1. Carter Government and foreign policy
1.1. Human rights at the center of foreign policy
1.1.1. only get involved with a state if the state itself is breaking human rights laws.
1.1.2. particularly tough on South Korea, Iran, Argentina, South Africa, and Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). He also ended more than 30 years of U.S. political and military support to one of Latin America’s most abusive leaders—President Somoza of Nicaragua.
1.2. Carter clearly defined the foundation of his foreign policy: “Our policy is based on an historical vision of America’s role. Our policy is derived from a larger view of global change. Our policy is rooted in our moral values, which never change. Our policy is reinforced by our material wealth and by our military power. Our policy is designed to serve mankind.”
1.3. Realist Historians point of view
1.3.1. Creates an impression that America is weak
1.3.2. setbacks in Iran, C America and Ethopia
1.3.3. argues that syndrome is just as destructive as the Vietnam war
1.4. Ease tensions with the Soviet Union
1.5. Scaling back of US involvement in International commitment
2. Regan Doctrine
2.1. Reverse rather then Halt the spread of communism
3. Loss of trust in the government by the people
3.1. Blamed the governement for the loss of the war
3.1.1. view shown by Rambo in the films
3.2. even in the 1990's 72% believed that the war was one of the worst moments in american History
3.2.1. 1998 the war was more of a mistake it was fundamentally wrong and immoral
4. Weinberg Tests/ Powell Doctrine
4.1. Weinberg Tests are the basis of the Powell Doctrine
4.1.1. the Guidebook for presidents committing forces
4.2. 1.threatened national interest or allies national interest
4.3. 2.If the USA commits to a war it will FULLY commit to the war
4.4. 3. Need Clear political and military objectives
4.5. 4. Can Rea-just if necessary however
4.6. 5. need reasonable support from the public
4.7. 6.The Commitment of forces = Last Resort
5. Healing Process
5.1. There's been no thankyou for thier sacrifice
5.2. bring together society over remembering the soldiers that fought rather then the reason
5.2.1. removing the solider from the war
5.3. Lost the war so it seems like a pointless exercise
6. Building and proposal Vietnam Veterans Memorial
6.1. signed by Jimmy Carter in 1980
6.2. Vietnam Veterans memorial wanted the memorial to be apolitical and to make no statement about the war
6.3. Lack of a welcome home unlike previous wars
6.4. Wanted to separate the warrior from the war
6.5. the target of the memorial was to
6.5.1. "promote the healing and reconciliation of the country after the divisions caused by the war"
6.6. discussion over what the memorial should look like
6.6.1. agreed that a traditional memorial or a realsitic statue would not do
6.6.2. a
6.7. Arguments that a memorial is especially needed to help with the healing process as the men lost the war, you could argue it was all in vain
6.8. Scruggs said from the start that it should have the names of the dead on the memorial
6.8.1. means that the memorial would be horiztontal
6.9. Scrugss was the leader of the VVMF
6.10. National competition set up to select the design
6.10.1. design chosen was designed my Maya Ying Lin
6.10.1.1. Black marble is highly relective so you can see yourself in it
6.10.1.2. Carvings into the Black Stone easy to read
6.10.1.3. The Ditch affect actually rises above the indvidual
6.10.1.4. clearly visable
6.10.1.5. No rank put next to the name which makes each death equal and all important
6.10.2. Carhart was against the winning entry and criticisms of the memorial
6.10.2.1. ex-soilder
6.10.2.2. argued that the chosen entry was a safe choice
6.10.2.3. wanted something that would represent the soilders better
6.10.2.4. thought it should have a statue of a soilder offering an wonded solider into a helocopter ie giving them back to america
6.10.2.5. argued that the memorial should represent more the heroic idea of the soliders
6.10.2.6. Only honoured those who died in Vietnam
6.10.2.6.1. too depressing nothing about the heroic nature of the us armed foces during the conflict, breaking one of R's (Remembererene of the nations unrecognised heros's
6.10.2.7. also argues that the selected entry undermines the Noble war argument by Regan
6.10.3. symbols are inadequate to express the enormous impact of big national experinces
6.10.3.1. the lack of scuplutre leads to a lack of debate over the whole gender and race representation arguement
6.10.4. After a meeting with the oppoisition a comprimise was agreed where a statue would be added to the memorial
