why was the vietnam war memorial so controversial?why was the vietnam war memorial so controversial?

why was the vietnam war memorial so controversial?23 Apr why was the vietnam war memorial so controversial?

William Jayne, who had been wounded in Vietnam, volunteered to head up public relations activities. Though a congressional investigative committee the previous year had warned that America could find itself slipping into in a morass that would require more and more military participation in Vietnam, Johnson began a steady escalation of the war, hoping to bring it to a quick conclusion. The Gold Star Mothers is a group of mothers whose sons or daughters have died serving their country. Vietnam veteran Jan Scruggs, the individual to first pitch the idea of a memorial, used $2,800 of his own money to begin the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund in 1979, according to History. In fact, throughout the 1970s, there was little political impetus on any front to address these shortcomings. Significant funding cuts to programs that had been instigated in the 1960s under Lyndon Johnsons Great Society domestic agenda followed, in addition to a major attack on union power. Vietnam Veterans Memorial | Facts, Designer, & Controversy You may have been tear-choked as you touched or watched others touch "the Wall" at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the most visited war memorial in our nation's capital. No government funds would be necessary. The whole week was extremely emotional, Becky Scruggs remembered. About Vietnam Veterans Memorial. In the nine months since hed been in-country, Scruggs had already seen a lot of action and had been wounded in a battle near Xuan Loc. The memorial should be conciliatory, transcending the tragedy of the war.3. Reflecting Absence (planned design for memorial to victims of attacks on the World Trade Center, September 11, 2001). On the off chance that military and political analysts are right, in the next few months we must test the enemys intentions, in case this is indeed his last big gasp before negotiations. South Korea: 50,000 As the selection of the granite was narrowed down, Lin was keen on preserving the notion that the granite walls be reflective and thin to help express a critical aspectof the design that the memorial was a cut in the earth that had been polished. Joe Biden's slogan that it was time "to end the forever war" in Afghanistan was called imbecilic by former Prime Minister Tony Blair. These meanings serve as unifying forces, reinforcing the idea of a shared national identity and healing rifts in the communal experience of nationhood. Wheeler recruited others to help, starting with a group of professional men, all Vietnam or Vietnam-era veterans: George Sandy Mayo, Arthur Mosley, John Morrison, Paul Haaga, Bill Marr, John Woods and certified public accountant Bob Frank, who agreed to become VVMFs treasurer. They set their sights in support of the clear, simple vision Scruggs outlined:to honor the warrior and not the war. The Best Answer To The Question Why was the vietnam war memorial so controversial? The design aroused a great deal of controversy, reflecting the lack of resolution of the national conflicts over the war as well as the lack of consensus over what constituted an appropriate memorial at the end of the 20th century. Scruggs was raised in a rural Maryland town between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. His mother was a waitress; his father a milkman. On the other side, the same thing was occurring, with even more inflated numbersvastly more. During President Dwight Eisenhowers administration (19531961), financial aid was given to pay South Vietnams military forces and American advisors were sent to help train them. It ended with communist victory in April 1975. (Ten times as many Vietnamese had fled the north, where the Communist Party was killing off its rivals, seizing property, and oppressing the large Catholic population.) Following a march by thousands of veterans through the streets of Washington, D.C., to the National Mall site, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated on November 13, 1982. Together with Spreiregen, he composed a report based on these thoughtful comments. Some 80,000 Vietnamese from the south had moved to the north after the Geneva Agreements were signed. He closed by saying: To say that we are closer to victory today is to believe, in the face of the evidence, the optimists who have been wrong in the past. 1) it commemorated an unpopular war. To its own surprise, Hanoi found its forces advancing rapidly toward Saigon, realized victory was at hand, and renamed the operation the Ho Chi Minh Offensive. The truth was, veterans were no more likely to be addicted to drugs than those who did not serve. . 