The fear of communism spread to the United States like the plague and infringed upon any hope and security that remained in Americans after WWII. The political systems in the Soviet Union and China were viewed as inhumane, and American troops wanted to cease all movement of communism towards Vietnam and Southeast Asia before the world capitulated to a malicious type of rule. Being the longest war in American history, it is also the most unpopular one, due to the toll in suffering in rancorous national turmoil that will never be exterminated. Music played a key role in reducing the fatigue and stress on the soldiers' shoulders, as well as family and friends at home. The Vietnam War was the first war in which soldiers could actually listen to protest music while they were fighting overseas. Soldiers had access to tape recorders and radios where they could listen to personal militia bands to rally the troops or listen to broadcast services such as the Armed Forces Vietnam Network, otherwise known as the sAFVN. The relationship between music and combat was at its peak during the Vietnam War and soldiers began associating music to military culture. For example, the slang term "lock and load," which meant to prepare a weapon for battle, was replaced by "rock and roll." A gun ship that was often seen in the harbor by soldiers was named "Puff the Magic Dragon," due to its large smoke stacks (Sabis, 2000). Music weaved its way into the military lifestyle and greatly impacted the camaraderie between soldiers, as well.
The main source of music broadcasted to troops in Vietnam was from the AFVN. The AFVN was created by the Armed Forces in hopes of entertaining troops by playing all genres of music, sports, talk shows, and news. AFVN broadcasts occurred 24/7, in order to maintain heightened spirits among the platoons, despite the tumultuous environment of life in the fray. The audio released by the broadcasting service was censored, and only specific pieces could be played only if they were sent to a record label and deemed suitable. Some songs were even banned before reaching the network, such as "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas." The songs that could be played were regulated by the AFVN disc jockeys, one of the most eccentric and famous DJs being Adrian Cronauer for his popularity of the slogan, "Gooooooood morning, Vietnam!" (Sabris, 2000). Cronauer's dynamite personality and whimsical approach to the broadcasts was much different than the monotonous news of preceding jockeys. As a result, more soldiers felt compelled to listen to his broadcasts for enlightenment and entertainment, since Cronauer's energy acted as a collateral barrier between the soldier and war. The concept of Cronauer's unorthodox broadcasts were later adapted into the hit movie Good Morning, Vietnam with Robin Williams starring as the outlandish Cronauer. The clip below is a few of the movie's most iconic scenes and depicts how Williams successfully imitates Cronauer's style.
The main source of music broadcasted to troops in Vietnam was from the AFVN. The AFVN was created by the Armed Forces in hopes of entertaining troops by playing all genres of music, sports, talk shows, and news. AFVN broadcasts occurred 24/7, in order to maintain heightened spirits among the platoons, despite the tumultuous environment of life in the fray. The audio released by the broadcasting service was censored, and only specific pieces could be played only if they were sent to a record label and deemed suitable. Some songs were even banned before reaching the network, such as "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas." The songs that could be played were regulated by the AFVN disc jockeys, one of the most eccentric and famous DJs being Adrian Cronauer for his popularity of the slogan, "Gooooooood morning, Vietnam!" (Sabris, 2000). Cronauer's dynamite personality and whimsical approach to the broadcasts was much different than the monotonous news of preceding jockeys. As a result, more soldiers felt compelled to listen to his broadcasts for enlightenment and entertainment, since Cronauer's energy acted as a collateral barrier between the soldier and war. The concept of Cronauer's unorthodox broadcasts were later adapted into the hit movie Good Morning, Vietnam with Robin Williams starring as the outlandish Cronauer. The clip below is a few of the movie's most iconic scenes and depicts how Williams successfully imitates Cronauer's style.
The long and arduous task of serving in the Vietnam War called for some recreational relief within the platoons. Soldiers wrote and performed songs, while recording them on tapes to replay and distribute. Tapes were the second most available source of music within the military during this time (Sabris, 2000). The purpose of the soldiers' songs served a variety of functions, such as a simple way to pass the time, to reminisce about life at home, to uplift and unite troops with a common goal, or to capture the current experiences of war into subtle, yet profound lyrics. One of the most popular cadences during the Vietnam war was entitled, "First Cav," a short chant that lifted morale and spirits among the men:
"First team, first cav,
Black and yellow patch.
It's the greatest fighting team there is,
No other one can match.
First team, first cav,
Always number one.
No matter what the job may be,
The Cav will get it done."
Over thirty thousand recordings of this song were made and distributed to American troops (Sabris, 2000). Another common theme in music amongst soldiers was the venting of frustration. Topics of songs included homesickness, the ache for a woman, or the ridiculous requirements by higher ranked officials. Whatever the message was, soldiers never faulted in creating a succinct song that reflected experiences of war.