Essay about The Social Impact of the Vietnam War

THE
 
Social Impact of the Vietnam War
 
 
 
Jess Carrignan
 
December 10, 2010
 
A.P. U.S. History Changes in societies have occurred since the very first civilizations and continue to occur today. Each society is a reflection of the art and music, as well as the people and their values and beliefs of the people of the time. The social structure of the people is very much shaped by the events that occur during that particular generation. Often in history major events such as wars and natural disasters are the defining factors that influence and shape that particular society. Here in the United States our society is certainly no exception. It has been constantly changing since the very early days of the Pilgrims. One such event that shaped…show more content…
They strongly emphasized individual rights and freedoms and felt that Americans needed to break free from the bonds of true self expression. This breaking away from the traditional American beliefs and values created a generation gap, between those in the younger generation who actively protested the war and those in the older generations whose conservative views held that Americans should support their troops regardless of their own political and moral feelings, and held fast to their conservative beliefs. The major rift in society was caused solely by the Vietnam War and the effects it had throughout the country. The Vietnam War brought about a gradual, yet defining, change in American values: from a sense of patriotism and pride in ones country, towards a heavy emphasis on pacifism, love and the unbounded freedoms and rights they believed Americans were entitled to.  
 
The Vietnam War also highly influenced education. Often during times of war, education was pushed aside and neglected since the majority of young men who would normally go to school were sent overseas to fight in the wars. The Vietnam War however played a major role in education and vice versa. The generation during this time period prided themselves on their education and grew to seek more and more knowledge despite the challenges they faced due to the war. The youth of this period were actually very well educated in comparison with previous generations. Education did not seem to be inhibited by the