[8 marks]

How far does Source B support the evidence in source C about relations between black and
white soldiers in Vietnam?

One similarity between Source B and Source C about relations between black and white soldiers in Vietnam is that
both sources mention the interplay black and white soldiers during the Vietnam War . Specifically, both sources
acknowledge a presence of racial tension. Source B asserts that “the black and white relationship was tense which is
supported by Source C which declares that “blacks and whites who were friends in the bush felt intimidated or
awkward together behind the lines”. Therefore, both of these sources imply that there was an element of racial
tension.

A difference between source B and C about relations between black and white soldiers in Vietnam is that B describes
the extent of the violence and incidents that occurred “I saw a couple of fist fights”. Source B confirms the racially
motivated nature of the scuffles with the use of derogatory language. Whereas Source C only mentions the
“intimidated or awkward” nature of in which black and white soldiers responded to each other although Source C
continues with an element of comradery as when the soldiers where stationed in the bush racial rhetoric was
abandoned for the sake of survival. “In the bush we needed each other so we got along well.”

In conclusion, both sources mutually agree on the racial tensions between the soldiers with only somewhat
disagreement of the extent of the racial tensions.
[16 marks]
Extract A suggests that the economic cost of the war was the most significant cause of anti-
war feeling in the US.
How far do you agree with this interpretation?
Use Sources B & C (from the 8 marker) and your own knowledge to explain your answer.

The economic cost of the war was a significant cause of anti-war feeling in the US. The cost of the war was incredibly
high, with the government spending 120 billion dollars during the entire conflict. As a result, many Americans felt
that the money could have been better spent on domestic programs like healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
The cost of the war also contributed to inflation and economic instability, leading to economic hardships for many
Americans. The anti-war movement argued that the cost of the war was unjustifiable and that the resources should
be directed towards domestic needs rather than the military intervention overseas. As a result, the economic cost of
the war played a significant role in shaping the public's perception of the conflict and contributed to the growing
opposition to the war.

Anther significant cause of the anti-war feeling the US was civil rights. The civil rights movement campaigned for the
end to segregation and other government sanctioned mistreatment of black Americans. Both source B and C reflect
the racial tension in Vietnam with Source B going as far as to elaborate on the extent of such racially motivated
violence “I saw a couple of fist fights”. Although it seems from source C much of this racial tension was forwent for
the sake of survival. While in the United States many prominent civil rights leaders spoke out against the war such a
Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. This fury from civil rights campaigners came due to the fact that 22 percent of
those killed in action in Vietnam were black while they only made up 11 percent of US forces in Vietnam.
Furthermore it did not seems reasons to many black Americans that they had to fight in a far flung country in the
east for a country that would not even afford them basic human rights back home.

Another significant cause of the anti-war feeling the US was media coverage of the war. Television and photography
also greatly influenced public opinion. The war in Vietnam was the first to be televised in great detail. Moreover, in
the mid and late 1960s, colour television became readily accessible, which worsened the bloody nature of what was
shown. The conflict was in the living rooms of most US families. This, together with photographs, revealed the
brutality of the conflict and showed the appalling injuries caused by the use of napalm on civilians, including
children. In addition, television seemed to show that the USA had little hope of winning the conflict.

In conclusion I believe the most the significant cause of anti-war feeling in the U.S was media coverage. The Vietnam
War was the first televised war, and media coverage provided families in the US with unprecedented access to the
events of the conflict. The constant exposure to these horrors had a profound impact on many Americans, leading to
a widespread sense of moral decline. The stark contrast between the sanitized versions of the war presented by
government officials and the graphic images presented by the media fuelled a growing mistrust of the government's
handling of the conflict. As a result, media coverage played the most crucial role in shaping public opinion and
contributed significantly to the anti-war movement's momentum.