Examining The Reasons Why The Us Entered The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War, which lasted from 1945- 1975, was the longest conflict that the United States participated in. The war cost the lives of almost 60,000 Americans and almost 2 million Vietnamese. The participation of the US in the said war resulted to the enactment of the War Power Acts of 1973, which required Congressional approval before the President can deploy US forces overseas. Here we will try to find the answer to the question: Why Did the US Enter the Vietnam War?

The primary reason for the participation of the United States in the Vietnam War was to prevent the spread of communism in South Vietnam as part of their widescale strategy of containment. Following the defeat of the French Armada, peace talks were held in Geneva resulting to the granting of independence to Laos and Cambodia and the division of Vietnam into North and South.

The spread of Communism was becoming evident in both local and international front. In the United States, majority of the 1950s saw Americans experiencing the so-called Red Scare, spearheaded by Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who was very much opposed to communism.

Meanwhile, on the international scene, every country in Eastern Europe had started to embrace communism after the end of World War II. It began with China followed by countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. From there, the US began to implement the philosophy of containment as they felt that they were losing the Cold War.

With that in mind, the United States began sending its first batch of military advisers to assist France in its war against Communism in North Vietnam. Simultaneously, the United Nations and the US had launched operations against North Korean and Chinese forces in the Korean War.

For France, their battle against North Korea was not to stop the spread of communism, like what the Americans did, but for the maintenance of colonial power and to re-establish their national pride after being humiliated during the Second World War. When it became obvious to the French that any attempts to keep Indochina as a colony in the expense of blood was futile, France pulled out its troops in 1954.

On the other hand, the United States saw the need for it to consolidate its forces in its desire to rid Vietnam of Communism. It intensified its efforts of sending increased amounts of war ammunitions and also bolstered its sending of military advisers in support of South Vietnam. Slowly but surely, the Americans were dragged into an all-out shooting war. They even allowed military advisers to fire back on anyone who fired at them.

In 1965, deployment of US troops commence and by April 1969, a total of 543,000 soldiers were dispatched in Vietnam. The United States became involved in the conflict until 1975, when the southern city of Saigon fell into the hands of the Communist North Vietnam.

To this very day, the answers to the question why did the US enter the Vietnam War is still a puzzle and if the deployment of the US forces was justifiable.