It would not be an understatement to claim that the Vietnam War was one of the most miscalculated and misguided endeavors undertaken by the American government in an effort to protect democracy. According to John Kerry, although the main idea behind the decision made by the U.S. government at the time seemed legitimate given the rise in the threat of communism taking over democracy, the execution of it and the decision to start a war were detrimental to the well-being of the U.S. (Kerry).
As Kerry explained, the Vietnam War had a massively negative impact on American soldiers and citizens since neither could determine the difference between the philosophies of communism and democracy (Kerry). As a result, without strong ideological support and the sense of doing the right thing, American troops were doomed in their efforts.
The stance that Kerry takes when talking about the Vietnam War seems quite sensible, yet it warrants further discussion and is not immune from criticism. For example, one might claim that Kerry’s perspective on Vietnam War lacks the assessment of the threat that the U.S. experienced as far as the possibility of a nuclear attack from the USSR was concerned. In addition, Kerry’s statements concerning his military service can reportedly be questioned since he may have embellished the truth in some parts of his account of the Vietnam War and his role in it (Kristof).
While the fact that Kerry deserved each of his medals is undeniable and unquestionable, his interpretation of the effects that he produced as a participant of the military actions may have been slightly skewed. Nevertheless, the specified arguments do not diminish the sensibility of Kerry’s claims as far as the Vietnam War’s objectives and ultimate results are concerned.
Work Cited
Kerry, John. “Statement by John Kerry of Vietnam Veterans against the War (1971).” The American Yawp Reader, n.d. Web.
Kristof, Nicholas D. “A War Hero or a Phony?” New York Times. 2004. Web.