4. Among other duties, Healy was the member of Mathias staff who handled memorials and worked as the liaison with the U.S. Department of the Interior. Letters came from moms, dads, grandparents, sons and daughters with heartfelt notes accompanied by checks and dollar bills. I heard that those present agreed to double their contributions after Taylor completed her remarks, Scruggs said. Jan was a great spokesperson. He made an impassioned plea for funding to his guests, members of the defense industry. On the other side were the veterans and their self-appointed spokesmen, politicians such as Webb and James Watt (Secretary of the Interior under Ronald Reagan), and social conservatives such as Pat Buchanan. Frances military involvement in Vietnam began when it sent warships in 1847, ostensibly to protect Christians from the ruling emperor Gia Long. On April 30, 1980, the Senate approved legislation authorizing the Memorial, followed by approval in the House on May 20, 1980. Please leave evidence I will report anything other than this 1 See answer Advertisement lheduardomarques Financial costs had risen to $30 billion a year. This fear evolved into the Domino Theory; if one country fell to communist control, its neighbors would also soon fall like a row of dominos. It set the tone for the ensuing cultural debates pitting the people against the elites, as found in Tom Wolfes criticism of Lins memorial design. This message of personal responsibility, in contrast to governance by an elite group on behalf of individuals, became a hallmark of the Reagan administration. Sturken, 322; Anne Swartz, American Art After September 11: A Consideration of the Twin Towers, Symploke 14, nos. The priorities were to launch fund raising and achieve passage of the authorizing legislation. I had my ear to the ground, Mathias recalled. When the veterans began to return home they were greeted not with cheers and shouts of joy that soldiers met when they came home from WW2. I heard there was a group of serious veterans, not just people getting together to have a beer in the evening, but a group that was serious about getting together to address the problems of the veterans.. and was so hurt by the controversy . Just before Christmas 1979, Warner hosted a fundraising breakfast in his Georgetown home. The memorial itself, was a . When I meet Vietnam veterans who stop me to say thank you for creating the Memorial, I always want to say: thank you, for the service and sacrifices that all of you have made in service to your country, she added. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located in Washington D.C., is a tribute to the soldiers who served in the Vietnam War. (Woods continues to serve on VVMFs Board of Directors to this day. His research had proven that post-traumatic stress was real and had shone a light on the challenges faced by a significant number of military veterans. Similar, even larger, atrocities were conducted by VC and NVA unitssuch as an NVA attack on a Buddhist orphanage at An Hoa in September 1970 or the execution of 5,000 people at Hue during the Tet Offensivebut the concept of American soldiers killing civilians in cold blood was more than many Americans could bear. United States: 540,000 The wars length and the growing number of casualties were fueling tensions. By the time the compromise statue is dedicated, a move for the addition of a women's memorial is already underway. The NVA suffered some 120,000 casualties. Maya Lin, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 198182. While many veterans successfully reintegrated into their families and communities, tucking their experiences in combat away on a mental back shelf, others were unable to cope on their own. In late spring 1969, American and South . It seemed unfair and inappropriate that there should be no recognition.. Having chosen Libeskinds overarching vision, titled Memory Foundations, in February 2003, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (tasked with coordinating the redevelopment of lower Manhattan and administering the nearly $10 billion in federal funds devoted to supporting that effort) two months later announced the memorial design competition. On January 30, 1968, during Vietnams celebration of Tet, the lunar new year, VC and NVA units launched a massive attack in every province of South Vietnam. As Scruggs analyzed the concept of collective psychological states, he realized that, just as veterans needed psychological healing, so too did the nation. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Using his findings, he testified at the Senate hearing on the Veterans Health Care Amendments Act of 1977, with the hope that he could help veterans gain access to the services and support they needed. In a February 27, 1968, broadcast he summed up what he had found during his return trip to the war zone. A cadre was drawn from those who went north; they were trained, equipped and sent back to the south to aid in organizing and guiding the insurgency. Why the Battle for Hamburger Hill Was So Controversial. This development was shaped by the theories of economic neoliberals on the one hand and by the values of their socially conservative allies on the other. Marinesnear Van Truong, from the VC point of view. Also known as "America's Longest War," U.S. involvement in Vietnam War did not end until 1973. In the Rose Garden of the White House, immediately following President Jimmy Carters signing of the bill, Scruggs explained to the press the vision of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the non-profit organization that collected and administered the funds for the memorial. Everything has to be thought out and in place before the launch button is pressed.. On January 27, 1973, peace accords were signed between North Vietnam and the U.S. Initially, however, homefront support for the war effort grew, but by March Americans, perceiving no change in strategy that would bring the war to a conclusion, became increasingly disillusioned. On July 9, 1964, China had announced it would step in if the U.S. attacked North Vietnam, as China had done in the Korean War. His reasoning was that a complete mess would make it tough to stop construction. The timing and scale of the offensive caught ARVN, the U.S. and other SEATO troops by surprise, however. One needs no artistic education to see this design for what it is, a black trench that scars the Mall. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a tribute to the dead of the United States ' longest, most unpopular, and least successful war. The Making of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial - JSTOR Daily 6. zThe Vietnam Wall Controversy, Round 3, October 1981January 1982, History on Trial, Lehigh University Digital Library, accessed April 21, 2011, https://digital.lib.lehigh.edu/trial/vietnam/r3/october/. Ibid. But the meeting gave Scruggs his first ally: former Air Force intelligence officer and attorney Robert Doubek, who thought a memorial was a good idea. She greeted each visitor in a regal fashion, wearing a dressing gown, perfect makeup, and beautiful shoes that curled up at the toes. I was dumbfounded that we had succeeded at doing this. By the time of World War II, a number of groups sought Vietnamese independence but as Vo Nguyen Giapwho would build Vietnams postWWII armyexpressed it, the communists were the best organized and most action-oriented of these groups. Warner, who had served as Secretary of the Navy during the war, was himself a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. All of them realized how critical it was that a memorial be apolitical. It seemed every time they contacted someone, they were greeted with enthusiasm for the idea. Over 500,000 wounded, Explore articles from the HistoryNet archives about Vietnam War. Its detractors perceived it as "a monument to defeat, one that spoke more directly to a nation's guilt than to the honor of the war dead and the veterans," describing it as the "black gash of shame," the "degrading ditch," and a "wailing wall for draft dodgers and New Lefters of the future." 4 Responding to its lack of North and South Vietnam were combined into the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1976. He had been a war correspondent during World War II and had reported from Vietnam during Americas early involvement. It was such a great cause, and they were bound and determined to make it happen.. Its army lacked reserves, while the NVA was growing. Most at the meeting told him they didnt want a memorial; they wanted more benefits and government support. My background was relatively modest, he said. EIN: 52-1149668, Copyright 2023 The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display, History of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. In 1972 a poll determined he was the most trusted man in America.. By the time he returned home, three months after the explosion, the country was even further divided. 14. CBS evening news anchor Walter Cronkite returned to Vietnam to see for himself what was happening. Why reinforce the bourgeoisies pathetic illusions? She is still remembered fondly by veterans for the moving Memorial she designed for them. Low estimates calculate 110,000 combat KIA and a half-million wounded. In 1993 the Vietnam Womens Memorial was unveiled a short distance from the wall. The peasants resented being forced from their ancestral lands, and consolidating them gave the VC better targets. The effects of U.S. involvement, the impact of an individual's participation, political decisions and the politics of decision-making are still felt. Although Americas war in Vietnam failed to salvage the Republic of South Vietnam, it bought time in which neighboring countries improved their economies and defensive capabilities, and it may have discouraged greater communist activism in places like the Philippines. When Scruggs went to see the movie in early 1979, it wasnt the graphic war scenes that haunted him. She was regularly swept up and raced to the bomb shelter with her parents and siblings. PDF A New World - US History