VIETNAM WAR

Vietnam War

Introduction

The war in Vietnam was a grim incident and a military debacle in American history. It was started in the mid 50' and ended in 1975 and responsible for the killing of more than fifty thousand American soldiers on non-native land. The proponent of the war including President Johnson justified American involvement by regarding it a clash between good and evil. As stated by him, It is a war waged by the people the people who do not believe in freedom of thought (the Communists), against the defenders of free speech and democracy. He further pointed out that the only way to protect our hard earned freedom is by taking responsibility and responding to the enemy in the same way (Daum, 2003, pp.1-3).

The American led war in Vietnam was the result of such mindset which made it easier for the American government to sell Vietnam War to its citizens in the initial period. However if, one critically analyze the US role in Vietnam War, one would be able to identify traces of individual of interests rather than the interests of the free world ideology. There are many political experts who believe that the American participation in the Vietnam War was not based on the suffering of the Vietnamese people on the hands of their government. Rather it was a calculated decision to limit the spread of communism in this part of the world (Daum, 2003 pp.1-3).

Issues in Vietnam War

President Lyndon Johnson assumed office in 1963, right after the assignation of his predecessor President John F. Kennedy. He was the 36th president of United States of America and belongs to the Republican Party. At the time of his arrival at the White house, he was confronted by the escalating political crises in Vietnam. Regardless of his speeches in which he had promised his people to bring a swift end to the United States involvement in Vietnam, he gradually deployed more troops in the troubled region while hoping the increase number of American soldiers on the ground will ensure victory (Daum, 2003 pp.1-3).

As stated by his colleagues, he knew that no president in American history has ever lost a single war, and believed that he would not be the first one to lose it. However, the ground reality was not in line with his views, therefore by the end of his second term, his approval ratings decreased, and the killing of American troops in the war zone made the citizens against his war policies (Daum, 2003 pp.1-3).

President Johnson believed in the Domino theory which states that if a country is ruled by a communist party then it will have a domino effect in other neutral countries and the process will result in the strengthening of communism and the demise of the free world based on individualism and capitalism. Therefore, in his numerous addresses to his citizens he always said that we are not fighting to grab Vietnamese land, but we are fighting for a Nobel cause to provide freedom to ...