The Vietnam War: The Mental, Social, and Physical Effects on the Soldiers Essay Sample

significant negative effects on veterans' mental health (Lauffer 66).

When the soldiers returned home after the war, they faced heavy criticism for their actions immediately following their exposure to dangerous situations (Hyams 403). This treatment by their own state was one of the most terrible things that could happen to veterans and may have caused even more serious issues, such as social anxiety. Social anxiety is the fear of social situations and interacting with others, which can automatically trigger feelings of unease, self-judgement in public, and inferiority to others. The difficulties in reintegrating into society and the self-hatred that the soldiers had developed were significant factors in the development of social anxiety or social phobia (Orsillo 242).

Veterans faced numerous challenges when attempting to readjust to their original lifestyles. Many Veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) exhibited signs of social phobia, which is a fear of being in public (Orsillo 242). The experiences of war created various difficulties for soldiers, such as developing PTSD, anxiety in social situations, being killed, or experiencing marital issues upon returning home from duty. Studies have indicated that "participating in a combat situation like the Vietnam War has resulted in a 60% breakdown of marriages" (Ruger 89), which is an exceptionally high percentage.

Upon returning home, more than half of the soldiers had to confront marital issues, which could have led to divorce or other previously mentioned illnesses. How would someone cope with six months in war only to come back to a household filled with problems? This question may be a significant factor in the development of social anxiety and social phobia among veterans. Having endured the horrors of war

and then facing a nation that ridiculed their service despite having volunteered at their country's request, these soldiers may have been negatively affected by non-drafted citizens. My father, Jack Lyons, served in Vietnam and witnessed the true extent of the conflict.

Starting in 1965, he spent six months in Vietnam. Due to the firsthand understanding of war's true significance, veterans often choose not to share many detailed stories about their experiences. I believe this reserved behavior is a coping mechanism for dealing with the trauma of war. During my recent interview with my father for this essay, he initially hesitated to discuss his time in Vietnam.

During the interview, my father discussed the physical challenges soldiers encountered in war, including coping with intense heat and constant insects. These issues were significant for him and his comrades (Lyons PI). However, as difficult as facing extreme heat and insects was, it did not compare to the horrors of being in combat or risking one's life. The US Forces engaged in a merciless guerrilla warfare against the Viet Cong (Wikipedia 2).

The Viet Cong's unconventional combat tactics, which involved avoiding direct engagement with the US Army, posed a significant challenge in defeating them. According to my Father (Lyons PI), who served in Vietnam, the inability to see the enemy during combat was an incredibly terrifying experience. When his company found themselves under fire while navigating through dense jungle, their only option was to drop to the ground and shoot towards the sound of incoming gunfire (Lyons PI). In desperate situations or when comrades were at risk, soldiers relied on survival instincts and would do whatever necessary to stay alive (Lyons PI).

Despite being fortunate enough to survive without developing any war syndrome, I maintain that both the Vietnam War and warfare in general have detrimental effects on participating soldiers in various ways.

The Vietnam War led to soldiers encountering various obstacles, including mental, societal, and physical challenges. Despite these hardships being comparatively minor in relation to their main goal of ensuring survival by any means necessary, I personally hold the view that the government's choice to interfere in Vietnam's civil war and send 500,000 troops was unjustified.

Regardless of the war's outcome, it is essential to express profound gratitude for Veterans who have served in previous and upcoming wars. They should never be criticized for their actions since those who do so often lack firsthand experience of the challenges they faced.

List of Cited Plants

1. Hyams. C. Kenneth MD. Wignall. Stephen MD. Roswell. Robert MD.

"War Syndromes and Their Evaluation: From the U. S. Civil War to the Persian Gulf War." Annals of Internal Medicine.

Volume 125. (1996): 398-405.

M. S. Frey-Wouters wrote an article titled "War Stress and Trauma: The Vietnam Veteran Experience" which was published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

"March. 1984:

PA. 9 November 2006 World Wide Web. jstor. org/view/00221465/di976083/97p0374p/0.

Personal Interview. 8 November 2006.

Heimbert. Richar G. Juster. Harlan R. Garrett.

James published a study in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, Volume 9, examining the co-occurrence of social phobic disorder and PTSD in Vietnam veterans.

(1996): 235-252. Ruger, William, Wilson, Sven E., Waddoups, Shawn L.

"Warfare and Welfare: Military Service, Combat, and Marital Dissolution." Armed Forces & Society. Volume 29 (2002): 85-107.

Source: C. B. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

New Orleans: Bruno Press. 1984.Wikipedia.

Vietnam on November 10, 2006.