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The Voices Behind The Vietnam War By Tim O Brien

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The Voices Behind The Vietnam War The Vietnam War was previously one of the longest wars in history, causing chaos, terror, and tragedy to everyone. The war officially started in 1955 and ended long after in 1975. The war took place in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos and was fought between the communist forces of North Vietnam and the South Vietnam government. The U.S. gave its support to South Vietnam as it supported the anti-communist side of the war. This war marked a turning in not only American history but the history of the whole world. People got drafted into the war without choice and had to serve a country that didn’t even align with their beliefs. At the end of the war, it left a divide in the world's society, with no clear winner …show more content…

The personal soldier stories appealed emotionally to people the best. “I was shot twice…For a long time I lay there all alone, listening to the battle,”(O’Brien 180). "I" repeatedly highlights the troops' sense of isolation and their unique experiences during the battle. "All alone" reflects the soldier's vulnerability and helplessness. While the expression "listening to the battle" emphasizes how persistent and unrelenting combat is. O'Brien uses emotional appeal to paint a vivid picture of the horrors of war. The Secretary of State at the time, John Foster Dulles states, “These risks are far less than those that will face us a few years from now if we dare not be resolute today,” (Dulles Speech). Dulles appeals to the readers by expressing his larger concern for the near future and shows ways we can stop the problem at the root. Dulles utilizes emotional and logical appeal to cater to the concerns of the individuals. O’Brien utilizes intimate, personal stories about the tragedies of the Vietnam War, while Dulles utilizes logic to portray his ideas about the war. Through telling personal stories about the war, O’Brien conveys ideas about how unnecessary the violence in the war was. This signifies the differences between individuals that experienced the war differently. Although Dulles perceived the right concept, he would never know what it felt like to endure the pain and suffering of the Vietnam War. Neil Young created the song “Ohio” while utilizing famous artists of the time to get his message more widespread. Young talks about the personal aspects of the war, “Soldiers are gunning us down Should have been done long ago. What if you knew her and Found her dead on the ground,” (“Ohio”). Neil Young, the artist of the song “Ohio” portrays a more brutal and personal view of the war. This is similar to the views that O’Brien portrays. In both of

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