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South Vietnam War Analysis

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The joint Chief’s ideology was an inflated version of the “Domino theory”: South Vietnam was pivotal to America 's worldwide battle with Communism and a defeat in Vietnam would affect the United States (Karnow 342). Nevertheless, by early 1965 after he won his first mandate as President, Johnson concluded that only direct American intervention could prevent Communism from spreading to South Vietnam, and more importantly defend him from being the first ever president to lose a war (Karnow 350). Johnson and his advisers both inherited the assumption from Eisenhower and Kennedy that an independent Vietnam was essential for the defense of Southeast Asia and America 's global credibility (Karnow 393). As much as Johnson hoped to limit America 's …show more content…

They possessed neither the will nor the capacity to resist an almost inevitable communist victory (Karnow 401). Overall, incompetence and corruption defined the political leadership in Saigon (Logevall 7). Furthermore, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam was dense with alarming rates of desertion (Logevall 15). The credibility of the United States and the reputation of Johnson were both at stake, leaving him with no choice but to Americanize the war (Karnow 402). Additionally, what made this war different was that the Vietnamese Communists would risk total annihilation rather than succumb to capitalism (Karnow 412). This concept was beyond Johnson and his advisors, who mistakenly assumed the values of the Communists (Karnow 415). The alternative of withdrawal from Vietnam was unacceptable, a powerful Cold War mindset in American opinion supported a strong commitment to defending South Vietnam (Logevall 17). Johnson took control of a difficult Vietnam problem from Kennedy, ultimately running his presidency aground (Logevall …show more content…

On August second, 1964, the destroyer Maddox reported that an attack by a North Vietnamese patrol boat (FOW). After recovering North Vietnamese bombshells from the deck of the Maddox, there was no debating its legitimacy (FOW). On August 4, two days later, both the Maddox and the Turner Joy reported that they were attacked (FOW). As a result, the Tonkin Gulf resolution was introduced. The closest the United States came to the declaration of war in Vietnam was the Tonkin Gulf resolutions of August 1964 (VanDeMark 127). Congress did not think of the resolutions as a declaration of war and did not intend it to be used as an authorization for a sizable expansion of United States forces in Vietnam from 16,000 military advisers to 550,000 combat troops (VanDeMark 127). The events in the Gulf of Tonkin involved two separate US operations: Plan 34A, and DESOTO (VanDeMark 130). Plan 34A consisted of covert operations against North Vietnam (VanDeMark 130). There were two types of operations: in the first, South Vietnamese agents were dropped by aircraft into North Vietnam to sabotage their intelligence, and the other incorporated high-speed patrol boats manned by the South Vietnamese to launch hit and run attacks against the North Vietnamese (VanDeMark 131). DESOTO on the other hand, consisted of a system of global electronic investigation, carried out by specially equipped United States naval vessels (VanDeMark 130). Their purpose was to collect radio signals from stations based

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Furthermore, United States’ support in Vietnam was initially supposed to be limited to training support (source A). As even United States president, Lyndon Johnson, was aware of the potential escalation of the war in Vietnam if American military forces were to involve themselves in the Vietnamese conflict. President Johnsons statement that “… we could get tied down in a third world war” (source A) substantiates the idea that America feared the worldwide consequence of American support in Vietnam (Source A). Contrary to this however,

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On August 2nd 1964, two United States Navy ships were secretly attacked by the North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. A few days later, another two U.S. Destroyer boats were attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo

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The lead into the Vietnam War for the United States was when torpedo shots rang out from North Vietnamese torpedo boats aimed at the USS Maddox eventually sending just over 2.7 million American troops to Vietnam (“Statistical Information about Casualties...”). On August 2, 1964 a United States destroyer was fired upon by North Vietnamese torpedo boats then two days later an attack on two navy ships was reported. This pressed congress into action, passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in response. Congress’ decision to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was justified to promote peace and security that needed to be maintained in Southeast Asia, the United States cannot set a precedent of no retaliation after attacks, and South Vietnam continued political instability and military loses to North Vietnam. II.

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Johnson strategy was set to win the war because no President has lost a war to that point. Not only did he have all the pressure of the people in the United States, he had pressure from congress and the military people in charge. They wanted him to act fast and bomb major cities in North Vietnam. He had to decide if that was the right things because if he went with what thought was the right thing to do.

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In August 1964, North Vietnam allegedly attached American ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. Congress authorized he president to use force. In 1965 President Johnson ordered the bombing of North Vietnam. The U.S. increase the number of forces in South Vietnam.

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Thousands of Americans soldiers died in Vietnam. The war had cost so much that President Johnson was forced to cancel multiple programs including his social reform program. America had failed to contain communism and many people lost confidence in our country. It was nearly 20 years before America again tried to police the world. However, the domino affect was proved wrong because the loss of South Vietnam to communism did not immediately effect what happened in governments of other countries.

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