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lyndon b johnson and the vietnam war
John F. Kennedy + Vietnam war
JFK and the vietnam war
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In order to describe the things that John F. Kennedy contributed to the Vietnam War, it is crucial to give a slight background to his character. First of all, he was the youngest president, the first Catholic president, and the youngest to be assassinated while in office. JFK served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, commanding the patrol boat PT-109 and leading his crew to rescue after the boat was sunk by the Japanese in the Solomon Islands. He was also a Democrat and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts' 11th district in 1946. In 1952 he moved up to the U.S. Senate, defeating Henry Cabot Lodge. He went on to marry Jackie Bouvier on 12 September 1953; they had two children, Caroline and John Jr. (A third child, Patrick, was born on August 7th, 1963 and died two days later) (http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK+Library+and+Museum/News+and+Press/Vietnam+and+the+Presidency.htm).
JFK was elected to replace President Dwight Eisenhower in 1960 (narrowly defeating Eisenhower's vice-president, Richard Nixon); he swept into office with a reputation for youthful charm, impatience, wit and vigor. Kennedy's term was sometimes called the New Frontier, a phrase he coined in his acceptance speech at the 1960 Democratic convention (Answers.com).
President Kennedy came into office with a belief that America could and should shape the destiny of the world's developing countries. (Imperialism) Vietnam, however, was not largely what he had in mind. President Kennedy believed that the unsteadiness of developing countries demanded new approaches. Kennedy was taken aback when Walt W. Rostow, who believed that all nations followed the same general path of economic and social development, argued that nations became unstable as the reached the phase he called "modernization." The Kennedy administration was guided in part by this modernization model as it considered a way to protect South Vietnam while help it throughout the stages of economic growth. Most of Kennedy's advisers believed that South Vietnam was not in danger. As Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense said once, "North Vietnam will never beat us. They can't even make ice cubes." (http://www.vietnamwar.com/johnkennedyrole.htm)
Basically, the U.S. entered the Vietnam War in order to hold the line against the spread of world Communism. America paid for the war the French fought against Communist Vietnam as a part of the Truman Doctrine (1947) "to protect free peoples
" and then by the 1950's became involved when the war flared up again. By the late 1950's the Americans developed the "Domino Theory" as a justification for the involvement.
The leadership styles, experience, personality, and temperament of Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and John Kennedy played a role in deepening the U.S. involvement and commitment to Vietnam. Both presidents vowed to stop the spread of communism, which was viewed as a direct assault to democracy, human rights, and capitalism. (Tucker, 1999) Both presidents also subscribed to the domino theory, or the belief that if one key country should fall to communism, then it would have a cascading effect on other countries turning to communism. (Divine, 1981) This theory was used by many presidents as the reason for ongoing support to the effort in Indochina.
JOHN F. KENNEDY IN VIETNAM There are many critical questions surrounding United States involvement in Vietnam. American entry to Vietnam was a series of many choices made by five successive presidents during these years of 1945-1975. The policies of John F. Kennedy during the years of 1961-1963 were ones of military action, diplomacy, and liberalism. Each of his decision was on its merits at the time the decision was made. The belief that Vietnam was a test of the Americas ability to defeat communists in Vietnam lay at the center of Kennedy¡¦s policy. Kennedy promised in his inaugural address, Let every nation know...that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty. From the 1880s until World War II, France governed Vietnam as part of French Indochina, which also included Cambodia and Laos. The country was under the formal control of an emperor, Bao Dai. From 1946 until 1954, the Vietnamese struggled for their independence from France during the first Indochina War. At the end of this war, the country was temporarily divided into North and South Vietnam. North Vietnam came under the control of the Vietnamese Communists who had opposed France and aimed for a unified Vietnam under Communist rule. Vietnamese who had collaborated with the French controlled the South. For this reason the United States became involved in Vietnam because it believed that if all of the country fell under a Communist government, Communism would spread throughout Southeast Asia and further. This belief was known as the domino theory. The decision to enter Vietnam reflected America¡¦s idea of its global role-U.S. could not recoil from world leadership. The U.S. government supported the South Vietnamese government. The U.S. government wanted to establish the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), which extended protection to South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos in case of Communist subversion. SEATO, which came into force in 1955, became the way which Washington justified its support for South Vietnam; this support eventually became direct involvement of U.S. troops. In 1955, the United States picked Ngo Dinh Diem to replace Bao Dai as head of the anti-Communist regime in South Vietnam. Eisenhower chose to support Ngo Dinh Diem. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Brookline, Mass., on May 29, 1917. Kennedy graduated from Harvard University in 1940 and joined the Navy the next year.
