Vietnam+War+vs+Iraq+War

The Vietnam War lasted from 1969 to 1975. When it ended, American soldiers came back to their homes, officially becoming veterans, men who had served in the armed forces. Although the Vietnam War came to an end in 1975, both the veterans and the war itself have had effects on our nation. Back when Vietnam veterans were first returning home, many of them were not welcomed back warmly by society. While the instances of actual harassment were small, there was a general unreceptive feeling. These emotions came from the media broadcasted images that showed what the Vietnam soldiers had done to the Vietnamese while they were over there. However, the welcoming for Iraq veterans is much different than for those returning from the Vietnam War over thirty years ago. Back then, veterans were not really welcomed on campuses. But, this is no longer the case for soldiers returning from Iraq. Now, colleges openly welcome the soldiers, for they realize the potential the men and women have in relation to their contributions to society. Campuses are not the only institutions open to the returning of soldiers. In Minnesota, the National Guard created Beyond the Yellow Ribbon which encourages integration of veterans by way of their education (Colleges Eagerly... 1). Our country, and the people within it, are trying hard to ease the transition these veterans go through when coming back home. This unity and warmth, while abstract from the ways of the past, is a step forward from the treatment of the Vietnam veterans. Many Vietnam veterans, when the war in Iraq was just beginning, saw uncanny similarities between the war they fought and lived through, and the Iraq War. The government, for example, was not honest with the nation about the problems that would need to be overcome, in order to win the war. The Bush Administration also made he mistake of underestimating the enemy, especially in terms of their resolve and capabilities (Moniz 1). This was the same scenario that occurred with Vietnam when the United States got involved. America believed that the enemy was uncivilized and would easily be defeated. This belied was the exact opposite of reality, which was the exact same case with the Iraq War. So, of course the Vietnam veterans would seem similarities regarding the blunders of the government. Another circumstance in which the statements made by the government did not correspond to what was actually happening was how the administrations made predictions whose optimism contrasted the images shown by the media (Moniz 1). In Vietnam, this was often done by the White House, to boost the morale of American citizens. It was believed that they would show more support for the war, if they were told information that made them believe it was running smoothly. What people were told by the government and what was being shown by the media were two completely different things. The mistakes made by the government of the past were once again repeated with the Iraq War. Even though the Vietnam War occurred over thirty years ago, its effects and the actions of its veterans can still be felt in today’s society. Many people learned from the mistakes made in the past, at least in terms of how to treat returning soldiers. Iraq veterans are treated with much more decency than the veterans of the Vietnam War. From the events that occurred with the Iraq War, one can clearly see how similar it is to the Vietnam War. If the government had heeded what had paid attention to the mistakes of the previous administration, perhaps circumstances within Iraq might have gone differently.