However, the USA in the 1950s believed that if South Vietnam (which was not controlled by Ho) fell to Ho, this would mean communist expansion. This was because the American administration believed in the domino theory, i.e. once a country falls to communism, this will mean that Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, etc will start to fall to communism. In turn, the USA under Eisenhower drew a line in Vietnam to stop Ho reunification attempt. At the same time they tried to create a strong non-communist South Vietnam under the leadership of Diem.
After that, nation after nation might fall to Communism. Communism is a political and economic system that the United States strongly opposed. Vietnam had been split in half in 1954, after fighting a war to gain independence from France. When French forces withdrew the US felt they needed to take matters into their own hands but the Vietnamese Communists gained control of North Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh was the leader of the North Vietnamese Communists.
US has a legit ruler, president of the United States. Just cause, was helping to prevent and contain communism. Right intention, to help South Vietnam and their people from communist. Self-defense, again comes back to the spread of
These are two of the several arguments I will cover. The first reason Eisenhower should receive blame for US involvement in Vietnam is that he gave the French aid to fight against Vietnam. He gave this aid in the form of $500,000,000 per year and 15,000 advisors. This enabled the French to afford military expenses such as soldiers and weapons, meaning they can fight in Vietnam, this means we can blame Eisenhower because it was his own choice to send this aid and it deepened their involvement with Vietnam. One reason Eisenhower shouldn’t be blamed for America’s involvement in Vietnam is that his advisors were too focused on how to win the war in Vietnam rather than if winning the war in Vietnam would actually be beneficial at all.
During 1957 and 1965 they have some problems with the government and North Vietnam send their troops to fight against the government. After this the war started. The North Vietnam has the support of other communist countries for example the USSR and the South Vietnam have the support of the US, this because the US was anti-communist. The US sent equipment and troops to South Vietnam, because they were going to help them win this war against the communism. When the war started many American people was against it and want this to end son as possible.
Another event that impacted the public’s view of government dishonesty during this time was President Nixon’s involvement with the infamous Watergate scandal which eventually led to his resignation on August 9, 1974. Furthermore, when President Nixon began his presidency, people believed he would work to bring an end to America’s involvement in the Vietnam. Yet, this was not the case as Nixon increased bombing raids and authorized the invasion of Cambodia. When the war started, the American people were led to believe that the war was a necessity to ensure the protection of the nation as a whole.
How far do you agree that the ‘Domino Theory’ explains US intervention in South East Asia in the 1950’s? The Domino theory is a significant motive in explaining US intervention in Vietnam, as not only the government accepted it, but the wider American Public did as well. However, there are other factors that influenced the US at the time, such as the Power vacuum in Vietnam after Dien Bien Phu, the Geneva accords and the loss of China to communism. The Domino theory is the theory that if one country ‘falls’ to communism then that communism would spread until all the countries have ‘fallen’ to it. The US intervened because of this as there was a great fear of communism around at the time.
The documentary, Fog of War, allows some insight into the choices and decisions that were faced by former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. I believe McNamara’s worldview has and continues to persist that America has a duty to act on behalf of the world community and that stability between and within nations is paramount to national security. It is this worldview that was the basis for his strategy throughout the Cold War. Previous administrations had committed the US to assisting Vietnam, but during Kennedy’s years Vietnam fell into further conflict after the coup in 1963. McNamara’s advice to withdraw military personnel prior the coup was no longer an option as instability in Vietnam posed a threat to national security.
One government was led by a communist leader, Ho Chi Minh, who wanted to unite the country and help spread communism. His military forces were referred to as the Viet Minh. The second government was led by Ho Chi Minh's democratic rival, Bao Dai. He was placed there by the French, who at the time occupied Vietnam, to help stop communism. Public support was gained by the Viet Minh when they fought off the French.
Assignment: The Vietnam War His/135: The American Experience Since 1945 Instructor: Jordan Billings Joseph Ioppolo After World War II ended, and the cold war began, American’s were focused on the spread of communism. The United States citizens shared a feeling of unity with their western allies. As the cold war dragged, the threat of communism to places such as, China, Eastern Europe, and Vietnam, seemed all too real. John Foster Dulles, America’s Secretary of State during the 1950’s, spread the fear of communism by implementing the Domino Theory, which stated that once one