Were soldiers and veterans regarded differently as a result of different wars throughout the 20th century? Yes! America endured several wars throughout the 20th Century, including the Spanish American War, World War I, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf Wars. Each were crucial wars powered by soldiers. We hear about war stories, heroic actions, and deadly battles, but what we do not consider as often is the inner battles fought at home once the external wars were over. How were veterans received in America after their sacrifices? How did this treatment reflect the public’s opinion of war at the time? The reaction toward returning veterans swung back and forth throughout the 20th Century. Whether the public saw them as heroes, or murders, or just another man doing his job, the public’s opinion of the war greatly affected the veterans who fought it.
Spanish American War and World War I:
Were soldiers and veterans regarded differently as a result of different wars throughout the 20th century? Yes! America endured several wars throughout the 20th Century, including the Spanish American War, World War I, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf Wars. Each were crucial wars powered by soldiers. We hear about war stories, heroic actions, and deadly battles, but what we do not consider as often is the inner battles fought at home once the external wars were over. How were veterans received in America after their sacrifices? How did this treatment reflect the public’s opinion of war at the time? The reaction toward returning veterans swung back and forth throughout the 20th Century. Whether the public saw them as heroes, or murders, or just another man doing his job, the public’s opinion of the war greatly affected the veterans who fought it.
Vietnam War:
Veterans were treated very differently during the Vietnam War. Eleven million men were drafted and enlisted, 50 thousand men evaded the draft or deserted the military, and there were about 358,000 casualties. Although these numbers are significant, they do not show the real difference between previous wars and the Vietnam War.
World War II veterans were treated as heroes. Their return was celebrated and they were given many benefits. Even with these niceties many veterans from previous wars came home haunted by their experiences, but at least they did not come home to a country doubting the reasons for the war like Vietnam Veterans did. They did not return as symbols of national failure.
Protests against the Vietnam War started in the early 1960s. These protests were supported by a broad range of groups and people, like Martin Luther King Jr. Throughout the years protests became more insistent and vocal. Protestors did not approve of the loss of American lives for a “lost cause”. They wanted to minimize losses in a war that was considered a rash endeavor. There came a widespread uneasiness over the war because of the civil disobedience and marches used by the protestors. People opposed to protests tried to portray them as “anti-Americans” who committed treasonous acts under orders from communist leaders, but there were not many people with this mindset left in America.
The protests had a large political effect as well. Both President Nixon and Johnson were outraged by the antiwar bias, especially since the United States had more reported successes than losses. People had written letters to members of Congress and the President, published advertisements in newspapers, signed petitions, joined vigils in public places like military installations, refused to pay taxes, and refused to register for the draft. When it came to politics, people supported candidates with antiwar positions like Eugene McCarthy, Robert Kennedy, and George McGovern. All of these occurrences contributed to President Johnson’s statement that he would not run for reelection. Vice President Hubert Humphrey wanted to be his successor so he gradually let his opposition of the war be known. The assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, Humphrey’s leading rival, added to the Democratic party’s turmoil. The election was surprisingly close, but Nixon pulled through as America’s next President.
Many people blamed the soldiers for the situation in Vietnam and not the government who sent them. They saw soldiers as “ready and willing killers”. Some spit on returning veterans and called them baby killers, but most just felt uncomfortable around them. The public did not want to hear about soldiers’ experiences overseas and generally did not interact with them as they used to. Even veterans from previous wars looked down on Vietnam veterans because they had lost the war. The public did not receive the soldiers with the support and understanding they needed, which led to veterans feeling alone and isolated. Soldiers did not feel accepted by their friends and families anymore.
Many soldiers blamed their cold reception on the antiwar movement and held a deep resentment for the protesters. They believed that it was not fair for protestors to question their actions because the protestors had not been to Vietnam themselves. However, most of the resentment was due to the different social classes that separated the soldiers from the protestors. Most of the protestors were middle class and upper class college students, while the majority of the soldiers were working class and came from poor backgrounds. This was mainly because more deferments were given to the wealthy and well educated because they could afford to go through college and even pursue advanced degrees after graduation. This qualified them for student deferments. Protest became just another class privilege.
Most veterans had a hard time adjusting to life in America. Unlike previous wars, the government only offered veterans $200 a month, partially because they had spent so much on the war. Most did not get college degrees and about 250,000 veterans were unable to find jobs when they returned from war. Some turned to crime and drugs to earn a living. Actually, 25% of Vietnam Veterans were arrested on criminal charges, most for drug related offense, within ten years of the war’s end.
