This became known as the “domino effect,” and was the foreign policy that Dwight D. Eisenhower applied to countries in South East Asia in the 1950s. The United States’ role in Vietnam spanned from 1955 to 1975. During the 1960’s John F. Kennedy and Johnson both used the domino theory as credible reasons for the United States to increase their involvement in South East Asia. The United States already supported the French’s ambition to reinvade Indo-China. Supporting the South Vietnamese nation against their northern communist neighbors was a natural progression of foreign policy.
The United States began involvement in 1955, although never declaring war. The South Vietnamese leader, Ngo Diem was a strong opponent against communism, although his regime lacked cohesiveness, organization, resources, and trust among its members to efficiently ward off the looming threat of the North Vietnamese Army. The United States recognized the sovereignty of South Vietnam, but not all other nations did. Both China and Russia supported the North Vietnamese with weapons and other wartime help.
The United States began to aid the South Vietnamese, although they took a backseat to the American troops, training, and weapons that were provided. The “domino theory” kept the American’s belief that if South Vietnam were not protected from falling into the hands of the northern communist state, then surely surrounding countries like Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and others could also fall to communism. The South Vietnamese proved weak in protecting themselves against the North Army, and the infiltrating Viet Cong within their own borders.
The Term Paper on South Korea’s Policy towards North Korea
The purpose of this essay to address issues concerned with foreign policy of one state over another. In this paper the main concern is South Korea’s policy toward North Korea with emphasis on brief history of past and present foreign policy. A brief description of the Korean government gives clarifications about historical and cultural highlights. The Korean Peninsula was initially populated by ...
By August of 1964, Ngo Diem of South Vietnam was assassinated, along with John F. Kennedy a few weeks later. Lyndon B. Johnson was the acting president, and Congress had not granted permission for the United States to declare war on Vietnam. It was only known as a “conflict. ” In such status, there were limits to the scope of United States involvement until the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was passed in the US House of Congress unanimously. It gave the president of the United States authorization for military action in other countries, even without a declaration from Congress.
These powers were under the premise that the Command and Chief needed immediate, emergency authority, such as with the case of the torpedo attacks on US Navy patrol ships form which birthed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution changed forever America’s foreign policy. One can trace back to this defining document reasons for current engagements across the world using America’s military might, without the act of Congress declaring war. This policy was used to back United States involvement in Iraq wars, as well as many other small wars across the world, all without the need of approval from Congress.
After this monumental resolution was passed, United States troops saw a sharp increase, with combat units entering Vietnam beginning in 1965, shortly after the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Troop build-up continued and peaked in 1968. Many Americans became weary with the Vietnam War. They did not agree with the reasons for being there, nor agree with the tragic loss of American troops that grew in number each day. There began riots and demonstrations, many of which were on the campuses of American education institutions, such as the Kent State protests, ending in bloodshed on United States’ soil.
By 1967, less than half of the population agreed with the war and wanted American forces out of the conflict. By 1968, the Tet Offensive occurred, in which dozens of populous South Vietnam cities were severely attacked by Viet Cong and NVA offenses, even penetrating the American Embassy. This shocked the American public, who were told victory was near. The disgust with the war grew more day by day in the hearts of the American public. By this time, Richard Nixon entered the office of president.
The Essay on Why Did the Us Lose the War in Vietnam?
Answer with reference to the concept of insurgency/guerrilla warfare. The longest war in the history of the United States of America has taken place in Vietnam during the Cold War. “The US fear of a communist Europe led them to intervene in a war that was not seen in a vital importance or that would not be in the country`s interest to gain any advantage” (Bernstein 1987/8, p. 86). One of the main ...
Coupled with growing sentiment for a war some thought would never end, Nixon began drawing down American troops on the suggestions of his advisors who said at best, America could achieve an honorable settlement so that the South Vietnamese could survive. Nixon withdrew troops down in a process called “Vietnamization”, which included training and providing weapons and resources to the South Vietnamese to hold their ground with less and less American troop intervention. On March 29th, 1973 the last American military unit left Vietnam. Fighting in the country continued, but American forces were no longer involved.
With advisors feeling like it was a war that would never see victory, growing hatred of the American public for war, and the weak and under resourced South Vietnamese army, the Vietnam War Conflict ended a bloody era in American history. It birthed policies such as the Tonkin Resolution, and process of Vietnamization, both of which could have been a guide map for the wars fought in Iraq and other countries. Today, many similarities are seen between Vietnam and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. To some it would seem the mistakes have repeated themselves.
To others, it seems as though necessary intervention and honorable and brave action justifies the need to maintain freedom throughout the world. The Vietnam War left the American people questioning and distrusting their own government. The American public became disillusioned with the war effort, and troop morale also as support back home was lost, and the drawback of American troops left the ones who remained attempting to find the reason to give their continued efforts in a war that seemingly looked like a losing battle. Many parallels exist between the Vietnam War, and the recent wars America has found itself in.
