Catastrophic consequencesDuring 20 years (1955-1975), the Vietnam War, as bloody as all other wars, cost the lives of more than 2 million people, many of them civilians. 3 million people were injured and hundreds of thousands of children were orphaned. The war ruined North and South Vietnam. Between 1965 and 1973, the United States Air Force dropped approximately 8 million tons of bombs in Vietnam. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay The North's basic infrastructure was devastated, especially after Operation Linebacker II, which lasted from December 18 to 29, 1972 In the South, U.S. forces used about 20 million gallons of herbicides from 1962 to 1971, notably in northern Saigon and along the borders with Laos and Cambodia, to reduce the dense jungle foliage. could hide the Viet Cong (National Liberation Front) as well as destroy crops that the enemy could use for sustenance. In 1969, approximately 1,034,300 hectares of forest were destroyed. Agent Orange, one of the main herbicides used, has had serious ecological and human consequences on the lives of the Vietnamese. Today, there are still many children in Vietnam growing up with various illnesses and disabilities affected by the harmful chemicals used during the war. What happened after the Vietnam War? Additionally, after the fall of Saigon, the Communists quickly began operating "education programs" that captured millions of people in South Vietnam in so-called "re-education camps" and "new economic zones." and forced them to perform extremely arduous work. Their actions caused much hatred between the North and South Vietnamese people, the effects of which, to some extent, continue to this day. In addition, millions of people who could not stand the harsh political policies and treatment of the new government tried with all their might to escape from South Vietnam and became refugees. It is estimated that around 200,000 to 400,000 boat people died at sea. A few decades have passed but Vietnam remains a developing country under the communist government. On the United States side, more than 58,000 American soldiers were killed and more than 150,000 others injured. Moreover, according to Indochina Newsletter, Asia Resource Center (special issue 93-97), the US government spent approximately $350-900 billion on the Vietnam War, including veterans' benefits and interests, which has left a heavy burden on its economy. money was not the only price they had to pay. News of atrocities such as the My Lai massacre called into question America's claim to moral superiority and its status as a global defender of freedom and law. Combined with the Watergate scandal, the war weakened the American people's confidence in their government. In fact, there was widespread public distrust of the government, particularly of military decisions made immediately after the war. The Vietnam War also left many lasting effects on veterans who had fought hard during the war. Approximately 700,000 Vietnam veterans suffered psychological aftereffects. The Vietnam War completely changed the way Americans approached military actions. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay During this war we saved $10.6 billion and.