During the time of domestic war at home and foreign relations concerns, the United States of America experienced one of the greatest time periods in American history which was during what people called the "Camelot" period. This occurred when the 35th President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was in office and he initiated a period of social development which overcame major differences between Americans and the rest of the world. President Kennedy was inaugurated on January 20, 1961 and became the second youngest and first Catholic president of the United States. This new president initiated a series of new changes in the country, from which he became an inspiration to many Americans, as he is still remembered for his idealism and courage. He was the leader of the Democratic party and won the election by 49.7% of the votes. Kennedy was seen as an intellectual young man who's beautiful wife helped his political image. JFK initiated many programs to help improve American society. Kennedy was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights of African- American citizens along with the other leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks who were becoming the voice of these American minorities. He commenced the creation of the Peace Corps to the New Frontier Program. Kennedy also worked on reforming U.S. immigration and made the commitment to win the space race before the Russians. Kennedy focused on Russian-American relations during the Cuban Missile Crisis and as the risks of a nuclear attack increased, Kennedy signed a treaty with the Soviet Union preventing the use of nuclear weapons. One of the most famous quotes that JFK is known for is: "Ask not what your country can do for you- ask what you can do for your country" . His ...
Vietnam was really just a pawn in the much larger game of the Cold War. The main political objective behind the Unites States’ involvement in the Vietnam War was to set forth it’s policy of containment prevent the “Domino E...
Kennedy was influenced by his previous accomplishments, world conditions, and his brother’s untimely death. Before John F. Kennedy’s accomplishments he was a war hero. He won the Navy and Marine Corps medal as a skipper PT boat during World War II. He led his crew to safety after a Japanese destroyer cut his boat in half. He also became a Senator and a US Representative. The end of World War II in 1945 resulted in the beginning of the nuclear era, increased pressure to decolonize the Third World, and the advent of the Cold War. His brother, Joe, was expected to become the family politician and after his death, in 1944, John decided to take his brother’s place. As Kennedy said, “’Just as I went into politics because Joe died, if anything happens to me tomorrow, my brother Bobby would run for my seat in the Senate. And if Bobby died, Teddy would take over for him’” (Kennedy 262). This is how Kennedy started his legacy as one of the most influential persons in history.
...he was a new and different kind. During and after his presidency, Kennedy was a highly charismatic, graceful figure who, in the view of many, was taking the United States in a new direction with a sense of mission and purpose.
When people usually think of John F. Kennedy, they think of him as a hero. He was awarded with different types of medals. On the medals that he won was the Navy's highest honor for his courage as a gunboat pilot during World War II. This medal is the Purple Heart. The Purple Heart is the medal that is given to members of the armed forces of the U.S. who are wounded by the enemy It is specifically a combat decoration. Another reason why JFK is considered a hero is because he cared for his country,
The 1960s were a period full of discord and social upheaval. Civil rights, the Cold War, and other issues awaited the man deemed worthy of taking on the presidency. After being elected, JFK, with the help of his vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, immediately went to work on these and many other issues plaguing the United States at the time (Bass, et al).
The election of 1960 was an election that could have gone either way. The Republican party nominated Richard Nixon, who was the 47 years old previous vice president, and the Democrats nominated John Fitzgerald Kennedy. John F. Kennedy was the youngest president to run for president in the Democratic party. The people loved him even though he had a lack of
The French were forced out of Vietnam and Vietnam was divided between communists and anti-communists. The communist regime controlled North Vietnam. Those that supported the French and were against communism controlled South Vietnam. Then trained Communist supporters from the North, the Vietcong, started coming to the South. America decided that they wanted to stop the spread of communism by stopping communism in Vietnam. The United States believed in the Domino Theory. The Domino Theory is the theory that communism will continue to spread around the world unless it is stopped. America sent soldiers over to Vietnam to help the South fight against the North. Then American ships were supposedly attacked of the coast of Vietnam. This is when the United States officially entered the war.
It all began on May 29, 1917, the day President Kennedy was born. He was born an ill child having several diseases including “whooping cough, measles, and chicken pox, also on February 20, 1920 when Jack [his family referred to him as Jack] was not yet three years old, he became sick with scarlet fever” (Life of Kennedy, 2014). He was able overcome his all of his illnesses and move on with his life despite these obstacles. President Kennedy entered Harvard University, the same school that his brother Joe went to, and became interested in European politics and World Affairs after visiting his father in Europe. He also loved to learn about history and government and to keep up with current events (Life of Kennedy, 2014).
The true answer to why the United States got involved in Vietnam lies in part in the Truman Doctrine. This statement is true for two reasons. First, the Truman Doctrine set forth a policy that was applied the international spread of Communism. Second, the Truman Doctrine was brought up when the conflict in Vietnam was increasing. The first United States involvement in Vietnam began in the late 1940's, long before it escalated to include the United States Military. Because of the basic terms or the Truman Doctrine, the United States was drawn in the Vietnam conflict. The Truman Doctrine dealt with fears of Communism, the domino theory, and a feeling there was a need for containment. All of Vietnam was in danger of falling into the hands of Communism.
The reasons for the Vietnam War took place long before the war even began. For years, the Vietnamese had been under French colonial rule. But, when Communist revolutionary Ho Chi Minh came back to Vietnam, he established a group called the Viet Minh, the goal of which was to remove all French occupation from Vietnam. So, the fighting started, and Ho Chi Minh tried to get the US to support them. But, being true to their policies of containment, the US started supporting France. The United States' thoughts about Communism's potential growth can be summed up in one basic idea: the Domino Theory. This theory stated that if one country in a region fell to Communism, the surrounding countries would soon follow. Because of this, the US committed to keeping the North Vietnamese contained once the French withdrew from Vietnam. But, the thing that really pushed the US into sending troops into Vietnam was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. On August 2nd and 4th, 1964, the North Vietnamese fired upon two US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. Following this, Congress approved the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution on August 7, 1964, which gave the president authority to send military troops into Vietnam without declaring war. So, President Johnson sent troops into Vietnam, which had already erupted into civil war, to aid the South Vietnamese.
The conflict in Vietnam for the United States started when President Dwight D. Eisenhower went along with the domino theory and sent in military advisors in South Vietnam to stop the communist movement from taking place in South Vietnam. The Vietnam conflict was between the communist’s and the United States. North Vietnam was led by Ho Chi Minh, and Ho Chi Minh led the Viet Cong, a guerilla group to help spread communism. The United States were supporters of the South Vietnam because they wanted them to maintain their government rather than falling to the domino theory of communism. After Eisenhower’s term ended John F. Kennedy became president and took control of the situation of Vietnam but on November 22, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated. Lyndon B. Johnson succeeded presidency and the problems of Vietnam were left to himself. In 1963, the Tonkin Gulf incident occurred where, the U.S.S Maddox was attacked by North Vietnamese naval ships on august 2 1964. Two days later an even more controversial attack happened where it was reported another ship was attacked again but has later been proven false. Johnson used these events to gain congressional approval to enter into Vietnam. However the Tonkin Gulf Incident was questioned to have even happened which makes the war undoubtedly questionable Immediately after the incident . Many troops were killed in Vietnam and the United States eventually lost the war and does not achieve their goal to stop communism. Despite the large amount of conflict in Vietnam that needed to be resolved, escalating the war was the wrong idea by Johnson, as the many consequences of the war for the United States outweighed the potential spread of communism.
Vietnam was a struggle which, in all honesty, the United States should never have been involved in. North Vietnam was battling for ownership of South Vietnam, so that they would be a unified communist nation. To prevent the domino effect and the further spread of communism, the U.S. held on to the Truman Doctrine and stood behind the South Vietnamese leader, Diem.