Vietnam Historiography: A Generation of Love and War

“Hey, Hey LBJ, How many kids did you kill today?” — A protest chant that first became popular in late 1967

Specialist Fifth Class Jimmy L. Arnold holds a toddler in his arms and obtains a present from Santa for him. South Vietnam. Dec. 25, 1966.Credit…Ann Bryan/Overseas Weekly Collection/Hoover Institution Library and Archives

“All men are created equal; they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights; among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” — The first lines of the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence, issued on September 2, 1945, quoting the American Declaration of Independence.

The Vietnam war was a strange point in American history. Whether it be the hippie movement’s counterculture statement of “make love, not war,” or, conversely, millions of Americans doubling down on patriotism and choosing to believe in our reasons for fighting.

Moreover, it marked the first time in American history when a mainstream unpopular opinion rose from a war we initiated.

This entire period is one big philosophical dilemma. Before Vietnam, there always seemed to be some sort of pride or at least a strong sense of patriotism for U.S. (United States) conflicts. For example, rampant manufacturing during World War II (WWII) lifted us out of the depression and unified America against a common enemy.

However, now it’s not uncommon to protest against war. Iraq, or the “War on Terror”…