Why Did The Vietnam War Changed America?

During the Lyndon Baines Johnson presidential administration, both those policy makers who supported America’s involvement in Vietnam and those who opposed the war were part of the “containment generation.” They had reached political maturity during World War II and the early years of the Cold War and had experienced the intense anticommunism of the McCarthy era of the early 1950s. These leaders understood and applied the lessons of American nationalism, which had the primary message that the U.S. was the dominating nation that had to embrace its responsibility to aid and improve nations in America’s image. Therefore, when they saw that there was a threat of the spread of communism to areas of Southeast Asia, a majority of the

The political instability in Vietnam from 1950 to 1975 between the communist North Vietnam and anti-communist South Vietnam during the Cold War era has led to the United States’ inevitable intervention in Vietnam. The main motivators for the United States’ incremental decision to intervene and commitment in Vietnam can be viewed as an accumulation of socio-political, political and economic catalysts. In recognition that there were many other factors that may have contributed to the U.S’s involvement in the conflict in Vietnam, this essay will largely focus on these three factors. As the cold war resonates, the American’s crusade was propelled by the fears of the domino theory and perception of Communist threat and expansion affected the

Social and economic tensions were not the only things strained because of the war, political activities were on the brink as well. The Domino Theory, speculation that if one country takes another to communism, the surrounding countries will fall to it as well, was one of the main reasons for starting the war. If the Domino Theory had occurred, the United States would suffer a horrible loss to foreign affairs, something they were not able to handle at that time. When the affair in the Gulf of Tonkin happened in 1964, the U.S. government jumped on the idea to stop Vietnam. In the Gulf of Tonkin, a ship, the U.S.S. Maddox, was attacked by Vietnam patrol boats. Even though the Maddox was unhurt, the LBJ jumped on the opportunity to squash the Domino Effect before it started. Soon after the attack, Lyndon B Johnson got the ‘stamp of approval’ from Congress to counter attack. He was allowed to “Take all necessary measure to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression.” (Doc A) Little did they know that their

During the Indochina war, the United States aided the French, but if we inspect France

The worry between countries located around the region would turn communist countries, was a great worry because the United States didn’t believe communism was right, the U.S believed “all… [people] on the earth are equal from birth, [and] all… [people] have a right to live, to be happy and free” (Doc. A). Although, this was the belief of the Americans, going into this war left the country facing many problems. Such problems include the numbers of causalities, the cost of the war, and the outcomes after the war was over.

In Order to combat this rapid spread of Communism the US increase the equipment and the military advisors that these Asian countries, Vietnam in particular. But with eh assassination of Kennedy in 1963, Johnson was left with 16,000 US troops over in South Vietnam. Around six months after Johnson steps up into office there happened to be an attack on U.S. naval ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. In Ordered to resolve the fighting growing concern over the US troops and the people of South Vietnam congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, with giving the President to declare war against North Vietnam. By February 1965, President Johnson began “the air war” which ordered sustained bombing of the north. However the North was very good at defined these kind of attacks, with their guerrilla fighting tactics. ABout a month late the first major anti-war demonstration was held in Ann Arbor Michigan. Over the next five year, the nation was becoming deeply divided by the war, and the protest was only growing larger and more hectic. It was during that time on an October day in 1968 that the largest demonstration took place attracting over two million. This brought the US its knees with all this power and light they were going to have to start withdrawing troops from Vietnam. This is not the only front that America was fighting communism on, starting after world war two there was an arms race between the major countries, this included Russia and the US. With the US and Russia having many different political structures Washington looked at the USSR as a threat to the American people. Tensions did have their highs and lows throughout the sixties, examples being Cuba or the race to space it had always seemed that the opposing side had a trick up their sleeve. The takeover of Cuba had led many American in to fear as it was the first time that Russia had the capability to reach the US with

