Vietnam Veteran
Vietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in participating military forces during the Vietnam War. The term is most often associated with veterans who were in the US armed forces during the war, whether or not they were actually stationed in Vietnam during part of their service, though these latter are sometimes referred to as "Vietnam era veterans".
Vietnam veterans can be taken to include military nationals of other countries as well who were in Vietnam during the war, though almost exclusively on the side of the US and South Vietnam.
United States armed forces during Vietnam conflict
8,744,000 US personnel were on active duty during the war (August 5, 1964 - March 28, 1973) while 2,594,000 served within the borders of South Vietnam from January 1, 1965 - March 28, 1973.
Nationals of other nations as Vietnam veterans
Nationals of other nations fought in the American-led coalition, sometimes as armed forces of allied nations, such as Australia and South Korea, but sometimes as members of the US armed forces.
Some foreign nationals voluntered for the US military, but many more were US permanent residents, who were subject to the draft, if they were male, of draft age, and not otherwise deferred or exempt from service.
Australian veterans
Australia was directly engaged in the Vietnam as a US ally. Approximately 50,000 Australian served in Vietnam.
Canadian veterans
More than 30,000 Canadians were serving in the U.S. armed forces during the Vietnam era. Fred Graffen, military historian with the Canadian War Museum, estimates in Vietnam Magazine ("Perspectives") that approximately 12,000 of these men actually served in Vietnam itself.
The numbers of draft U.S. draft dodgers and deserters that fled to Canada is estimated to be between 30,000 and 70,000 by most authorities.
South Korean veterans
South Koreans forces at their peak were approximately one-tenth of US forces; by extraplotaion that would indicate 250.000 South Koreans served in-country.
Negative stereotypes of Vietnam veterans
There are persistent stereotypes about Vietnam veterans as psychologically devastated, bitter, homeless, drug-addicted people who had a hard time readjusting to society, primarily due to the uniquely divisive nature of the Vietnam War in the context of U.S. History.
That social division has expressed itself by the lack both of public and institutional support for the former soldiers expected by returning combatants of most conflicts in most nations. In a material sense also, Veterans Benefits for Vietnam era veterans were dramatically less than those enjoyed after World War II.
However the negative image of the Vietnam veteran has been battled in recent years, primarily by people such as B. G. Burkett. Burkett wrote a book called Stolen Valor in which he gathered statistics attempting to prove that Vietnam Veterans were actually quite prevalent among the government and business leaders of America 30 years after the Vietnam War. Furthermore he discovered a large number of people claiming to be veterans who were not. Using the Freedom of Information Act and military personnel records, he found these 'fake vets' in every walk of life. From the VA hospital, to University professors, to book authors, to interviewees in serious studies of the Vietnam War, to homeless people, to veterans magazines, etc.
There are still, however, many proven cases of individuals who have suffered psychological damage from their time in Vietnam. Many others were physically wounded, some permentally disabled.
Referenced By
Indochina conflict | Second Indochina War | Vientam War | Viet Nam War | Vietnam Conflict | Vietnam War | Vietnamwar
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