourage Senators Eugene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy to announce their candidacies for president. LBJ withdraws from the race. Richard Nixon wins the election by promising to end the draft. U.S. troop level hits a peak of 536,100.

  • 1969: U.S. troops conquer Hamburger Hill in a bloody battle, only to abandon it days later.13 Nixon institutes a draft lottery to overcome the perception that wealthier white men are avoiding the draft through deferment.14 the number of U.S. troops in Vietnam drops to 475,200. Nixon orders the bombing of communist base camps in Cambodia. A recession begins in December.

  • 1970: U.S. troops attack Cambodian base camps. National Guard soldiers kill four students at Kent State University's antiwar protest.15 U.S. National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger begins secret peace negotiations with North Vietnam representatives in Paris.16 The troop level drops to 234,600. The recession lasts until November. Unemployment peaks at 6.1% in December.

  • 1971: The New York Times publishes the Pentagon Papers.17 It reveals the extent of U.S. involvement in Vietnam during the Kennedy administration. It also concludes that heavy bombing of North Vietnam did not reduce the enemy's will to fight.18 The U.S. troop level falls to 156,800. In August, Nixon ends the gold standard, which sends the dollar plummeting, in turn increasing import prices. He imposes a 10% tariff on imports, which also worsens inflation. He institutes wage-price controls to stop the inflation, but that slows growth.19 Companies can't lower wages, so they lay off workers to cut costs.

  • 1972: Nixon increases the bombing of North Vietnam's civilians while reducing troops to 24,200. Nixon's policies create stagflation.

  • 1973: The draft ends. Paris Peace Accords end the war. Nixon ends the gold standard. The OPEC oil embargo begins in October. The recession begins in November. LBJ dies of a heart attack.

  • 1975: North Vietnam overruns Saigon, and South Vietnam surrenders. The recession ends in March 1975.

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