Every year, on March 29, people celebrate Vietnam Veterans Day. It remembers the hard times and struggles that nine million Americans had to go through during the Vietnam War. But the holiday honours more than just the men who served. It also honours their families, who helped them before and after the war.
HISTORY OF VIETNAM VETERANS DAY
Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam fought in the Vietnam War, which went on for a long time and cost a lot of money. It took place from November 1, 1955, to April 30, 1975, which was 19 years before Saigon fell. As Vietnam’s main partner, the U.S.’s involvement in the war had a big effect on how it turned out. In 1961, John F. Kennedy, who had been president of the United States, sent a team to Vietnam to find out what was going on there. It was found that the United States gave Ngo Dinh Diem more money, weapons, and expert help to help him beat the Viet Cong. Kennedy gave more money to Vietnam because of the “domino theory.” This theory says that if one Southeast Asian country falls, the others will follow.
BACKGROUND
On November 5, 1969, there were a lot of people in Washington who were against the war. More than 250,000 Americans took part and asked for the military to get out of Vietnam. On March 29, 1973, President Richard Nixon of the United States finally pulled all U.S. combat troops out of Vietnam. The first Vietnam Veterans Day was held the next year.e country had as many as 9,000 soldiers.
By March 1965, Lyndon Johnson, who had taken over for Kennedy, was still supporting U.S. help to Vietnam. By June of the same year, there were 82,000 American soldiers. A month later, 100,000 more troops were sent, and a year later, another 100,000 more. By November 1967, there were 500,000 U.S. troops. However, 15,058 of them had died, and 109,527 had been hurt.
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HOW TO OBSERVE VIETNAM VETERANS DAY
You should go to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. is one of the most popular places to go on Vietnam Veterans Day. It’s a well-known place where people pay their respects to the soldiers who died during the 19-year long war in Vietnam.
Help groups for the mental health of war soldiers
After the war, many veterans had PTSD and sadness. By giving money to groups that help veterans with their mental health, you’re helping soldiers get knowledge, treatment, and therapy for any mental illnesses they’ve gotten because of the war.
Help Paralyzed Veterans of America by giving money.
You can also help by giving money to the organisation Paralyzed Veterans of America. Its goal is to help war soldiers who have been hurt or paralysed. You can make their lives easier by helping them with these programmes.
5 FACTS ABOUT VIETNAM VETERANS DAY
There are thousands of unsung stars.
Most soldiers who returned home did not get any kind of thanks for their service.
It is a national game.
Vietnam Veterans Day is celebrated in 45 out of the 51 states and regions in the United States.
It became a law in 2017.
The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 was signed into law by former U.S. President Donald Trump. This law says that National Vietnam Veterans Day will be held every year on March 29.
It is a holiday in Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico also marks Vietnam Veterans Day.
It’s a day for all parts of the military
The holiday is for all members of the Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, and Navy who served in the war, no matter where they were or what they did.
WHY VIETNAM VETERANS DAY IS IMPORTANT
It honours Vietnam veterans
Veterans who served in Vietnam have been forgotten for too long. It’s time to honour them. Even though a holiday honouring their sacrifices might not fully heal the trauma, stress, and difficulties they went through, it will make sure that the honour they brought will be remembered from one generation to the next.
It shows how brave the soldiers were.
Vietnam soldiers were the first people in history to put their lives at risk. On Vietnam Veterans Day, we honour their bravery and pride by remembering what they gave up for their country. It’s an easy way to show that we’ll never forget what they did for us.
It works to improve mental health.
Vietnam Veterans Day gives us a chance to talk about mental health, especially for people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). By helping veterans on the holiday, we can help any fighter who went through a hard time mentally.
VIETNAM VETERANS DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | March 29 | Wednesday |
| 2024 | March 29 | Friday |
| 2025 | March 29 | Saturday |
| 2026 | March 29 | Sunday |
| 2027 | March 29 | Monday |
