How Did The United States Involvement In The Vietnam War
During the progress of the Vietnam War, multiple men served as President of the United States of America. However, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard Nixon were the presidents that had the greatest impact. They created many policies that affected the outcome of the war. One of these presidents has even been blamed for causing the most hardships, which eventually resulted in the United States being involved in a war they could not win, but could not afford to lose. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s goal during the Vietnam War was to stop the spread of communism. However, he did not want the United States to get involved in the war. Instead, he helped France by providing them military aid. It came to a point where the United States was
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However, there was one specific president that worsened the United States’ involvement in the war - President Lyndon B. Johnson. As stated, “The record of the Johnson presidency in Vietnam is a story of self-delusion and misperception so vast that it turned into a national catastrophe. Despite relentless bombing raids on both North and South Vietnam and the introduction of more than half a million American troops, the enemy was not defeated. Instead, Johnson’s ego, stubbornness, and pride destroyed his presidency and divided his people in a spiritual civil war” (Act Four: Johnson - The Catastrophe). Johnson made multiple mistakes, such as believing that the American warships, C. Turner Joy and Maddox, had been bombed in neutral waters by the North Vietnamese. This “incident” resulted in an unnecessary bombing of North Vietnam. Johnson often ordered many bombing raids on the North Vietnamese without thinking of the consequences. This is what led to the United States being involved in a war that they could not win. During his presidency, Johnson had two overall concerns - avoiding a humiliating American defeat, and to keep information about Vietnam from the public. This resulted in information leaking out to the American people and Johnson withdrawing from the presidential race. Johnson’s poor leadership resulted in the escalation of the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam
However, there was one specific president that worsened the United States’ involvement in the war - President Lyndon B. Johnson. As stated, “The record of the Johnson presidency in Vietnam is a story of self-delusion and misperception so vast that it turned into a national catastrophe. Despite relentless bombing raids on both North and South Vietnam and the introduction of more than half a million American troops, the enemy was not defeated. Instead, Johnson’s ego, stubbornness, and pride destroyed his presidency and divided his people in a spiritual civil war” (Act Four: Johnson - The Catastrophe). Johnson made multiple mistakes, such as believing that the American warships, C. Turner Joy and Maddox, had been bombed in neutral waters by the North Vietnamese. This “incident” resulted in an unnecessary bombing of North Vietnam. Johnson often ordered many bombing raids on the North Vietnamese without thinking of the consequences. This is what led to the United States being involved in a war that they could not win. During his presidency, Johnson had two overall concerns - avoiding a humiliating American defeat, and to keep information about Vietnam from the public. This resulted in information leaking out to the American people and Johnson withdrawing from the presidential race. Johnson’s poor leadership resulted in the escalation of the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam