The Legacy Issues of Vietnam - Article Example

The article essentially describes and discusses the turbulent decade during which the war took place and the widespread impact it had on how other nations perceived the United States. It seeks to question and analyze the fundamental strategies used during and post-war and question the underlying ethics and morality of the acts of the then President. The author questions the credibility and viability of the strategic measures implemented by Nixon and Kissinger and describes the agreements and political stance adopted during the period, as highly fragile and questionable. In conclusion, the article highlights the disastrous consequences of the Vietnam War; the unethical and immoral agreements and policies adopted by the then President, and its impact in shaping the perception of the country on a global level.

The author is hinting at the failures of the Nixon administration and questioning the morality and credibility of their actions. This is apparent from the detailed description and discussion of the various agreements that the government entered into to curb the dissent among the public such as the Paris agreements; the torturous negotiations to seek a settle the ongoing feud; the attempt to secure Saigon's acquiescence and the secret agreements to continue economic and military aid in the event of a violation of these agreements.

The author argues that the futile attempts made by the Nixon government eventually led to the erosion of power and led the Watergate scandal. It is an account of his faulty and desperate strategies that brought an abrupt end to his political reign. He further states that Kissinger's persistent demands to expand American military aid evoked insistent demands for reducing expenditures. The resultant aid cuts resulted in a drastic reduction in the American funds and provision of equipment to the armed forces, thus negatively affecting the air force operations and leading to as much as a fifty percent shortage in gasoline and spare parts. The dwindling American support weakened the morale of the army which was already reeling under the North Vietnamese blows. These events led to the sudden collapse of the South Vietnamese army.

In conclusion, the author argues that the intervention of the U.S. Army and the excessive funds utilized during the war took a toll on the taxpayers and led to inflation in the country, thus leading to widespread dissent among the public.

I believe that the stubborn support and persistent futile attempts made by the American government during the Vietnam war led to a collapse of the American economy and brought about widespread dissent among the population. The military operation which spanned across international borders, backed by the U.S. marked a significant event in the history of the United States. The large number of funds used to aid the war took a toll on the taxpayers and spurred a series of anti-war movements across the country. The morally questionable strategies used by the Nixon administration during the war generated international outrage ultimately leading to the downfall of his presidency.

Over and above the cost of lives and large-scale destruction caused during the war, it led to a division among the American people. It led to a cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union thus highlighting the immense political turmoil within and beyond the nations. It is this widespread dissent among the public – both locally as well as internationally that led to severe opposition to the Nixon administration’s policies bringing a halt to the military hostilities. Thus, what began as a strategic intervention on the part of the U.S. government to prevent the communist takeover of South Vietnam, ultimately ended in the collapse of the Nixon administration, political discord, and economic turmoil in the nation.