The Impact of War on the Growth of the Military: The history of U.S. military (Essay Sample)

The Impact of War on the Growth of the Military
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The Impact of War on the Growth of the Military
War is perceived as one of the tragic things that can happen to a nation. It bears numerous effects including economic setback, deaths, casualties and disappearances among others. However, being involved in this significant course, the military sector is affected in one way or another. In the United States, each of the military branch play a vital role in ensuring that there is safety and defense in assigned places (Field, 2008). Since the inception of U.S military and through to the twenty first century, things within the sector kept on changing significantly. Looking deeper into two different conflicts which involved the U.S, it will be easy to elaborate on the growth and development of the U.S military from its inception through the twenty first century.
The history of U.S military
The United States had come out as new nation which fought the Great Britain for its independence around year seventeen seventy five to seventeen eighty three., via the monumental American Civil War that happened around eighteen sixty one and eighteen sixty five. In addition, there was collaboration in conquest during the World War II in the year nineteen forty one to nineteen forty five to the sole remainder superpower of the world in the late twentieth century as well as twenty first century (O'Hanlon, 2014). The Continental Army was established in the seventeen seventy-five by the Continental Congress, naming the commander to be General George Washington. The freshly formed army in conjunction with militia forces as well as navy and French army, conquered against the British n seventeen eighty-one. When a new president was elected in seventeen eighty-nine, he was made the commander in chief having power for the Congress in levying taxes, making laws as well as declaring war. Currently, the United States’ military includes Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. This is under the authority of United States Department of Defense. There also exists U.S Coast Guard that is controlled through the Homeland Security department. The president still remains the commander in chief as he practices control via Secretary of Defense as well as the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman that supervises combat actions
The conflicts
Vietnam War
Origin of conflict
The war in Vietnam lasted for not less than two decades, being long, costly as well as armed conflict, which pitted the regime of communist of North Vietnam plus the southern allies called Viet Cong. These were against South Vietnam together with its main collaborator, the United States. The war started in nineteen fifty-four after Ho Chi Minh rose to power through his Viet Minh party that was communist-based, in the North Vietnam. The war proceeded against the background of a strong cold war between two influential global superpowers, The Soviet Union and United States. Around three million people that included fifty-eight thousand Americans had been killed. Moreover, more than a half of those killed were civilians of Vietnam. Around nineteen sixty nine, the United States had become more involved in the war and thus deployed over five hundred thousand United States personnel of military in Vietnam. This had led to development of opposition by the Americans back at home regarding involvement of war. Therefore, President Nixon made an order for the military group to withdraw around nineteen seventy-three. In nineteen seventy-five, the communist forces got hold of Saigon and that brought Vietnam War into an end, leaving the country united and became the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the year that followed.
Contributions of the war to military development
This experience was a great one for the U.S military to learn from, even though some of them must have been killed. They were involved in war against another superpower, meaning that they had so many challenges on the ground. However, the war must have left them tough and determined than ever. Even though they had to leave the battle field due to the president’s order that resulted from Americans’ increasing pressure, they had also played a great role on the ground. Even though great challenges could have been in their way, they were only to shape them for future encounters. One of the main U.S military branches that was very active was the U.S Air force (Prorok, 2016). The United States Air forces seemed to have been shaped by this war through the task that they had to perform. For instance, between nineteen sixty five and nineteen seventy three, the Air forces of United States had dropped about eight million tons of bombs within Vietnam. Moreover, on the southern side, the forces of United States also used about twenty million gallons full of herbicides in nineteen sixty two to nineteen seventy one. This took place more specifically around the Northern side of Saigon as well as along Cambodia and Laos boarders.
Civil war
Origin of the conflict
The civil war took place around eighteen sixty one and eighteen sixty five as about eleven states had seceded in forming the America’s Confederate States. They had been spurred in leaving by the President Abraham Lincoln’s election around November eighteen sixty plus by hostilities outbreak in April eighteen sixty one (Allenby, 2015). The issue of slavery is featured a lot in this scenario and could have been one of the main issues that caused beginning of war. After around four years full of bloody war, the union finally forced the Confederacy surrender on ninth of April eighteen sixty five. However, celebrations of victory were merred through assassination of after several days. Even though before he died, Lincoln had said that Civil war had brought about "new birth of freedom”, it threw along a shadow regarding the history of South as well as its legacy, shaping much of the consequent progression of the nation of America.
Contributions of war in military development
Civil war was evidently both an experience and a learning platform as well, for the U.S military involved. These were all Americans that had differed opinions and thus causing mayhem that eventually breaks out into war. The main military branch featured here is the Army, even though they were from different departments (Schlight, 2015). The Union Army being the land force involved in fighting for the Union in times of Civil war, included United State...