Containment - Vietnam war
a) Describe the domino theory. [4]
The domino theory was a theory that was believed by the USA during the Cold War. US presidents thought that if one country turned communist then the neighbouring countries would soon follow. This led to the USA’s policy of containment to try to stop communism spreading, particularly in South-east Asia where communism was very strong. It had spread from China to North Korea and then to Vietnam. The USA feared that other countries like Cambodia would be next.
The domino theory was a theory that was believed by the USA during the Cold War. US presidents thought that if one country turned communist then the neighbouring countries would soon follow. This led to the USA’s policy of containment to try to stop communism spreading, particularly in South-east Asia where communism was very strong. It had spread from China to North Korea and then to Vietnam. The USA feared that other countries like Cambodia would be next.
b) Explain why the USA sent troops to Vietnam in the mid-1960s. [6]
One reason the USA sent troops to Vietnam in the mid-1960s was to stop communist-controlled North Vietnam from taking control in South Vietnam. Vietnam had been split between the communist north and a pro-American capitalist south since the end of the civil war in 1954. The North had been supported by China who helped train its troops. The USA first sent financial aid and advisers but eventually sent troops so the communists would be contained.
The USA also sent troops in the mid-1960s because of the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964. North Vietnamese patrol boats opened fire on US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. This was seen as an act of war and it gave the US president the power to take all necessary measures to prevent further aggression. This allowed President Johnson to take the USA into a full-scale war and by US marines and combat troops were sent to help the South Vietnamese regime to resist the communists.
One reason the USA sent troops to Vietnam in the mid-1960s was to stop communist-controlled North Vietnam from taking control in South Vietnam. Vietnam had been split between the communist north and a pro-American capitalist south since the end of the civil war in 1954. The North had been supported by China who helped train its troops. The USA first sent financial aid and advisers but eventually sent troops so the communists would be contained.
The USA also sent troops in the mid-1960s because of the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964. North Vietnamese patrol boats opened fire on US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. This was seen as an act of war and it gave the US president the power to take all necessary measures to prevent further aggression. This allowed President Johnson to take the USA into a full-scale war and by US marines and combat troops were sent to help the South Vietnamese regime to resist the communists.
c) ‘The Americans failed in Vietnam because they used the wrong tactics.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
I agree the Americans used the wrong tactics in Vietnam and this led to failure. The US used a massive bombing campaign, chemical weapons such as napalm and Agent Orange and a policy of ‘search and destroy’. The bombing campaign resulted in lots of Vietnamese casualties as did the use of chemical weapons, which was supposed to destroy the jungle cover. This turned many ordinary Vietnamese people against the USA and made it harder for them to win their support in the South. The search-and-destroy policy was often based on poor intelligence and used inexperienced and frightened troops. This resulted in mistakes and innocent villagers were killed such as in the Mai Lai Massacre in 1968. This meant that the US troops became more and more unpopular with the South Vietnamese people and many began to help the Viet Cong to fight the US forces.
There were other reasons for the failure of the USA in Vietnam. For example, the Tet Offensive in early 1968 saw Viet Cong fighters launch a full-scale attack in over 100 cities. US troops had to fight to reclaim lost strategic points. This started to show politicians and the public back in the USA that the USA, for all of its economic spending, could still be attacked by surprise. The media started to report more negative aspects of the war from this point, which turned public support away from the war. This was made worse when the Mai Lai Massacre in 1968 was reported to the American people in 1969.
Overall, I think that the reasons are all linked as the American tactics led to the negative media coverage, which in turn made politicians and the public question the point of the war and the loss of American lives. This can be seen when the Tet Offensive began to turn the US public against the war as did the Mai Lai Massacre. The tactics of search-and-destroy missions were now questionable and the anti-war movement in the USA grew stronger and stronger as many started to oppose the Vietnam War, which led to the US pulling their troops out by 1973.
I agree the Americans used the wrong tactics in Vietnam and this led to failure. The US used a massive bombing campaign, chemical weapons such as napalm and Agent Orange and a policy of ‘search and destroy’. The bombing campaign resulted in lots of Vietnamese casualties as did the use of chemical weapons, which was supposed to destroy the jungle cover. This turned many ordinary Vietnamese people against the USA and made it harder for them to win their support in the South. The search-and-destroy policy was often based on poor intelligence and used inexperienced and frightened troops. This resulted in mistakes and innocent villagers were killed such as in the Mai Lai Massacre in 1968. This meant that the US troops became more and more unpopular with the South Vietnamese people and many began to help the Viet Cong to fight the US forces.
There were other reasons for the failure of the USA in Vietnam. For example, the Tet Offensive in early 1968 saw Viet Cong fighters launch a full-scale attack in over 100 cities. US troops had to fight to reclaim lost strategic points. This started to show politicians and the public back in the USA that the USA, for all of its economic spending, could still be attacked by surprise. The media started to report more negative aspects of the war from this point, which turned public support away from the war. This was made worse when the Mai Lai Massacre in 1968 was reported to the American people in 1969.
Overall, I think that the reasons are all linked as the American tactics led to the negative media coverage, which in turn made politicians and the public question the point of the war and the loss of American lives. This can be seen when the Tet Offensive began to turn the US public against the war as did the Mai Lai Massacre. The tactics of search-and-destroy missions were now questionable and the anti-war movement in the USA grew stronger and stronger as many started to oppose the Vietnam War, which led to the US pulling their troops out by 1973.
