Why was the reception different for their returns? Do you think it has to do with the fact that Vietnam was the first ever televised war? Do you think WWII would have gotten a different reception if it had been televised? I personally doubt it, but you never know. What are your thoughts? I know they are two completely different wars and two completely different eras. So it is probably a bad comparison, but different wars tend to have different reactions.
http://en.fbii.org/media/286.htmlFirst and foremost, the US remained out of the war until we were attacked. The rest of the world had been fighting since 1939, but the US did not enter until Dec 1941. The number of people who were killed in Pearl Harbor was roughly close to those who died in 9/11. Plus, we lost a significant portion of our Pacific fleet. It made us look weak, it hurt our pride, and basically.... we were attacked and devastated. Because of this, pride swelled throughout the nation. the same way we all flew flags and yellow ribbons and sang God Bless America after 9/11, these people revved up their patriotism. The Civil Defense called upon everyday citizens to contribute to the war effort. People collected cooking grease in cans to help with lubrication, they bought war bonds, and even Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck enlisted in the Army (seriously.. that Disney collection is incredible!). After WWII, America prospered. The children of the Great Depression were suddenly thrust into the golden age of production. People who grew up hungry suddenly had jobs and cars--once thought impossible. Life was good, and they provided a good life for their children. By the time the baby boomers grew up, even the women were being encouraged to go to college. America was in the middle of civil rights protests and activism on many fronts were the norm. Generations before were expected to do certain things: join the military, get married, have kids. Because of the prosperity after the war, principles changed. Women were demanding rights. Blacks were demanding rights. Those with disabilities were demanding rights. Vietnam was seen as the war on the other side of the country that had nothing to do with us. So with all this civil unrest, why would people want to go to war? One of the most celebrated Presidents we ever had was executed on our streets. Things were screwed up. Add the fact that J Edgar Hoover was harassing, investigating and persecuting those who protested the war.. people saw this as a war in itself. So the government was evil. The soldiers who worked for the government was evil. The constant images of the television, the daily casualty reports, and captions such as "child runs as USAF bombs village" all contributed to the horribly repulsive way we as a nation received the returning soldiers. Another point is that the US was pumping them full of drugs. They took drugs to stay awake, drugs to go to sleep and illegal drugs were actually being brought back from Vietnam in our supplies and with the troops. So our government and media allowed them to be seen as drugged out baby killers. Unfortunately, the shameful way the US treated those troops laid the foundation of how we respect and welcome home those who came after. Even that crazy church that was picketing the funerals was held at bay as biker gangs around the country stood guard on the ceremonies. People like to fit in. They like fellowship and community. When tragedy strikes, we pull together. 9/11. Katrina. Sandy. Our government needs to figure out how to get us to bond together to prevent tragedy, or before it happens. We need to get that patriotism back. But the only way to do that is to kick all the politicians out of office. http://en.fbii.org/media/286.html
