Vietnam: the USA in Asia 1950-1973

Reasons for US involvement in Vietnam

Failure of the French to re-establish a stable government.
- Failure at Dien Bien Phu.
- Struggled to stabilise Vietnam.
- The decision to withdraw left a vacuum which the US feared would be filled by Communists.
The fear of Communism.
- The Red Scare - Domestic and Political.
  - McCarthy, fuelled fear in politics.
  - Immigration, communist hysteria widespread.
- Domino Theory (China and Korea).
  - Scared of losing Japan, key partner.
Cold War context.
- Lost advantage in 1949 when USSR tested atomic bomb.
- Needed to prove itself to USSR, European allies and itself.
The Truman Doctrine.
- Truman pledged support...
- This was the perfect example.
- France was a key ally.

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Policies of Truman and Eisenhower:
- Truman initially pledged support to the French.
- Truman Doctrine.
- Eisenhower didn't deal with Diem, trap for Kennedy.
Policies of Kennedy 1960:
- Increased aid - 16,000 MAAG advisers by 1963.
- Deployed helicopters on covert missions.
- Chemical weapons.
- Continued to support Diem. Buddhist Crisis 1963.
Policies of Johnson 1963:
- 2,000 more military advisers.
- Gulf of Tonkin Incident. Appeal to Congress and eventual deployment of US troops.
Increasing incompetence of the ARVN:
- ApBac 1963. Highlighted incompetence of the ARVN.
- Desertion. Fighting for a cause that they didn't believe in.
- US had to increase support. 500,000 troops 1969.

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Under-estimation of the North Vietnamese:
- Tet Offensive 1968. Undermined the US.
- Failure to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Bombing attempts.
- Effective insurgency.
Failure to win over the South Vietnamese:
- US soldiers brutal.
- Many South Vietnamese did not understand the cause.
- Desertion high in the ARVN.
Under-estimated the importance of popular support:
- Key politicians, Macnamara, declared war as un-winnable.
- Popular figures such as MLK against.
- Troops questioned the reasons for fighting.
- Fragging.

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Public opinion:
- Psychological impact of the Tet Offensive
- Credibility Gap.
- Played a part in LBJ deciding 'honourable peace'.
- Cronkite questioned policy, "I've lost Walter, I've lost middle America"
Military failures:
- Strategy had not been effective.
- Continued insurgencies.
- Ho Chi Minh Trail.
- More troops unsuccessful 500,000 by 1969.
- Advised the war was un-winnable.
- Nixon came to think the same.
Economic costs:
- No longer sustainable.
- 30% inflation, devaluation of the USD$
- Congress refused to give more money.
- Repealed the G o T resulution 1970 - War Powers Act removed powers.
Nixon's policies...

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