Introduction About American's Culture

TOPIC: American values at the crossroads: the United State in 21st century

OUTLINE

I. Overview of traditional American values and beliefs

I.1- Individual freedom and self- reliance

I.2- Equality of opportunity and competition

I.3- Material wealth and hard working

II. American values at the crossroads: the United State in 21st century

II.1- factors that affect American history

II.2- 20th century challenges to American values

II.3- The war in Vietnam and the Watergate scandal

II.3.1- The war in Vietnam

II.3.1.1- Consequences of the war in Vietnam

II.3.1.2- The Attitude toward the war of Vietnam and United State

II.3.2- The Watergate scandal

II.4- The need for new national values

II.4.1- The conservation of natural resources

II.4.2- National cooperation

II.5- the United State: the first universal nation?

III. Comparisons with Vietnam

CONTENTS:

I. Overview of traditional American values and beliefs

I.1- Individual freedom and self-reliance

It is expressed that the desire and right of all individuals to control their own destiny without outside interference ( government, ruling noble class, the church,…)

Self-reliance is rooted in the belief that everybody should stand on their own feet. Relying on someone or any organization or charity means losing one’s independence

I.2- Equality of opportunity and competition

Equality of opportunity means that everyone has equal chance to enter the race for success. It is rooted in early immigrant’s belief that everyone has a chance to succeed in America and many proved their dreams were fulfilled

Competition makes Americans are urged to match their energy, intelligence and creativity with their neighbors. They honor winners but despise losers

I.3- Material wealth and hard work

Material wealth is the indicator of one’s social status in society. Material wealth is different from materialism. For Americans, material wealth has a religious value rooted in Puritanism viewing material success as God’s love. So to succeed is the life goal of most Americans

Americans have paid a price for their material wealth: hard work. The North American continent was rich in natural resources, only by hard work could these natural resources to be converted into material possessions, allowing a more comfortable standard of living. Hard working has been both necessary and rewarding for most Americans through their history.

II. American values at the crossroads: the United State in the 21st century

II.1- Factors that affect American history
There are several factors that affect American history.
First, the United States has always had a racially and ethnically diverse population. Sometimes these people get along well together and sometimes they do not. At times there has been great suspicion and even hatred between people of different races and national origins. But even in the darkest times, there have always been individuals who held up the ideals stated in the Declaration of Independence:
“ We hold the truth to be self- evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain undeniable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, Government are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”
Second, although Americans have traditionally had a strong distrust of their government, they have also had a strong faith in its design. Over a period of more than 200 years, they have amended the United States constitution only 26 times. The first 10 amendments, the Bill of Rights, were added two years after the Constitution itself, and the last amendment was in 1971, lowing the voting age from 21 to 18. The framework of the political system was designed to protect the freedom the individual rights of the citizens. Americans believe that this system has successfully carried the nation from the 18th century through the 20th, and that it will still protect them in the 21st century.
Third, the right of free speech and the existence of a free press have meant that all people have the right to express their opinions, and that everything from public policy to private concerns, such as abortion or sexual preference can be openly discussed and debated. The result is that all the problems of the country are displayed for the rest of the world to see. The bad news is that there are always a lot of problems. The good news is that there are also large numbers of individuals who are sincerely concerned about society’s problems and are working hard to solve them. Because Americans believe so strongly in the freedom and the worth of the individual, they have traditionally had an optimistic faith in the ability of individuals eventually to invent creative solutions to all the nation’s problems.
Fourth, in spite of the image of the United States and some of the actions that the government has taken, there is a long tradition of isolationism. The spirit of isolationism persists even today, as Americans continue to debate what being a “world power” means. Most people are not in favor of the United States becoming a “world policeman” for example. Americans are very reluctant to see the United States become involved in international military actions unless they are convinced that there is some national interest to be protected, or that there is some great humanitarian need. Americans are so skeptical about international economics alliances; wanting to be sure that self-interests are protected before commitments are made to other countries (this is why there has been so much debate about NAFTA). Most Americans are more interested in what is happening close to home than what is happening in the rest of the world. They want to know how events, national or international, will affect the, personally.
Fifth, the United States, like all countries, goes through different political and economic phases that have a strong effect on the mood of the people. When the economy is in good shape, people are naturally more optimistic about the state of their country and life in general. As the mood swings back and forth from optimistic to pessimistic, or from liberal to conservative, the underlying traditional values have so far remained intact. At times, Americans may talk about some values more than others, but when times get tough, many are likely to say that is because the American people (and their government) have strayed too far from these traditional values. Interestingly enough, pollsters find that there is no significant difference in the attitudes and values of young people, the middle-aged, or the older generation.

