Essay On America's Involvement In The Vietnam War

999 Words4 Pages

America’s involvement in the Vietnam War, essentially caused the country to split due to different points of view. Dr. King, on one hand, wanted and supported the retreat of American troops stationed in Vietnam. While President Johnson believed that America’s future relied on the outcome of the war, so he supported the troops being stationed there. Dr. King's speech aroused not only the idea of American Troops to be brought home, but also created the argument that America should not be involved in a war, for another country’s independence. Especially, when there is a great division continuing in our own country. Therefore, after reviewing and rereading both speeches, American troops should not continue a war in a foreign land when their own …show more content…

Yet, as Dr. King has stated, “Ho Chi Minh has watched as America has spoken of peace and built up its forces” (Dr. King). Which is hypocritical and counterproductive because, logically speaking, one may not speak of peace while they are beginning to prepare for war. So, in defense of Sir Ho Chi Minh, if one prepares for war against his nation, he must protect his people and not leave his country vulnerable. Then President Johnson begins to speak about the Morale of the American people and quotes that President Kennedy, “We are Americans determined to defend the frontiers of freedom by an honorable peace if peace is possible but by arms, if arms are used against us” (Johnson). Although, America began to build up their arms in Vietnam, which creates the image that America is not holding up their end of the bargain in the “honorable peace” that was referred to by President Johnson. Dr. King then takes the liberty upon himself to “suggest five concrete things that our government should do to begin the long and difficult processor extricating ourselves from the nightmarish conflict” (Dr. King). Dr. King even created a plan that could be followed by the President, to be able to create peace with the Vietnamese, that he constantly mentioned in his