After World War II, the USA and the USSR entered the period of the Cold War, which initiated a large number of local conflicts. Thus, the Vietnam War from 1955 to 1975 can be classified as ideology warfare, with communist forces supporting North Vietnam and anti-communist coalitions supporting South Vietnam (Buzzanco, 2019). During Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency, America increased its military presence in Vietnam and conducted a bombing campaign in the North (Buzzanco, 2019). Nevertheless, Johnson’s strategies were relatively ineffective, resulting in the Tet Offensive plan from the communist coalition and the commence of the peace talks between the alliances (Buzzanco, 2019). Ultimately, the current paper argues in support of further escalation of the military conflict after 1968 to stop the spread of the communist ideology.
American Perception Prior to 1964
With the horrors of the Second World War still in the minds of the American people, many citizens perceived the conflict in Vietnam as unnecessary. Even before the escalation, the pacifist movement had extensive support from the American public, specifically from the young men drafted into the army against their beliefs and consent (Bitesize, n.d.). The newspapers of the time criticized the American approach to war with hundreds of ‘American boys’ asked to die in the war tied to dictatorship (“Dictator Diem”, 1963). Nevertheless, the fear of communism was also highly relevant among the public, with hundreds of newspapers propagandizing the terrors of the political regime. According to the search on ‘Chronicling America’ (n.d.) in the period from 1960 to 1963, there are only eight entries of ‘Vietnam War’ as opposed to 65790 mentions of ‘communism’. The difference in numbers transparently demonstrates the media priorities of the time with the vast emphasis on stopping communism from spreading.
Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968
The period from 1964 to 1968 is primarily known for the military escalation proposed by Lyndon B. Johnson. The key events during the conflict included the operations in the Gulf of Tonkin, bombing and herbicide campaigns in North Vietnam, draft increases to 35,000 Americans monthly, and the Tet Offensive (History, 2020). The Tet Offensive by the communist coalition was the decisive operation in the examined period, making Johnson search for peaceful alternatives (History, 2020). However, arguing for further escalation, the Tet Offensive was primarily successful due to the element of surprise and rapid advancement (History, 2020). Thus, Johnson could continue the military operations in the region, which would likely result in the American victory due to a significant number advantage.
Another reason for de-escalation was the approach of presidential elections and Johnson’s deteriorating public image. A large number of anti-war movements spread in the country, insisting on stopping the war (Buzzanco, 2019). In other words, America partially ceased the conflict due to Johnson’s objective of reelection by regaining public support and not because of the inevitably losing war. Ultimately, the drafting, increased societal tension, and the spread of pacifist ideology in America forced Johnson to retreat from Vietnam (History, 2020). However, further escalation could have been a more practical solution to regain a presence in Vietnam and stop communism from spreading.
Vietnam Beyond 1969
Nevertheless, de-escalation did not save Johnson’s public image, and Richard Nixon was elected as the 37th president of the United States. The president partially kept his word and reduced the number of American troops in Vietnam from 550,00 in 1969 to 69,00 in 1972 (History, 2020). Nevertheless, Nixon’s presidency marked the beginning of the new intervention tactics, implying the comprehensive military education and weapon supply of native troops instead of the American people (History, 2020). As a result, Nixon reduced the number of American soldiers in Vietnam but continued the military operations, including bombing campaigns (History, 2020). Over the course of the war, nearly 60,000 Americans were killed and America’s reputation deteriorated in the international arena (History, 2020). However, the conflict was also the source of many anti-war movements, which eventually had a positive impact on domestic and foreign policies, relieving the Cold War tension.
References
Bitesize. (n.d.). The Vietnam War. Web.
Buzzanco, R. (2019). The Vietnam War. Nunn McGinty.
Chronicling America. (n.d.). Communism. Web.
Dictator diem. (1963, October 16). The Sydney Herald. Web.
History. (2020). Vietnam War timeline. Web.