Date of Award
Spring 2013
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in American Studies (MAST)
Department
American Studies
First Advisor
Dr. Alan Lebaron
Second Advisor
Dr. Randall Patton
Third Advisor
Dr. Rebecca Hill
Abstract
The purpose of this essay is to discuss the possibility that the Vietnam War could have been a stepping stone in the socio-economic ladder for Mexican-Americans; and why many Chicanos did indeed see the war as an opportunity for social mobility. In addition, I will discuss how in reality the war did not bring advancement to the Chicano veteran. The idea that the Vietnam War could have been a way for Chicanos to become upwardly mobile is connected to the idea that World War II created some positive outcomes for African-Americans as well as other minorities including White minorities who were not part of the major Anglo-American majority. It is for this reason that I decided to research if the war in Vietnam was of any benefit to the Mexican-Americans that participated in it.