Lyndon B Johnson Role In The Vietnam War Essay

Introduction The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. Before the Vietnam War, it was believed that any problem can solved with the use of military. But in Vietnam War, countries like USA, become to know that, war is not a solution of every problem in Southern Asia. In this war, one side was represented by the USA, who had the support of west European countries and other side was North Vietnam, , who was supported by USSR. The origins of the Vietnam War are rooted in centuries of resistance by the Vietnamese from foreign control.

At the beginning of the chapter, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies and Harry Truman becomes president. Unlike Roosevelt, Truman was not particularly concerned about Southeast Asia. However, due to the United States’ relationship with France, as well as their fear that Southeast Asia would fall to communism, President Truman supplied $15 million in military assistance to France to fight the Vietminh, a communist group that was gaining control primarily in North Vietnam (Olson & Roberts, 27). Although the Vietminh were small in numbers, they were fiercely passionate about their cause.

Johnson was vice president during Lincoln’s presidency, so after the death of Lincoln, Johnson was in line to become president. This differing view believes that his qualifications were justified because he had an experienced background in politics prior to his presidency. After the Civil War, he did not effect the issues of slavery with their freedom or rights and the Reconstruction of the South. This contrary view understands how Johnson did violate the Tenure of Office Act but they believe it to be okay because he only violated it once. As stated in the Articles of Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, he “did unlawfully, and in violation of the Constitution and laws of the United States, issue and order in writing for the removal of Edwin M. Stanton from the office of Secretary for the Department of War” (citation).

Although each president’s style varied from each other, they were all trying to reach a common goal. The main objective was to stop the spread of communism and each president fought it differently, Truman favored economic aid, Eisenhower preferred to use the military, and Kennedy liked to be flexible between all of the options. Truman was the first president to be in office during the Cold War. As a result

Nationalism was one of the main cause of the Vietnam war because The United States initially entered the Vietnam War to aid the French but it was nationalism that caused the both the Communist North and American’s to continue the war. I think the most important causes are the divide between the capitalists and communists. After the divid of ideology they both got different leaders, the south’s leader was Diem and the north’s leader was Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh was also a nationalist as well as a communist. I think these two causes are the most important causes of the Vietnam War because if the country was divided into two, they want to have a war to see which sides wins to see which side is right.

The Tonkin Gulf Resolution was passed by Congress, it allowed President Lyndon B. Johnson to take any action that he thought would help protect the U.S. Troops in Southeast Asia and the individuals in the United States. President Lyndon B. Johnson gained full authority, no one else can take any actions. He was basically on his own. Before the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, Johnson wanted to expand the war, but he was afraid that the other people would not support him. The Tonkin Gulf Resolution was also called USS Maddox incident.

Hayes wanted to be the president that fully healed America from the Civil War. The nation didn’t want the army to be protecting the civil rights of the freedmen. Hayes would reassign the remaining troops that were guarding two Southern statehouses. These two states were South Carolina and Louisiana. Hayes was hoping that this would heal the state.

President Richard Nixon introduced a new strategy that was called Vietnamization . In 1969 some Americans were against the Vietnam War , Nixon had to make up a plan to remove soldiers from Vietnam . The goal of the policy was to encourage the South Vietnamese to hace more responsibility of the war . America has to avoid any defeat the only way they could accomplish was to negotiate a peace agreement in París

immediately intervened in the beginning of the Korean War. This is mainly because the capitalist country was extremely afraid of communism spreading around the world, particularly Asia, and would do anything to stop it. The events following the U.S. joining the war created a tension between the country and the Soviet Union, which will later lead to the “Cold War”, because of the U.S.’ plans on stopping the spreading of communism throughout different parts of the globe. The whole conflict between the two countries was caused mainly caused by communism and one’s desire of dominating the whole world. Due to the U.S. worrying about the Soviets’ plans on spreading communism, they centered their foreign policy on the containment of communism, both home and abroad.

The Truman Doctrine demonstrated the U.S. intention to counter any further expansion with military force. This was the hard power element of containment. Then the Ottawa treaty or the land mine treaty that came in during the bush administration because the Clinton administration had not signed it. When George W Bush came into power he revoked the signing of that ban. This is significant because, the refusing to sign the deal there were no major consequences that came their way.

The only reason why I could see LBJ hold off on the civil rights bill. Is the stress and time and effort he had put into the Vietnam War. Martin Luther King had said “If we can’t take action for the problems in our country why should we be worried about other countries. "- The Movie Selma

Though I agree with what the act it trying to accomplish because Congress in trying to stay in control of the power to declare war and limit the President’s power to declare war. I honestly feel that power is too much power for one person such as the President to control. I would hope in the future that Congress passes a more effective War Powers Act that the President will have to follow. One of the Presidents that has violated the War Powers Act was President Bill Clinton when he got our military involved in Kosovo. President Clinton didn’t receive Congress’s approval to get involved in the conflict in Kosovo, in fact they voted against it several times.

The US also got involved to stop communism from spreading from North to South Vietnam. Military advisors were sent to South Vietnam in stemming aggression by communist North Vietnam beginning in 1954, during the Eisenhower administration. The number of the advisers grew consistently until numbering over 15,000 during the administration of John F. Kennedy, who succeeded Eisenhower. Lyndon B. Johnson became president in 1963 after Kennedy was assassinated. He continued the policy, but in 1964 he became concerned that South Vietnam was going to be overrun, he was fearful of being considered soft on communism and was concerned

North wanted to abolish slavery, and the South wanted to keep it. War didn’t start from one man hitting another, in fact the war had a cause to it. The Southern people were worried about the North establishing a new nation. Meaning to vote for a new president. Meanwhile the North found out about the South’s social order.

With the US military helping South Vietnam against the North Vietnam. The South Vietnam didn’t not feel like they had support under the Western’s power, which South Vietnam didn’t because Nixon was trying to help the South Vietnam, but no involving US soldiers to fight in the war. Although, Nixon made the Vietnamization policy to stop US involvement it cause more of a uprise for the US position in the war. The New Economic policy and Nixon Doctrine both policies made by Nixon was only towards his presidency and not actually stopping the US involvement. Nixon said it would make a change in the US involvement to better but instead Nixon didn’t follow up upon his campaign promises.