In 1965 Vietnam seemed like just another foreign war,
But it wasn't.
It was different in many ways, as so were those that did the fighting.
In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was 26...
In Vietnam he was 19.
In Vietnam he was 19.
(TV announcer's voice)
The shooting and fighting of the past two weeks continued today
25 miles west of Saigon
I really wasn't sure what was going on (Vet's Voice)
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In Vietnam the combat soldier typically served a twelve month tour of duty But
Was exposed to hostile fire almost everyday
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Hundreds of thousands of men who saw heavy combat in Vietnam were arrested since discharge
Their arrest rate is almost twice that of non-veterans of the same age.
There are no accurate figures of how many of these men have been incarcerated.
But, a Veterans Administration study concludes that the greater a vet's
exposure to combat could more likely affect his chances of being arrested or convicted.
This is one legacy of the Vietnam War
(Singing Girls)
All those who remember the war
They won't forget what they've seen..
Destruction of men in their prime
Whose average was 19
Destruction
Destruction
War, war
Destruction, war, war, war
Destruction
War, war
After World War II the men came home together on troop ships, but the Vietnam
Vet often arrived home within 48 hours of jungle combat
Perhaps the most dramatic difference between World War II and Vietnam was
Coming home.. .none of them received a hero's welcome
None of them received a heroes welcome, none of them, none of them
None of them, none of them, none of them (etc...)
None of them received a hero's welcome
None of them received a hero's welcome
According to a Veteran's Administration study
Half of the Vietnam combat veterans suffered from what psychiatrists call
Post-traumatic-stress-disorder
Many vets complain of alienation, rage, or guilt
Some succumb to suicidal thoughts
Eight to ten years after coming home almost eight-hundred-thousand men are
Still fighting the Vietnam War
(Singing Girls)
Destruction
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(Soldier's Voice)
When we came back it was different..
Everybody wants to know "How'd it
Happen to those guys over there
There's gotta be something wrong somewhere
We did what we had to do
There's gotta be something wrong somewhere
People wanted us to be ashamed of what it made us
Dad had no idea what he went to fight and he is now
All we want to do is come home
All we want to do is come home
What did we do it for
All we want to do is come home
Was it worth it?