The soldiers struggled to overcome emotional and physical injuries and drug addictions from Vietnam. A lot of them did not have access to private health care, so they had to rely on the government to provide treatment and rehabilitation. Unfortunately, the government funded Veterans Administration did not help much since most of its hospitals were understaffed, dirty, and the government denied that some health problems were caused by their experiences in Vietnam. Many veterans had developed mental and emotional problems and struggled to cope with their feelings about the war. They suffered from symptoms like depression, guilt, flashbacks, nightmares, mood swings, angry outbursts, anxiety, and paranoia. Doctors eventually named the condition as Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome and recognized it as a physiological illness, but they did not admit its existence until 1979, 6 years after all soldiers had returned home, and they still could not treat it well. Almost as many Vietnam veterans decided to commit suicide because of PTSS as the amount of soldiers killed in combat.
In the 1980s, people’s views began to change. They saw that even if the war had been wrong, most of the men fighting it were just doing their jobs and following orders. They began to feel sympathy and gratitude for the veterans. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was designed by Maya Lin and was built in Washington D.C. to honor all of the members of the United States Armed Forces who served a died in the Vietnam War. The monument was dedicated on November 13, 1982.
Iraq War:
Veteran treatment in America has greatly changed since the Vietnam War. Although there are still several issues that we are working to overcome, America has progressed a lot and now promotes many non-profit organizations and programs that help veterans get back on the right track after war. The pendulum has swung back and once again American soldiers are heroes. We are working with soldiers who are struggling to cope with PTSD and addictions instead of againstthem.
One of the most influential organizations in place today is the Wounded Warrior Project. The Wounded Warrior Project realizes that the transition back to civilian life is difficult and they take steps to help individuals brighten their future. They create unique challenges and goals for each “warrior,” while providing a variety of veteran programs and services designed to help them improve their lives. Because of their generous donors, veterans do not have to pay anything for this life saving treatment. “They paid their dues on the battlefield.” The Wounded Warrior health clinic and wellness coaching helps to jumpstart veterans’ health routines. It allows veterans to gather to learn about healthy nutrition and exercise. It also provides a three month personalized one on one wellness coaching program that includes weekends with fellow soldiers. This is meant to motivate each of the soldiers to make lifestyle changes. 32.6% of the soldiers who participated in this program responded that physical activity helped them to cope with stress and emotional concerns.
Another program recently installed to help soldiers regain regular civilian lives is the Veteran Treatment Courts. Veteran Treatment Courts are designed to give veterans specific treatment for their issues and keep them out of jail. The Veteran Treatment Courts are highly successful drug and mental health treatment courts exclusive to soldiers. They help connect defendants to treatment services as a standard part of the court process. They provide inspiration and structure to veteran courts, and generally inspire soldiers to try to work harder to overcome their obstacles. After the first Veteran Treatment Court was established in 2008, the Veteran Administration was inspired to create a related program called Veterans Justice Outreach, which addresses issues like homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, and helps veterans involved in the criminal justice system. Currently, there are 700,000 veterans in the criminal justice system. Veteran Treatment Courts allow these veterans to be surrounded by other veterans, receive specific treatment, and restart their lives. 11,000 veterans who would otherwise be in jail received life saving treatment from Veteran Treatment Courts. This system has a 98% success rate and makes it less likely for veterans to be re-arrested. The Veteran Treatment Courts have truly changed lives.
This country’s view of veterans is once again one of pride and support. Russ Baldwin comments, “One of the biggest differences between now and the Vietnam War is that often when I walk into a restaurant in uniform someone buys my meal. When I came home from Iraq a random woman was walking in front of me and turned abruptly to give me a hug. I arrived back in my home country in a small airport in Bangor Maine. I would say that it could only hold about 300 people and there was at least 300 people there at 2:00am to welcome our soldiers home. That is the difference between Vietnam and now.”
America has changed dramatically over the time since the Spanish American War and will continue to change in the future. We must do our best to support our veterans and understand their struggles. Even though we have taken positive steps forward reducing the number of veteran issues, the United States still has many serious obstacles to combat. More than half of the veterans from Iraq returned with mental health issues. 1 in 6 soldiers struggle with drug addictions and 1 in 5 struggle with PTSD. If left untreated, these issues can lead to unemployment, homelessness, arrest, and suicide.
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