Car Rentals in New York City and the Vietnam Memorial
With your car rental in New York City, why not visit the Vietnam Memorial in Albany. Although it is a bit of a drive, it is worth it to explore other areas of the state and learn a bit about one of America's great wars. It can be a day or more with a car rental in New York City. The New York State Vietnam Memorial is a living memorial that commemorates the military service of residents of the state in Vietnam and Southeast Asia between 1961 and 1975. In particular, it is dedicated to those who lost their life are were declared missing in action.
Remembering the Past
The Memorial features a state honor roll, a gallery with exhibitions, a courtyard, and a resource center. It "seeks to foster increased public understanding and discussion of the Vietnam War and its aftermath". It can be found at the Justice Building at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, only 145 miles from New York City with a car rental in New York City.
War!
The Vietnam War was a conflict between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (or the North) and the Republic of Vietnam (or the South). The United States was involved in the conflict beginning in 1965, and didn't officially withdraw until 1973. The war's roots are in the Cold War. The North was communist, while the South remained a democracy. At the start, France was responsible for this area through their colonies. However, pressure forced them to leave the area, and the U.S. became influential in the area. South Vietnam wanted to maintain its governing power rather than reunify the country. Beginning in 1957, civil war broke out. Conflict soon spread to neighboring countries such as Cambodia and Laos.
Under President Johnson, the United States was once again at war. However, there was no outright declaration of war. Instead, there were incremental increases in the forces sent to the area to maintain security. The U.S. also hoped to avoid Soviet or Chinese involvement in the war, which happened in the Korean War. By 1965, Operation Rolling Thunder was put into place, in an effort to destroy the will of the North Vietnamese and lead to the South's victory. The United States was highly involved in the war now.
When Nixon was elected as President, he promised to disengage the U.S. from the war. Nixon gradually removed troops from the war until finally, in 1973, Nixon announced suspension of all offensive activities in Vietnam.
There were many protests against the war in the 1960s and 1970s. However, today the war has been immortalized in monuments and museums all over the country. Make a trip to Albany with your car rental in New York City to see New York's contribution to the war.
The City of Albany
Compared to New York City, Albany is a small city of 96,000 people. However, it is worth the trip in your car rental in New York City. It is the state capital of New York, with all the state's institutions. The area in which the Vietnam Memorial is located is also a large commercial center. So take your car rental in New York City and visit the Vietnam Memorial and the surrounding area.