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How Far Did The Vietnam War Affect The Spread Of Communism

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Maia Than Miss Schonher World History B 10 May 2024 To what extent did the Vietnam War affect the spread of communism? As many are made aware of, the Vietnam War was a tragedy that many soldiers fell to. Its effect on other countries and their resistance or fall to communism is widely explored among historians. This war was fought between North Vietnam communists and South Vietnam republicans, alongside each of their allies, in the years 1955 to 1975. While the majority of the world was fighting in the Cold War, this side conflict was a major turning point that decided whether other countries in Southeast Asia, and elsewhere, could lead to communism. It was feared that if Vietnam fell to communism, a domino effect would occur and other Southeast …show more content…

The domino theory instilled fear in the U.S. and prompted their entrance into the war. Considering the years after the war, the domino theory did not significantly happen and most Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines did not fall to communism, even if countries like Laos and Cambodia did. After the end of the war in 1975, that same year, both Laos and Cambodia came under communist rule. In terms of how the war actually played out, despite the fact that Vietnam fell to communism, the domino theory did not majorly apply and most Southeast Asian countries strayed from communist control. Another aspect as to why the Vietnam War had minimal, but not an absence of, effect on the spread of communism was that it did not heavily change the world. After three decades of war, the U.S. pulled out of the war after the communist Tet offensive in 1973 and caused an opening that allowed for communism to take over …show more content…

The conflict caused lasting tension between the northern communists and the southern republicans that somewhat lasts to this day. In Vietnam, America’s economy and social life were impacted, but no other country was highly affected by the war. This major dispute changed all aspects of Vietnamese life and history, as well as America’s, but overall, it did not severely burden any other countries in the long run. In the present day, the Vietnam War’s effect on the spread of communism is weak because most governments are mainly non-communist parties, communists are not as assertive as they once were, and Cambodia is no longer communist. Currently, there are only five official communist countries: China, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, and Cuba. That is less than 1% of the entire world. Although there are plenty more communist parties in the world, none but the five listed have total control of their government and country. Even in these countries, communist leaders are not as assertive, tenacious, or demanding as they used to

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Increasing opposition to the war was causing major division amongst the American people, and many feared that Vietnam could potentially see a victory. This war was by far one of the most unpopular wars to the American people that ended with the withdrawal of the United States, and the unification of Vietnam under Communist rule.

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American being a capitalist national and Russia being a communist nation, these two highly contrasting ideologies resulted in major aggression between the two countries resulting in a series of proxy wars across the world including Korea and Vietnam in a attempt to eradicate each other. Communism ideas began to become more prevalent in China during the 1950’s. China then began to support smaller countries in Indochina to become communist nations such as Korea and Vietnam; this was an early example of Australia using military action in order to defeat communism in the Asia pacific. The domino theory was a thesis put forward by America stating that if South Vietnam were to fall to communism, because of its geographical position the entire region would eventually convert to communism therefore communism had to be eliminated in South Vietnam to prevent the spread of communism in the Asia Pacific. Australia due to its allegiance with Europe became weaker overall after the war as Europe would be unable to support Australia in case of a mainland invasion as they needed to rebuild from the effects of war, this left Australia in search for a new powerful ally.

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Hi, Bartholomew, In my view, I believed that the Vietnam War was not justifiable. However, I appreciate analogy points of this war. First, I agree with your point that the war helped slowed the spread of communism. On the other hand, you made reference about how the nation of Vietnam ideology of communism and it allowed other countries to adopt this way of government. I agree with that thought to the fullest.

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“Communist rule in Vietnam...would be repressive and antidemocratic..”(Farber,140). Communist rule will not be nice and beneficial to Vietnam, that is the wrong view of Communism. Their oppressive government needs to be overthrown, just like how the British were to the Americans. They got their peace and freedom through fighting. The Domino theory is if Vietnam becomes a Communist country, the rest of the dominos will fall (Farber,122).

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