Communism was everything was the property of the government and people earned pay based on their abilities and needs. The United States did not agree with this kind of idea they felt that the citizens of the United States should be given a lot more freedom and to be able to own items. The United States had been in the Cold War, which was the war between socialism and communism, for some bit of time. The United States believed they were losing the cold war and needed to contain communism. This lead to a decision being made if the U.S. should join the Vietnam War. Many people, such as president John F. Kennedy spoke about their views on communism. John F. Kennedy explained how, “Communism has never come to power in a country that was not disrupted by war or corruption, or both”(1). The United States despises communism and felt that it needed to take action against the problem. The domino theory was just as equally important in what scared the United

(Lecture notes, March 16) Half of Vietnam wanted to be communist the other half wanted to be independent and Americans got involved in a war that had nothing to do with us out of fear that if we did nothing communism would spread until it threatened the American way of life. Many Americans wanted out of the Vietnam War, including President Johnson, but were afraid to pull out without just cause because as Johnson said, “America had chosen the path of containment with open eyes.” and to pull out would make Americans look weak and cowardly to the rest of the world. (Brands, pg.

Johnson felt that if Vietnam became communist, then American interests and security would be threatened by a stronger communist network. Politically, Johnson would lose the mid-term elections

During the period of both wars, the U.S. committed to preventing further growth of communism. During the Korean War, the South gained backing and assistance of the U.S., reasoning that the government of North Korea were wanting to pursue the expansion of their communism towards the south of Korea. With the increasing growth of American troops, air and naval forces, and strategic combat, the intervention of the U.S. slowed the North Koreans from advancing south. American involvement in Vietnam was an implementation of the Containment Policy, which was a the obligation of U.S. foreign approach makers to terminate the expansion of communism (Vietnam War). With the participation of the U.S., the South was provided financial assistance and military hardware. This permitted North Vietnamese troops to retain their militia in the south.

Like a moth to a flame, the United States has always been attracted to international affairs. In this particular case communism in Vietnam was the flame that leered American bugs in, not knowing that they would be brutally burned by communism in the end. From 1953 to 1961, all the initial decisions involving Vietnam were made by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who once served as the Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe as well as the first Supreme Commander of NATO. Thus, Eisenhower was very knowledgeable about war issues and was prepared to tackle pending conflicts and avert the dispersal of communism when he came into office. Communism was an immense fear of this great patriot, who witnessed to the “Red Scare” during the

The Vietnam War also referred to as the Second Indochina War in the East Asia region was a war that many in the United States felt was unnecessary. However during four separate presidential terms the Commander and Chief of the United States made a decision that America’s involvement was necessary. Were these decisions for the betterment of the United States and its allies or a show of how big of a military power house the United States had become?

In this introduction I will talk about the problems that the Vietnamese war veterans face and at the end there will be ways that can help. In this essay I will be showing my findings/ research and answer my research topic which how did the war affect these soldiers. I will be discussing/finding problems like how the Vietnamese war. How they were treated and viewed by their fellow countrymen when they returned back home. How did it impact Countries/governments and who protested against the Vietnam War.

Vietnam emerged from the war with the United States torn and ravaged. The war destroyed much of Vietnam’s farmland, infrastructure and industries. Almost every province, in the North sustained heavy bombardments and in the South, after the U.S. troops left the local economy came to a complete stop. The death toll was astronomical, three million people lost their lives and another two million displaced. Nearly three million Vietnamese were employed. Since the Vietnam War and the unification of North Vietnam and South Vietnam, many great things have happened to Vietnam.

Vietnam is world’s 13th most populous country, majorly consisting of Viet and Kinh ethnic groups. Vietnam has Vietnamese as official language and some other languages exist in minority groups. Vietnam adopted “seclusion” policy which made the country isolated and faced a deep crisis which led them on brink of bankruptcy. After 1995, started globalizing and established relation with United States and Vietnam also became member of WTO in 2006. There are many aspects that helped Vietnam to grow faster. PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technical, Legal and Environmental) analysis helps in analyzing overall business opportunities and ease of doing business in country. Vietnam PESTLE analysis is as follows:-