Disappointed youngs and young veterans

Many youngs disappointed in their homeland and in their fellows. While in 1968, the country protested for the end of the war with one voice, everyone forgot it when Nixon started vietnamizing the war. Those, who didn't forget, they were disappointed. A former college boy, who demonstrated against the war, said: "Last year Terry Rubin (a YIPPIE leader) came and said: 'Let's uproot this rotten regime.' This year, he came and said that we should enter our name to the list to participate the presidential election." The change of view is obvious. The leftwing student organizations, e.g.: SDS, disappear quickly, students start thinking about their studies.

They forgot somehow, that in spite of the fact that it's not Americans, who are fighting, hundred thousands of people still die in Vietnam, that thousands of American soldiers were imprisoned. While some years before, they protested not only against the war, but also against the political system, now they defend it. The own interest became more important than the people. Most of 70448 (the number of the demonstrators) students forgot. The minority was left in disappointment. Not only in the politics, but also in their mates. Should have been more demonstrations when soldiers came home? People could see the same as the photos of the My Lai massacre ... live, without blood. Thousands of disabled soldiers, drug addicts and cripple physically or mentally. A veteran said: "Both of my brothers served there, now all three of us are disabled. I left when I was 17." That should have shocked the public opinion, but it didn't.

Everyone was engaged with his or her own matter. Veterans weren't welcomed. People didn't want a reminder of the horror of the war. They didn't want to nurse the disabled. For the veterans, coming home was an even bigger disappointment. They expected an understanding environment with friends, but they got refusal. 2.4 millions of veterans had to have psychiatric treatment for this reason. These people have to learn to live again, they have to start their life again.