Consequences of the War
By: Jacqueline W.
Despite the ending of the Vietnam War, Americans still felt very passionate about it. There was great debate and controversy remaining throughout the country. Some argued that the war would have ended in victory if the U.S. had put more military power into it. These same people also blamed the lack of morale on the home front. On the other hand, some thought that furthering conflict with Vietnam would draw in China or the Soviet Union.
On a larger scale, the war caused a change in many U.S. policies. This included revoking the draft which had caused so much stress back in the U.S. Congress also passed the War Powers Act. This stated that a president must inform Congress within 48 hours of sending forces into a hostile area without a declaration of war. The Vietnam War also vastly changed the way Americans viewed foreign policy. Specifically, citizens tend to think more about how they would be directly affect should the United States become involved in foreign affairs. The war also caused people to start being more weary of the government. After losing their first war, American citizens started to feel that the government was less capable. People started to question the competency of their leaders. It also lead to many people discrediting the military for many years. |