II.2- 20th – Century challenges to American values

If we take a brief look at the 20th century, we can see these five factors at work history. In the first two decades, there was mass immigration from southern and eastern European countries, at times as many as a million people per year – 1 percent of the total population. By the early 1920s, may believe that the United States could no longer handle so may new immigrants, and by 1924 immigration laws had slowed the number to about 150,000 a year. Industry was growing, and the country had many manufacturing jobs for new immigrants. About a third of them, however, did not find the better life they were seeking and they eventually left the United states and went back home.
After World War I – ‘the war to end all wars’ – the United States enjoyed economic prosperity during the ‘ Roaring twenties’. The stock market crash of 1929 ushered in the Great Depression of the 1930s, and it was not until World War II that the economy turned around. The need for weapons created new factory jobs, many of them filled by women. When the soldiers came back home in 1945, many young women quit their jobs, got married and started their families. The large number of babies born in the 20 years after the war, from the mid- 1940s to the mid- 1960s, produced the ‘ baby boom’. Many Americans look back on the 1950s as an age of economic prosperity and national stability. The Cold War with the Soviet Union was in full swing, leading to fears of a nuclear holocaust and the communist takeover of the word.
There were two other problems in the 1950s that had to be dealt with in 1960s : poverty and segregation. About one-fourth of the population lived in poverty. In the 1960s, President Johnson pushed through a plan called “The Great Society” that significantly enlarged the welfare programs begun during the Depression in the 1930s. Johnson declared a “ war on poverty”, and over the next two decades, the percentage of poor people did drop. However, these programs began to create an expectation that government, not the individual, should solve social problems.
The second problem was the continued legal segregation in the South. Although the Supreme Court ruled in 1954 that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, it was not until the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s that segregation ended. The nonviolent Civil Rights demonstrations of the 1960s led to the eventual passage of laws to protect the rights of black Americans, and there was much talk about the value of equality of opportunity. Quota systems were enacted to try to improve the education level and job opportunities for African- Americans, and gains were made.
The 1960s are most often remembered as a decade of violence and unrest. Popular leaders were assassinated: President Kennedy in 1963, Malcolm X in 1965, Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy in 1968. After the death of King, there were riots in a number of big cities.
II.3 The American war in Vietnam and Watergate scandal
II.3.1-The American war in Vietnam
II.3.1.1- Historical events
The other major event in the 1960s was the American involvement in Vietnam. At first, the United States supported South Vietnam with only money and military advisers. The number of advisers in Vietnam jumped from 800 to nearly 17,000 during the early 1960s while John F. Kennedy was U.S. president. After Kennedy’s death, President Johnson vastly increased the number of American troops in Vietnam. For example, in 1961 South Vietnam signed a military and economic aid treaty with the United States leading to the arrival (1961) of U.S. support troops and the formation (1962) of the U.S. Military Assistance Command. In early 1965, the United States began air raids on North Vietnam and on Communist-controlled areas in the South. By 1966, the struggle in Vietnam became a major American war with about 190,000 U.S. troops in South Vietnam. And by 1968, the US had half a million troops in this country.
Finally, in 1975 North Vietnam conquered South Vietnam. Most Americans had been brought up believing that the United States had never lost the war. However, this was the first time it had happened.
The reason that the United States entered the war in Vietnam was to stop the spread of Communism (domino theory) in Southeast Asia. American leaders feared that Communist forces would gain control of Vietnam and then it would be spread throughout the Asia. Another reason was that after France left Vietnam the US felt they needed to take matters into their own hands.
So, what was the American attitude to American involvement in Vietnam? Firstly, American at home thought it was the good idea to stop Communism. They supported this action. As time went on and more and more American soldiers got killed in Vietnam, American people changed their attitudes about the war. There was a stronger opposition to Vietnam War than to any previous. Anti-war protests spread out throughout the country. Americans believed that Vietnam was a place they didn’t belong in. So far, many Americans and soldiers have felt ashamed of involving war in Vietnam. And they are trying to find the ways to offset their guilty to Vietnamese victims.
II.3.1.2- The attitude toward the war of Vietnam and United state
So, what was the American attitude to American involvement in Vietnam? Firstly, American at home thought it was the good idea to stop Communism. They supported this action. As time went on and more and more American soldiers got killed in Vietnam, American people changed their attitudes about the war. There was a stronger opposition to Vietnam War than to any previous time. Anti-war protests spread out throughout the country. Americans believed that Vietnam was a place they didn’t belong in. So far, many Americans and soldiers have felt ashamed of involving war in Vietnam. And they are trying to find the ways to offset their guilty to Vietnamese victims.
How is Vietnamese people’s attitude toward American involvement in this country? Of course, all of Vietnamese people consistently protest American involvement in Viet Nam. They accepted to sacrifice their lives to protect their country from the dominance of America in particular and the rivals who want to dominate Viet Nam in general. And this was one of the reasons why Vietnam could win America.
II.3.1.3- The consequences of the war in Vietnam and United State
The consequences of the war are very strong, both in Vietnam and the United State.
As for America, they had to pay high price for involvement in Viet Nam in terms of money, human life and spirit. Firstly, the United State spends too much money on the war in Viet Nam. 1968 alone, U.S. cost for involvement in Viet Nam was up to $ 100 million per day, 10 times than the money they spent on poverty in America. An American people, Tom Ryden, estimated that the final expenditure spent in the war in Viet Nam was about $ 676 billion. Another economist Steven estimated this expenditure was about $ 925 billion).In addition, there were far more American soldiers who died the war in Vietnam. For example, from mid-1961 to 1974, a total of 57,259 Americans died in Vietnam; among which 8,000 blacks and 37,000 (64%) under the age of 21. Besides, there were more wounded Americans during the war. What’s more, Americans had to suffer from obsession because of the war they caused for Vietnamese people. Until now, they have been in guilty of their actions. In facts, it’s hard for searchers to calculate exactly the loss that American suffered in the war with Viet Nam.
What about Viet Nam? Like the United State, Viet Nam had a big loss in the war against America. Viet Nam also had to spend more money in the war against the U.S. There were many Vietnamese people died as well as wounded in the war. The consequences have been extended up to now. It is the sequela of Agent Orange that American scattered in Viet Nam. In addition, more and more facilities, houses, roads, schools had been destroyed because of bombs. In summary, Viet Nam has suffered from many looses that the United State caused to Viet Nam in the war.

