Explain Why the Us Became Involved in the Vietnam War

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The cold war, marked by suspicion and paranoia, was a war defined with proxy battles that were to resolve the conflict of ideological superiority, leading to the U.S.A becoming fully involved in Vietnam. This war was a conflict that the West nor the East could afford to lose without admitting ideological inferiority, leading to the U.S.A backing of both France and Vietnam. It can be asserted that the backing of France marked the beginning of US involvement, which is true. However, it can also be contended that 1964, where 160 000 US troops where integrated into Vietnam signaled the beginning of involvement in Vietnam. Either way both beginnings can be partially attributed to the U.S reluctance to admit inferiority to communism. The backing of France provides evidence of US support for capitalist nations in the war against communism and the determination to ensure communist defeat. With the fall of the Diem regime came the decision to intervene and prevent capitalist defeat, which the U.S.A did without reluctance. Both of these events demonstrate the beginning of US involvement in Vietnam and illustrate how the inability to lose the war of ideological superiority contributed to the subsequent involvement.

The paranoia caused by the domino theory was accentuated through the events that would occur throughout 1964 and the effects it would have on US involvement in Vietnam. The Gulf of Tonkin incident was an alleged attack against the USS Maddox and ignited public debate regarding the decision to become fully involved in the Vietnam War. The Gulf of Tonkin resolution resulted in President Johnson given full authorization for the use of Military Forces in Vietnam at his own discretion, ultimately leading to the introduction of 160 000 militaries personal by years end, marking the beginning of the US involvement in Vietnam. The paranoia effected is especially significant in this case, as the alleged second attack on the USS Maddox was momentous in deciding the outcome of the Tonkin resolution. The attack in question was later found to be the result of exaggeration and radar “ghosts”, which lead to the resolution which gifted the president with extensive military authority. As a result of the Tonkin incident and resolution, the President of the U.S.A was given the authority to use military forces in south east asia, directly resulting in the American involvement in Vietnam.

The resulting paranoia that emanated from the rise of the Domino Theory lead to the creation of containment and the fabrication of the Diem Regime lead to the beginning of US involvement in the Vietnam War. Both the inability to lose a war of ideologies and the events following the gulf of Tonkin marked full scale American Involvement in the Vietnam war. When culminated the reason for US involvement in the Vietnam is explained.