Lyndon B. Johnson And The Vietnam War

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The Vietnam War, one of the most devastating conflicts of the 20th century, was not only a battle between two nations, but was also an important piece in the larger game that was the Cold War. Today we will explore the depth of this conflict and its influence on the geopolitical situation at the time. Key figures such as Ho Chi Minh, Ngo Dinh Diem and Lyndon B. Johnson all played a crucial role in this period, and we will examine how their actions and decisions helped shape the events. To understand the Vietnam War, we must first look at the larger context in which it developed. After the Second World War, the world faced a divided landscape, characterized by ideological rivalry between the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. The Cold War, which culminated in a geopolitical power struggle, led to a series of proxy wars across the globe, the Vietnam War being one of the most prominent. The conflict began as a nationalist struggle against French colonial rule, but quickly evolved into a struggle between communist-backed North Vietnam and anti-communist forces in South Vietnam, supported by the …show more content…

As head of the Vietnamese Communist Party and president of North Vietnam, he became a symbol of resistance to foreign interference, especially from the United States. Ngo Dinh Diem, South Vietnam's president, was supported by the United States as a counterweight to communist influence in the region. But his authoritarian regime and the lack of reforms led to increased discontent among the people, and strengthened support for the guerrilla arming of the Viet Cong. Lyndon B. Johnson, who took over as president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, chose to escalate America's military involvement in Vietnam. His policy of increased bombing and increasing the number of troops led to increased opposition both nationally and