II.3.2-The Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal that occurred in the United States in the 1970s as a result of the June 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the water gate office in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement.
The affair began with the arrest of five men for breaking and entering into the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate complex on June 17, 1972. In the process of investigating, the FBI found that President Nixon had a tape-recording system in his offices and he had recorded many conversations. Recordings from these tapes implicated the president, revealing he had attempted to cover up the break-in. Eventually, a Senate investigation revealed the truth and Nixon was forced to resign. The scandal eventually led to the resignation of Richard Nixon, the President of the United States, on August 9, 1974, the only resignation of a U.S. President. The scandal also resulted in the indictment, trial, conviction and incarceration of 43 people, including dozens of Nixon's top administration officials.
Prior to Watergate scandal, everyone in America believed that politicians truly have the people's best interest in mind. There was never any question as to why politicians do what they do, or how they do it. Basically everyone trusted the government. After Watergate, Americans began to realize that politicians can be corrupt. This realization leads to a higher demand from the public to know more of what politicians are doing "behind the closed doors." For this reason, everyone could always know where the president is at all times.
The failure of the Vietnam War effort and the resignation of the President Nixon in disgrace made many Americans pessimistic about the country. Furthermore, in the late 1970s, there was an economic recession and oil crisis. For the first time since the depression of the 1930s, average Americans faced the possibility that their future standard of living might actually go down, instead of up.
In 1973, President Jimmy Carter observed: “the erosion of our confidence in the future í threatening to destroy the social and political fabric of America…the symptoms of this crisis of the American spirit are all around us”. This is the message Americans not want to hear.
In 1980 American elected Ronald Reagan president. Owner of Reagan’s basic beliefs was that the U.S should turn as much as possible to its pre 1930s when business institutions were strong and government institutions were weak. He believed that there was no reason why Americans could not have the same opportunity in the 1980s to get rich, the US could be as wealthy and strong as it ever had been in the past
His belief and effort has influence in the US economic improvement: the American’s economic had the great expansion from 1945 to 1965; the largest tax cut in American history by $2.6 trillion dollars; the debt has most tripled in less than a decade. The 1980s was the decade when there was the longest economic growth ever, inflation and interest rates dropped, more than 19 million new jobs were created; the US went from the largest money lender to the biggest borrower on earth.