6.10.4.1. statue was designed by someone who almost won the whole commission
6.10.4.2. needed to be re applied to the washington gardens and fine arts people
6.10.4.3. The debate at this point was not to do with traditional pro and anti war people. IT was a division of the Pros
6.11. When first announced argubely did the opposition of what it was set out to do
6.12. Ross Perot
6.12.1. Texan billionare
6.12.2. Paid for the design compeition
6.12.3. December 1918 joined Carhart's denunciation of the wall
6.12.3.1. throughout 1982 used everything he could to change the design of the memorial
6.12.4. His perecesntince is the main reason for the addition to Frederick Hart's three person statue
6.12.5. Described the memorial plans as a tombstone, and nothing for the live veterans to be proud of
6.12.6. utter wanker
6.12.7. took Carthart position as tb strongest anti wall guy
6.12.8. fought for the addition of the statue to be located centrally to the memorial withe flag pole
6.13. all the criticisems of the memorial showed that they did not understand the lay and the reasoning behind the memorial
6.14. The main opposition was due to the concern in regard to the VS
6.15. shows that the nation is imagnied because all these people fought for america
6.15.1. All different races on the wall with different cultura background
7. Reaction to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
7.1. "Mark the end of a phase during which it wars more comfortable for Americans to pretend we have no Vietnam veterans veterans among us
7.2. Most important step in starting the healing process
7.3. The national salute gave the Veterans the welcome home they had missed when they returned from the war
7.4. The shame of the war is not theirs it is the countries for changing their mind
7.5. Reading of the names
7.5.1. Many veterans felt like this was the funeral for their buddies that they never got
7.6. 150,000 turned out to show there support for the dedication thw welcome home thar the vereans wanted
8. Ronald Reegan
8.1. Anti communist foreign revival
8.1.1. Revision of war needed before revivial
8.2. Build pride to be american and to remove the weakness created by carter
8.3. new stratagey to train and equip foreigners to do the fighting as it prevents troops having to fight a war
8.4. Regan interested in the War memorial as it represented what he wanted to achieve with the American nation
8.4.1. the debates about the memorial showed what the Vietnam syndrome could be doing to America as a whole
8.4.2. Also going on the same time as tensions were rising with central America, therefore pushing elements of healing would lower public fear or a new vietnam like situation occuring
8.4.3. In Theory should have fought the VVMF due to the fact it wanted to give the war a noble cause
8.4.3.1. But it would have led to a big public battle which whould have defeated the object of achieving healing
8.5. wanted reassert American power
8.5.1. Impossible without Altering the LESSONS OF VIETNAM
8.6. Argued that Vietnam had been a just cause
9. Revisions of Vietnam
9.1. Pushing the idea that the war was worthwhile
9.2. Should have been won/was won
9.3. was not immoral
9.4. NOBLE CAUSE
9.5. Future wars should be clearly defined and have full public mobilisation and full effort
10. "Noble Cause"
10.1. august 1980 stated "that the Vietnam war had been a noble cause and it should have been won
10.2. Intented to create a spirtual revival and install new pride within the country
10.3. was actually problematic and divisive
10.3.1. opened old wounds
10.4. Supporters of the Nobel cause argument stated that the design for the memorial did express pride in the nation, and was the same as memorial to a traffic accident
10.5. Softend to Just Cause
11. Vietnam Syndrome
11.1. Public fear that an initial commitment of military forces might snare the nation in a conflict from which it could not easily be extracted
11.2. Military and political fears that a military effort might be undermined by a collapse of support on the home front
11.3. American Forgien Policy becomes 'timid' and allows the Russians to expand their influence around the world
11.4. suffered set backs around the world due to the syndrome
11.5. Scared of Military involvement
11.6. Vietnam Memorial
11.6.1. People were worried that too many people regarded America's war in Vietnam as immoral and shamefu and the public had become hesitant about military action and the governement was now not able to defend the natioans interesets
11.6.1.1. didnt want a memorial as it would put americas warc crimes back into the spot light and could prevent america being able to reassert itslef on the world stage