The Social Impact of the Vietnam War

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THE
Social Impact of the Vietnam War

Jess Carrignan
December 10, 2010
A.P. U.S. History Changes in societies have occurred since the very first civilizations and continue to occur today. Each society is a reflection of the art and music, as well as the people and their values and beliefs of the people of the time. The social structure of the people is very much shaped by the events that occur during that particular generation. Often in history major events such as wars and natural disasters are the defining factors that influence and shape that particular society. Here in the United States our society is certainly no exception. It has been constantly changing since the very early days of the Pilgrims. One such event that shaped …show more content…

The growing interest in such concepts sparked a greater movement in education and a general search for new truths in order to break away from the previous social norms of society that existed in the forties and fifties. The war not only sparked new interest in education and learning but it also impacted and influenced the social structure of colleges as well. The Vietnam War had the largest impact on college students and the majority of the antiwar movement occurred on college campuses . The war created a new type of environment among college campuses which caused “a lot of riots and protesting. A lot of people in this county were opposed to the Vietnam war and young people especially revolted against the draft against the war.” Filled with anger and resentment towards the war, college campuses became the center point for protests and demonstrations in the antiwar movement. These protests often turned violent and destructive resulting in many college campuses being forced to temporarily close down . While it was not uncommon for riots to break out on campuses, in many ways the war united the students, bringing them together under a common goal. This union and bond formed further enhanced an environment prime for learning and new discoveries. It is in these ways, and many others, that the Vietnam War greatly impacted education in

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