II.4- The need for new national Values
As the 21st century begins, a number of leaders in politics, education, and other professions believe that the United States must adopt some new values to go along with the older traditional ones.

II.4.1- The Conservation of natural resources Americans should learn to use less and waste less. But conservation has never been a strong value to them, who have believed that their country offered an endless, abundant supply of natural resources. Until late in the nineteenth century the resources of America were commonly regarded as inexhaustible. Some of them were considered an obstruction to the country’s development. Over very large areas of the country the forests were regarded as an enemy to be destroyed and burned. Indeed at the present time, this is locally true. Americans were support to be illimitable. Any man might have a farm for the asking. It was held, and indeed is held by many at this time, that the country’s mineral resources will last through the indefinite future, and therefore that they may be drawn upon advantageously as rapidly as possible In 1909, the National Conservation Association was established, and then the great movement for the conservation of the natural resources of United States may be said to have been fairly launched. Already a large number of the more intelligent people of the country are beginning to understand its importance, beginning to understand that upon conservations rests the possibility of a numerous and well – nourished population in the country Recently, progress has been made – more and more Americans are recycling their paper, cans, bottles, and other goods- but old wasteful habits die hard. Furthermore, the need to protect the environment conflict with the need for jobs in the Northwest, where conservationists battle lumper companies that want to cut down ancient redwood trees. A belief in the value of conservation is still weak compared with other America values, It can become stronger only as Americans see the need for it more clearly
II.4.2- National Cooperation.
Americans may need to place a stronger value on cooperation on a national scale to achieve important national objectives. The American idea of the national good has never been based on national cooperation but rather on the freedom of the individual, maintaining those conditions that provide the greatest freedom and prosperity for the individual.
It is far more difficult for Americans to accept shared sacrifice for the common good and well- being of the entire country.
For examples, although the majority of Americans believe that it is extremely important to balance the national target and reduce the deficit, they do not want to see cuts in government programs that benefit them personally
The American value of competition also hinders the development of a spirit national cooperation. Competition sometimes encourages feelings of suspicion rather than the mutual trust that is necessary for successful national cooperation.
Although Americans often cooperate successfully on the local level – in neighborhood groups and churches. A request by the national government for shared sacrifice may be seen as coercive and destructive rather than voluntary and constructive. However, the demands of the 21st century may compel Americans to place a greater value on national cooperation to solve problems that affect them all, directly or indirectly.

II.5 The United State: The first Universal Nation?
One of other challenges that the United States faces is the absorption of a new way of immigrants that begins in the mid- 1970s. As a result of Viet Nam War and events that followed, large numbers of refugees from South East Asia came to the United States in the 1970 and 1980. In the 1980 and 1990s, there were a large number of immigrants from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribean, some seeking political freedom, other looking for jobs and economic well- being. As a result of geographic location of the United State and immigrant policies favoring family reunification these populations have been growing more rapidly than those coming from other part of the world.
Sometimes nations reach a “saturation point” where they cannot take more people from other countries and still function well. From time to time, the United States has chosen to limit the number of immigrants it permits. They can no longer absorb millions of new immigrants when the United States may reach again the saturation point of the number of immigrants.
On the other hand, many recognize that immigrants bring new life and energy to the United States. These immigrants may be an important source of youth a vitality for the nation. Perhaps most importantly, the diversity of ideas and culture in the United States may be one of the great sources of strength as it moves in to 21st century. Ben Waterberg, an expert in American culture, believes that the United States has an advantage because it is becoming a microsm of the world- it may be the first universal nation- where people from every race, religion, culture and ethnic background live together in freedom, government.
However, it is not admired in many parts of the world. American movies, television and videotapes are often thought to have too much sex, violence, and loud music. Foreign observers note the high divorce rate, the level of violent crime and other negative facts of American life.
However, the American people and their value have reached another historic crossroad. How American respond to these changes is a question that can be answered only as events of the 21st century unfold.

III. Comparisons with Vietnam

|Items |American |Vietnam |
|Factors affect history |The U.S, goes through different political and economic |- Traditional legend with Lac Long Quan & Au Co |
| |phases that have a strong effect on the mood of the |symbolizes the importance of uniting the two main |
| |people. |geographic and cultural areas of Viet Nam -- the |
| |They are faithful to the concept of individualism, |mountains (representing the north) and lowlands |
| |freedom and self-reliance. |(representing the south) in forming one united country. |
| | |- Being under the control of so many different entities |
| | |for centuries has certainly affected the nation as a |
| | |whole. |
| | |( Great hardship and sacrifice created Vietnamese’s |
| |Americans always consider they are No.1 and their country|patriotism. |
| |has most power. | |
| | |The population of Vietnam has considerable diversity, |
| |The U.S has always had a racially and ethically diverse |with 54 ethnic nationalities, including Kinh people, |
| |population. Sometimes these people get along well |Tay-Thai Group, Khmer, Hmong, and the Cham and etc. |
| |together and sometimes they do not. | |
| | | |
| | | |
| |Americans have traditionally had a strong distrust of |Vietnamese people have a strong trust of their government|
| |their government but they have also had a strong faith in|with a single-party. The political system was establish |
| |its design. The framework of political system was |to serve people’s benefits |
| |designed to protect the freedom and the individual rights| |
| |of the citizens. | |
| |Over a period of 200 years, they have amended the | |
| |constitution 26 times. |Vietnam has made a number of changes to its constitution,|
| | |laws, and practical policies in the area of human rights |
| | |since the “Doi Moi”, or the economic reform in 1986. |
| | |Vietnam also has a Declaration of Independence: |
| | |"All men are created equal; they are endowed by their |
| | |Creator with certain inalienable rights; among these are |
| | |Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” |
| | | |
| |There is a Declaration of Independence: We hold these | |
| |truths to be self-evident, that all men are created | |
| |equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with | |
| |certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, | |
| |Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure | |
| |these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, | |
| |deriving their just powers from the consent of the | |
| |governed. | |
| | | |
| |The rights of free speech and the existence of a free |The Vietnamese Constitution states that citizens have |
| |press are allowed, even related to abortion or sexual |right to freedom of speech and publication in accordance |
| |preference. They strongly believe in their ability to |with law. These rights are shown through the rapid |
| |invent creative solutions to all problems. |development, diverse forms and rich content of the mass |
| | |media. |
| |There is a long tradition of isolationism. | Vietnamese values are based on collectivism or |
| |They are skeptical about international economic |allegiance to the family that believe responsibilities, |
| |alliances, more interested in what is happening close to |rights and commitments of a group or a family is more |
| |home than what is happening in the rest of the world. |important than their own individual desires family value |
| |They want to know how to events, national or |and concept of respect. |
| |international, will affect them personally. | |
|Challenges to values | | |
|In 20th century |There was mass immigration from southern and eastern |In northern Vietnam, a drought coupled with pests caused |
| |European countries, at times as many as a million per |the winter-spring harvest of 1944 to decrease by 20%. |
| |year- 1 percent of the total population. Then this number|After that there was a flood during the harvest season, |
| |was lower. About a third of immigrants did not find the |causing the crisis to occur. |
| |better life they were seeking although industry was | |
| |growing and many manufacturing jobs were given to new |The Vietnamese Famine of 1945 occurred in |
| |immigrants. |northern Vietnam from October 1944 to May 1945, during |
| |Great depression seriously affected economy and even |the Japanese occupation of French Indochina in World War |
| |population with the “baby boom”. |II. Between 400,000 and 2 million people are estimated to|
| |The Cold War with the Soviet Union was full swing, |have starved to death during this time. Besides, |
| |leading to fears of a nuclear holocaust and the communist|the illiteracy rate was 95% . |
| |takeover of the world. |From 1965 to 1972.Thousands of US troops arrived equipped|
| |Two problems in 1950s, 1960s that America had to deal |with heavy weapons and tanks and backed by the most |
| |with are poverty and segregation. |powerful bombers of the time – B52s. The wide spread |
| |About one-forth of the population lived in poverty. There|attacks and use of chemical weapons destroyed many |
| |was a legal segregation with the black in the South, |villages and decimated jungles. Civilians died in large |
| |especially in education. |numbers. |
| |The 1960s are most often as a decade of violence and | |
| |unrest (popular leaders were assassinated) | |
|Now |The absorption of a new wave of immigrants makes the |Vietnam is regularly ranked among the most corrupt |
| |population to grow more rapidly. Sometimes the nation |countries in Asia. In 2011 Transparency International |
| |reached a saturation point. There are two sides, one |ranked Vietnam 116th out of 178 countries by its |
| |affects economic-social situation, one bring new life and|corruption perception index. This may cause a great |
| |energy into the U.S. |damage to property of the State, community and citizens; |
| | |obstacles in the development process; effects on ethical |
| | |standards; negative influence on civil servants; and a |
| | |decrease in the people’s trust in the State. |
| |Much of American culture is not admired in many parts of |For many decades, Vietnamese culture is highly |
| |the world |appreciated , it has seen a greater re-exposure to Asian,|
| |Movies, TV programs, and videotapes are often thought to |European and American culture and media. |
| |have too much sex, violence, and loud music. |Some elements generally considered to be characteristic |
| |There is a high divorce rates, the level of violent |of Vietnamese culture include ancestor veneration, |
| |crime. |respect for community and family values, handicrafts and |
| | |manual labour, and devotion to study |
|The Need for New National |Conservation has never been a strong value to Americans, |Vietnamese people made conservation efforts early. |
|values |who have believed that their country offered an endless, | |
| |abundant supply of natural resources. | |
| | | |
| |In 1891, Congress passed the Forest Reserve Act. Since | |
| |then, conservation movement was noticed, with the leading| |
| |of President Roosevelt. However, American conservation |Efforts to protect natural habitats began in 1962 |
| |movement did have difficulties when in the early 1900s, |with the creation of Vietnam's first national park at|
| |the conservation movement in America was split into small|Cuc Phuong. Then there were Decree on Forest |
| |groups. |Protection in 1972, Decision No. 194/CT of the |
| | |Council of the Ministers in 1986, to establish a |
| | |system of special-use forests covering 87 protected |
| | |forest areas; laws for forest protection in 1991 and |
| | |for environment protection in 1994 |
| | |People also have reasonable exploitation policies for|
| | |other resources like oil, coal, bauxite … |
| | | |
| | |Now, conservation of natural resources is still |
| | |essential. |
| | | |
| |( A greater value should be placed on the conservation of| |
| |natural resources | |
| |Recently, progress has been made with recycling but old | |
| |wasteful habits die hard. | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| |Americans’ idea is mainly based on the freedom of |Vietnamese has a good traditional characteristic – |
| |individual and it is far more difficult for them to |reunification. However, sometimes, it becomes “cào |
| |accept shared sacrifice for the common good and |bằng” attitude or herd behavior, which hinders the |
| |well-being of the entire country |development of an organization |
| | | |
| |( Americans need to place a stronger on co-operation on a|It is very important to give one’s own ideas and dare|
| |national scale to achieve important national objectives. |to act. |