How were the effects of the soldiers who fought in the Vietnam war different from the soldiers who fought in World War 2?

Answer 1

Treatment of Returning VeteransWW2 veterans were respected by the public, Vietnam veterans and were looked down upon by the public, mostly because the media was where it shouldn't have been. Untill several years latter of course, now the veterans of Vietnam are respected as well

WW2 Veterans were greated with parades. Vietnam Veterans as well as Vietnam Era Veterans were spat at and called 'baby killers'.

Answer 2

The soldiers differed in many ways. One was there attitude. The soldiers from the Vietnam War saw so much death, when they arrived home many were said to act strangely (always on their guard) and have many bad dreams. Some feel terrible about what they saw. Others feel bad about killing to stop a type of government from spreading to the U.S. , while the World War 2 was for everyone's cause (although the other countries helped to stop this growth). The soldiers realized after the war that every country is their own, and if the time came then defend, not attack with out truly knowing what will happen. It was the only war in American History that did not honor the returning soldiers and these soldiers 'welcome back' was being spit on, called 'baby killers' among other names. Jobs were few and far between for Vietnam Vets as they didn't come back as war heroes, but more of a problem the government and some people would like to forget. The government did not help (as promised) with the mental/physical help of these soldiers. Many soldiers came back hooked on drugs and didn't receive the help and didn't get the psychological care they needed. They also had to face the fact that they were sent into a war that the U.S., should never have entered into in the first place, thus, they had to live the nightmares of their buddies as well as civilians being killed, tortured and the atrocities of war were placed upon them and for what? This is a hard pill to swallow! To this day Vietnam vets face the same nightmares and some have not fared so well, while others managed to fit into society, but were still not whole men (they often refused to discuss this war.) There are groups and programs to this day for Vietnam Vets to go where others that had been in Vietnam could understand each other and the horrors that no human should have to see. I went to a War Museum along the Oregon Coast and was enraged when I saw all wars, but the Vietnam War displayed. Any soldier that loses their life in the name of their country no matter what the consequences that war should bring upon that Nation should have the highest honor bestowed upon them and not hidden in history!

Answer 3

Written on a GI's steel pot (helmet) in Vietnam:

"We the unwilling, led by the unqualified, are doing the impossible, for the ungrateful."

Blamed for the losing the war (that they didn't want to fight to begin with); when they came home, the "ungrateful" met them at the door.

Answer 4

WWII vets returned to parades and cheers. Viet vets had to hide or fight (with their fists) upon their return.

Answer 5

Vietnam veterans did not receive a warm welcome, whereas victory parades were held for veterans from the world wars.