Options Lins minimal plan was in sharp contrast to the traditional format for a memorial, which usually included figurative heroic sculpture. Ho Chi Minh had been educated in Paris. To treat the Vietnam dead like the victims of some monstrous traffic accident is more than a disservice to history; it is a disservice to the memory of the 57,000.5. while the veterans were primarily concerned with the ability of the design to offer emotional comfort to veterans and the families of the dead, either in terms of forgiveness or honor.7. Charles Mac Mathias, a Navy veteran of World War II, had been opposed to the war in Vietnam, but he had always respected those who served in it. The controversy surrounding the memorial instantly vanished from the pages of the press, replaced by celebrations of its interactivity, tranquility, and emotive power. This presented the new MACV commander (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam), General William C. Westmoreland with a thorny challenge: how to show the American people progress was being made. They were also the most collegial people, who would deliberate intensely but never argue or posture, Spreiregen remembered. They needed support, friendship and help. Popular dark tourism attractions include Auschwitz, Chernobyl and Ground Zero. Two U.S. helicopter units arrived in Saigon in 1961. By early 1980, contributions started to arrive. With the seed money from several defense industry donors, especially Grumman Aerospace, VVMF launched its first large-scale direct mail campaign to reach out to the public. But if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else? Usually it refers to the period when the United States and other members of the SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) joined the forces with the Republic of South Vietnam to contest communist forces, comprised of South Vietnamese guerrillas and regular-force units, generally known as Viet Cong (VC), and . The U.S. suffered over 47,000 killed in action, Kennedy himself was assassinated in Dallas, VC and NVA units launched a massive attack, CBS evening news anchor Walter Cronkite returned to Vietnam, https://www.historynet.com/the-vietnam-war-a-history-of-americas-controversial-war/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, When 21 Sikh Soldiers Fought the Odds Against 10,000 Pashtun Warriors, Few Red Tails Remain: Tuskegee Airman Dies at 96. Vietnam Veterans Memorial - U.S. Department of Defense Critics of Lins design proposed that a second work be included on the memorial site, as a solution to the problem of the original memorial design: a figurative bronze statue by Frederick Hart of three soldiers in uniform, which had placed third in the initial competition. A Space of Loss: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial - JSTOR 2. And if they themselves didnt know how to help, they knew someone who did. We had to constantly find the most effective next step to take and be sure not to get waylaid by tangents. The group started to hold regular planning meetings. One film that came out early that year,The Deer Hunter,explored the effects of war on three friends, their families and a tight-knit community. American troops had won every major battle they fought, and General Nguyen Van Thieu had come to power in South Vietnam in September; he would remain in office until 1975, bringing a new measure of stability to the government, though he could not end its endemic corruption. Unlike previous wars, where only still images or short movie newsreels were available for conveying images, this was Americas first television war. Sturken notes, "the memorial was seen as a monument to defeat, one that spoke more directly to a nation's guilt than to the honor of the war dead and the veterans." The disagreements over the design revealed anxiety about ownership of the war's representation. This began a series of destabilizing changes in government leadership. In the fall of 1980, VVMF announced the national design competition open to any U.S. citizen, who was over 18 years old. The VVMF organizers soon learned that it required an Act of Congress to build a memorial on Federal land, and Scruggs first called one of the senators for his home state of Maryland. The military dog tags, flowers, war medals, photographs, and even favorite toys left behind aid the healing process. The Vietnam War is the commonly used name for the Second Indochina War, 19541975. To created credibility for the fledgling effort, they formed the National Sponsoring Committee, which included then-first lady Rosalynn Carter, former President Gerald Ford, Bob Hope, future first lady Nancy Reagan, Gen. William C. Westmoreland, USA, Vietnam veteran author James Webb, and Adm. James J. Stockdale, USN. We are all equal in combat. It was becoming apparent that we had been able to be instruments to something far greater than anything we had ever imagined..

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