ABB
Christian Appy states that Vietnam was a working-class war because by facts most of the people that participated in the war come from working-class backgrounds. While the rich ones found a way to avoid the service. Many enlistees had lower levels of education as college studnets were likely to avoid service.
In addition to that, African Americans were highly present in the war alongside other minorities and they were put in dangerous labour.
By the late 1960’s many U.S. troops became demoralized due to frustration and a lack of understanding as to why this war was taking place? For example Robert Conner admitted that he did not fully understand communism when he went to fight in Vietnam. Conner states: “We fought in a war that not too many people can explain. I have never heard a reason why we were actually out there.”
Additionally, it was the contradiction that they only learned in the war zone. For instance, they were told they were helping the south Vietnamese people and fighting communism, but when they were on ground, they were destroying villages, killing innocent souls including women, men and kids without justification. They believed that the enemy was blending into civilians so they just decided to kill everyone on their way. It was an endless cycle of escalations which led to painful memories and traumas.
The Low morale affected the soldiers heavily. It caused mistrust and due to lack of purpose many soldiers did their job poorly, for example “during the Christmas bombing of 1972, some pilots refused to perform their assigned role of attacking AA batteries” (page 268 from the article). They had to escape somewhere and find a leap of hope, so many turned to drugs and alcohol.
I’m not completely aware of who exactly contributes to the U.S. military today, but I believe a class divide might exist now more than ever, just in a different form. I can see for example how the military might target people from lower-income backgrounds or those who are already used to hard labor and offer them financial security, healthcare, and other benefits. For them, enlistment seems like the best or only option. Meanwhile, wealthier individuals who already have access to these resources can more easily find ways to avoid military service.
What frustrates me even more is that the U.S. has not learned from its past mistakes. The same rationalizations and tactics used in Vietnam that led to the deaths of innocent civilians—women, children, and men — who had nothing to do with the conflict are being used today in Gaza simply for the silly excuse that “the enemy blends with the people”. It’s disturbing to see history repeat itself, with the same lack of accountability and disregard for human life.
Will Wright 
I really like how you used quotes to back up every claim you had throughout the essay, it made it easy to follow and understand. I also agree with you about the divide in the military, where wealthier/college attendees are able to avoid having to make a choice involving military. I think it is also important to notice the divide among people who are enlisted in the military, those who are able to attend college and get a degree are placed much higher in the ranks then people who have been in the military for years and have gone through much more intense training to be in a lower place.
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