'Vietnam Shadows'

Paper Summary:

The paper examines Isaacs' argument that the lessons and legacy of the Vietnam War are still contested. There are many ways that the Vietnam War still resides in the American consciousness, and Isaacs presents many of them with frank discussion and honest analysis. The paper shows how Isaacs points out the vast difference between the Vietnam War and other wars. The paper concludes that the author presents many compelling arguments that indicate the Vietnam War lives on in the minds and hearts of the American people and it seems the conflict in Iraq will have the same long and disturbing place in American history.

From the Paper:

"Just about every American will agree the Vietnam War split the country into two distinct factions. There were those who were for the war in Southeast Asia, and those who were against it. Both sides were impassioned, vocal, and very staunch in their beliefs. Vietnam raised issues about war and fighting that had not been raised before, and some of those issues have never been effectively addressed for many Americans. That is another reason the war is still contested today. It is because the real reasons America went to war may have repeatedly been dissected and discussed, but many Americans have never actually accepted them. Many people cannot forget that the government got the country into a war that many opposed, botched the war badly, and then withdrew anyway, accomplishing nothing. The anger and the sadness have never been resolved, and they continue to fester as Vietnam vets age and the ravages of the war are still being seen in our society."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Isaacs, Arnold R. (1997.) Vietnam Shadows: The War, Its Ghosts, and Its Legacy. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

More papers on 'Vietnam Shadows':

• Argumentative Essay # 145644 : "The Mistake of Conscription"
• Essay # 30400 : "The Presidency of Richard Nixon."
• Book Review # 28713 : "Lyndon Johnson's War"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: