Title: The costs of the Vietnam War
Headings: The costs of the Vietnam War
The costs of the Vietnam War
Contents
A 20th-century tragedy
America’s war grief
Criticisms of US policy
Shattered confidence
Suffering of veterans
‘Agent Orange’
Vietnamese losses
Post-war refugee crisis
Famine and destruction

Content: It also entered into a period of détente (‘agreement’) with Cold War rivals the Soviet Union and communist China. The practical impact of the Vietnam War on the domestic United States was also profound. Two decades of military intervention and bankrolling friendly regimes cost the United States almost $US170 billion (close to $1 trillion in today’s terms). These war costs stalled some of Lyndon Johnson’s ‘Great Society’ reforms, including anti-poverty measures and improvements to social security. Suffering of veterans
Vietnam veterans have often struggled to cope with the effects of war
The American soldiers who returned as veterans of the Vietnam War faced their own personal challenges. This started with their homecoming: the men of World War II had been welcomed home with crowds, ticker tape and fanfare – but Vietnam veterans were received with a combination of indifference, embarrassment and contempt. Many were unfairly harassed and abused by anti-war protestors. Though the majority of Vietnam veterans returned home without serious problems, a large number found the readjustment to civilian life difficult. Thousands struggled to find and hold down jobs, form new relationships and keep their marriages intact.