About this Assignment
The United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War drastically changed the public’s opinion on the effect war has on soldiers. It has also affected the nation’s policy toward war and is still used as an example against involvement in foreign wars today. With this in mind, please write a 2000 word essay based on one of the two prompts below.
Prompts
- Compare and contrast the treatment of Vietnam War veterans with World War II veterans in the U.S. How did the government treat both types of veterans? What type of assistance was offered to them when they returned? How did the public respond to them? Why do you think there was such a difference in how the Vietnam veterans were treated, and how has this informed how veterans of more recent conflicts have been regarded?
- Vietnam Syndrome had a major effect on U.S. foreign policy throughout the 1970s and 1980s, but, following the Gulf War in the 1990s, President George H.W. Bush is quoted as saying, ‘By God, we’ve kicked the Vietnam Syndrome once and for all.’ Argue whether or not you agree with his statement. Do you believe the Gulf War marked the end of Vietnam Syndrome and its effect on U.S. foreign policy, or can you still see lingering effects in present-day policies and actions?
Related Lessons
- Post-War Issues: Aftereffects of the Vietnam War on the U.S.
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Description & History
- Media’s Role in the Anti-Vietnam War Movement
- Postwar Relations Between America and Vietnam
- Vietnam Syndrome: Definition, Causes & Impact
- Effects of American Dissent on Elections & Vietnam War Policy
Formatting & Sources
Please write your paper in the APA format. As part of your research, you may refer to the course material for supporting evidence, but you must also use at least five credible, outside sources and cite them using APA format as well. Please include a mix of both primary and secondary sources, with at least one source from a scholarly peer-reviewed journal. If you use any Study.com lessons as sources, please also cite them in APA (including the lesson title and instructor’s name).
- Primary sources are first-hand accounts such as interviews, advertisements, speeches, company documents, statements, and press releases published by the company in question.
- Secondary sources come from peer-reviewed scholarly journals, such as the Journal of Management. You may use like JSTOR, Google Scholar, and Social Science Research Network to find articles from these journals. Secondary sources may also come from reputable websites with .gov, .edu, or .org in the domain. (Wikipedia is not a reputable source, though the sources listed in Wikipedia articles may be acceptable.)
If you’re unsure about how to use APA format for your paper and sources, please see the following lessons:
Grading Rubric
You will be graded according to the following rubric:
| Category | Unacceptable (0-1) | Needs Improvement (2-3) | Good (4) | Excellent (5) | Total Possible Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thesis (x2) | Essay contains no central cohesive argument; thesis is missing or unclear | Main argument is unfocused, or disjointed; thesis lacks depth, specificity, or clarity | Main argument is focused and thoughtful; thesis is clear and developed | Main argument is original, focused, and well-developed; thesis is concise and compelling | 10 |
| Analysis (x4) | No or very few examples are used to support arguments; analysis is missing or incorrect | Few or weak examples are given to support main points; analysis lacks depth or relevance | Relevant examples are given to support main arguments; analysis is thoughtful and well-developed | Evidence is of exceptional quality and enhances all main arguments; analysis is original and well-developed | 20 |
| Structure (x1) | Structure is illogical and disorganized; hinders understanding | Essay organization makes it difficult to identify main arguments; ideas are disjointed | Structure supports the essay’s main points; arguments and comparisons are easily identifiable; transitions and connections may be lacking | Structure enhances the essay’s main points; arguments and comparisons are well-integrated and ideas flow logically | 5 |
| Mechanics (x1) | Incorrect spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and use of standard English grammar hinders understanding | Several instances of incorrect spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage of standard English grammar | Few instances of incorrect spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage of standard English grammar | No or very few instances of incorrect spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage of standard English grammar | 5 |
| Sources (x2) | No outside sources utilized or sources utilized are not reliable; citations do not properly follow APA format | At least one reliable outside source utilized; citations do not properly follow APA format | Three or more reliable outside sources support the speech; citations generally follow proper APA format | Three or more reliable outside sources enhance the quality of the speech; citations follow proper APA format | 10 |
Before You Submit
When you are done writing your essay, we suggest taking some time to check for any errors or to add some final touches. We also suggest that you use online plagiarism checkers such as PlagScan or DupliChecker to make sure that your essay is not too similar to any existing materials. Plagiarized submissions will NOT be graded.
