Why did USA get involved in the Vietnam War? The Vietnam War was the longest war ever fought by the United States. It lasted more than 15 years, from 1959 to 1975. It was also the first war that the United States lost. The USA entered the war to stop the spread of Communism in South East Asia.
Vietnam War Carrie E. Christ (McManus) DeVry University Contemporary History Professor Jones Fall 2013 Vietnam War Thesis The Vietnam War is significant to American History because the United States participated in this war, as allies, with South Vietnamese, against North Vietnam and their southern allies, the Viet Cong. This war began because of a dispute that began in 1954, and was the cause of over three million deaths, half of which were Vietnamese civilians, and included the deaths of 58,000 Americans (A&E History). American citizens, divided on their thoughts in regards to support of this war, did not give the respect, nor honor to the veterans that they deserved, many of them shamed. The government, whom gave resolution to enact the war, did not provide support for the wounded veterans, and many suffered physical, emotional, as well as psychological injuries. Many Vietnam Veterans still suffer today because of this war; many whom have never spoke about it since returning to America.
The war was essentially fought with the Communist nations led by the Soviet Union, and the democratic nations led by the United States (“What Was the Cold War”, 2012). Both parties due to the threat of nuclear mass destruction avoided direct military action. Several major catastrophes occurred during the Cold War era, however, open war never transpired because of nuclear weapon dangers. The events that took place were the Berlin Airlift (1948-1949), the Korean Conflict (1950-1953), the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), the Vietnam War (1964-1975), and the Afghan Invasion (1979-1989) (“Cold War: After World War 2 Ended”, 2012). The Cold War was a peculiar era – and the American people experienced most of it first-hand.
I believe that the Vietnam War had a major impact on foreign policy and that it still has lasting and valuable lessons almost 40 years later. Background and Prelude to War with the US Long before the US and Vietnam went to war there had been a history of violence and aggression in Indochina, the name of the region given by the French and comprised of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. After World War II there was a push for independence from France in Indochina, but unlike most countries after World War II the French refused to grant independence to the region. They were determined to maintain their control and dominance and resorted to the use of military force to maintain it. This resulted in the bloody First Indochina War that resulted in the French granting independence to Indochina and the creation of two Vietnams, North and South.
Although the US and USSR seemed to have absolutely nothing in common they both had extremely strong militaries. The US and USSR feared each other because they were afraid that the other would take over their country and spread their own government ideas. With that, the USSR sets off the first atomic bomb and soon after the United States and Soviet Union were involved in an “Arms Race”. Both countries built up strong armies and worked up a huge stock of nuclear weapons believing that this would prevent a nuclear war. The main difference between the US and the USSR is their government systems.
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954 was the last major battle between the French Expeditionary Corps and the Vietnamese guerrilla army, the Viet Minh. The Viet Minh and the French had been fighting for control over Vietnam since 1946 when the French violated the terms of an agreement between the newly formed Ho Chi Minh Government to drive the Chinese out of Vietnam. The French generals chose Dien Bien Phu as a final effort to crush the Viet Minh and take control of Vietnam once more. However the Viet Minh prevailed and the French suffered their most humiliating defeat since the Germans swept through France at the start of World War Two. The main cause outcome of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, both for the event itself and the outcome of the Battle was the Vietnamese strong sense of nationalism.
On March 6 1946 the Franco/Vietminh accords were signed, recognising that Vietnam, to the limit of Tonkin, was a member of the Indochinese Federation. Negotiations concerning Cochinchina and Annam continued throughout April yet agreements were not reached. Between August and October such agreements between the French and Ho Chi Minh broke down. It was then that resistance began, marking the beginning of the First Indochina War. Throughout the next nine years the French and the Vietminh, also known as the Peoples Army, fought many battles using significantly different tactics with defeats on both sides.
Soviet and US relations changed dramatically between 1945 and 1947, there were many reasons to explain why and how this happened. Firstly, one reason was the end of WW2. During the Second World War, America and the USSR were members of the Grand Alliance in order to oppose Hitler, but when this war finished there was nothing to bring the Communists and Capitalists together. Therefore, the two countries went from allies to progressing enemies after Germany was defeated. This developed until a confrontation, from Western and Eastern Europe, in a nuclear arms race.
Richard Nixon’s election to Presidency of the United States in 1968, marked a turning point in American foreign policy and a new strategic approach to the war in Vietnam. It was a war he had inherited from his predecessor, Lyndon Johnson. Domestic support for the war had diminished significantly, with national outpourings of opposition. This prompted Nixon to make his famous ‘silent majority’ speech, where he outlined his position on Vietnam, “After all, we became involved in the war while my predecessor was in office. I could blame the defeat which would have been the result of my action on him and come out as Peacemaker…But I had a greater obligation than to think only of the years of my administration and of the next election.
To what extent was the Vietnam part of the Cold War? | | | | | | | | The Vietnam War can be seen to be part of the Cold War due to the Americans acting upon their policy of containment and their fear of the Domino Theory. This idea relates to many events in the Cold War. For example the Korean War, where the Americans became involved due to their fear of the Domino Theory, as communism had already spread in China and Indo-China, and now the Soviet-occupied North Korea had attacked the South. The US felt they had no other choice but to act on their policy of containment and fear of the Domino Theory.