Operation Rolling Thunder: The Impact Of The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War had a tremendous social, environmental, political and economic impact upon both parties that fought. The most direct impact of the Vietnam War was the staggering death toll on both sides, with 1.35 million total deaths, 1.1 million of which were North Vietnamese troops. . (Sparknotes Editors, 2015) Between the years of 1965 and 1971, US planes dropped over two million tonnes of bombs on the jungles of Vietnam. This was part of the US’s new plan, “Operation Rolling Thunder”, the aim of which was to avoid losing men in ground combat by continuously bombing the enemy into withdrawal. However, unfortunately for the US, the repeated attacks did nothing to weaken the Viet Cong’s morale. (Ken Hills, 2005). Another method used by the
Americans was the use of Agent Orange, a toxic herbicide chemical used to kill off jungle foliage, in an effort to make the guerilla Viet Cong forces visible from the air. The use of this chemical devastated Vietnam’s natural environment, and has recently been found responsible for the cause of widespread diseases and health problems among locals, such as cancer. (Sparknotes Editors, 2015) These attacks had an enormous impact on both the people and environment of Vietnam, leaving the country in ruins. The impact of the Vietnam War, both mental and physical, is still evident today in the geography of the country itself, and through the experiences of those who saw it unfold firsthand. One of those people is Phan Thi Kim Phuc, who was pictured by photographer Nick Ut in 1972 as she ran naked down a road with her siblings after being severely burned by a South Vietnamese napalm attack. This image won the Pulitzer Prize and became one of the most haunting images of the Vietnam War. It also sparked outrage back in the US, becoming synonymous with the Anti-War protests that were continuing on at that time.
Americans was the use of Agent Orange, a toxic herbicide chemical used to kill off jungle foliage, in an effort to make the guerilla Viet Cong forces visible from the air. The use of this chemical devastated Vietnam’s natural environment, and has recently been found responsible for the cause of widespread diseases and health problems among locals, such as cancer. (Sparknotes Editors, 2015) These attacks had an enormous impact on both the people and environment of Vietnam, leaving the country in ruins. The impact of the Vietnam War, both mental and physical, is still evident today in the geography of the country itself, and through the experiences of those who saw it unfold firsthand. One of those people is Phan Thi Kim Phuc, who was pictured by photographer Nick Ut in 1972 as she ran naked down a road with her siblings after being severely burned by a South Vietnamese napalm attack. This image won the Pulitzer Prize and became one of the most haunting images of the Vietnam War. It also sparked outrage back in the US, becoming synonymous with the Anti-War protests that were continuing on at that time.