The Domino Theory

Prompt: Assess the role of the domino theory in us/soviet relations.

Sources:

1. What is the Domino Theory?

a. “The domino theory, which governed much of U.S. foreign policy beginning in the early 1950s, held that a communist victory in one nation would quickly lead to a chain reaction of communist takeovers in neighboring states.”

MLA Citation:

“Domino Theory.” 2012. The History Channel website. Oct 16 2012, 11:04 http://www.history.com/topics/domino-theory. 2. Role of Domino Theory:

a. “Some critics have charged that the theory was used as a propaganda scare tactic to try to justify unwarranted intervention policies. b. This theory can be further bolstered by the rise in terrorist incidents by left-wing terrorist groups in Western Europe, funded in part by Communist governments, between the 1960s and 1980s”

MLA Citation:

Frost, Martin. "Domino Theory." www.martinfrost.ws. N.p.. Web. 16 Oct
2012.

3. What is the Domino Theory?

a. “Hardly a theory at all, since it had little or no intellectual content, the "domino theory" argued that if one nation (Vietnam) fell to the communists, neighboring nations would fall as well--like dominos.”
b. "Domino theory"--again, a "theory" which shows no awareness of the history, culture and politics of other nations”

MLA Citation:

O'malley, Michael, and. The Vietnam War and the Tragedy of Containment. History 122. Web. http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/122/vietnam/lecture.html.

4. What is the Domino Theory?

a.“The Domino theory stated that if one nation fell to Communism, then another nation would be affected and falls to Communism, eventually resulting in the spread of Communism throughout the whole world.”

MLA Citation:

Nosotro, Rit. The Cold War, Hot Battles of the Cold War. Web. http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/big/w30coldwar.htm.

5. The role of the Domino Theory during the Cold War

a.“One major construct behind US policy was known as the ‘Domino Theory’. Although the term was not coined until the early 1950’s the ‘Domino Theory’ was the most influential US political policy in terms of US-Soviet relations. It was believed that if one state became communist, it would influence the surrounding states and nations and a domino effect would be created, with an accumulation of nations falling to communism. This sparked the adjoining theory, the policy of containment (Lippmann. 1947). Articulated in July 1947, it outlined the importance of creating policies to contain the Soviet sphere of influence and halt the spread of communism so as to avoid the ‘domino theory’ occurring in practice. This exemplifies the US fear of Soviet communism and explains the actions taken to contain communism.”

MLA Citation:

Egan, Isobel. The Causes of the Cold War. 2011. Web. https://cliojournal.wikispaces.com/The Causes of the Cold War.

6. Role of the Domino Theory

a. “The domino theory was the basis for the United States strategy of containment, and the reason for entering the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War was a result of the national strategy of containment. The national strategy of containment demanded the U.S. stop communist aggression into the countries of Southeast Asia.” “After the election of Richard Nixon, the context of the war changed radically. North Vietnam's relationship with China had cooled while the United States had improved relations with both China and the Soviet Union. Successful strategic arms limitation talks between the United States and the Soviet Union isolated the North Vietnamese from their key supporters.”

MLA Citation:

The Domino Theory. Web. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/vietnam2-domino-theory.htm.

7. The Domino Theory in Hindsight

a.“In hindsight, the domino theory failed to take into account the character of the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong struggle in the Vietnam War. By assuming Ho Chi Minh was a pawn of the communist giants Russia and China, American policymakers failed to see that the goal of Ho and his supporters was limited to Vietnamese independence, rather than the spread of global communism.”

MLA Citation: Domino Theory, The Domino Theory in Hindsight. Web. http://www.history.com/topics/domino-theory.

8. Domino Theory in Asia, effect on USA/Soviet relations:

a.“If the Communists prevailed in Asia they would suffer in much the same fashion. Divisions, schisms, and sects would appear. An endless number of collisions between primitive custom and Marxist dogma, a thousand daily pullulating of intrigue, a heritage of cruelty, atrocity, and betrayal would fall upon the Communists. It was not difficult to envision a time when one Communist nation in Asia might look for American aid against another Communist nation. Certainly Russia and China would be engaged in a cold war with each other for decades. Therefore, to leave Asia would be precisely to gain the balance of power.”

MLA Citation: Mailer, Norman. Norman Mailer demolishes the domino theory. 2009. Web. http://alina_stefanescu.typepad.com/totalitarianism_today/2009/03/here-was-the-

9. The Domino Theory – extends to asia:

a.“It was French government officials who originated the idea that the loss to communism of Indochina, or even a part of Indochina, would lead to the loss of a huge area. In January 1949 French president Vincent Auriol commented upon a proposal that France attempt to negotiate peace with Ho Chi Minh. He rejected this idea, arguing that to negotiate with Ho, an "agent of Moscow," would lead to the loss not only of Indochina but of the rest of Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia under Soviet control would constitute a barrier between the United States and Europe; the result would be to "hand over Europe to Russia." The later spread of the theory in the United States, however, was more a matter of independent invention than French influence, although the French did make an effort to spread it.”

MLA Citation:

The Domino Theory - The theory extends to asia Read more: The theory extends to asia - The Domino Theory http://www.americanforeignrelations.com/A-D/TDomino Theory - The theory extends to asia.. Encyclopedia of the New American Nation, Web. http://www.americanforeignrelations.com/A-D/The-Domino-Theory-The-theory-extends-to-asia.html.

10. Domino Theory and the Vietnam War

a.“The Vietnam War pitted America against communism and was a classic example of Cold War conflict. The western allies had been victorious in Berlin, but communism had taken root in China. Eastern Europe remained under Russian control and in Vietnam the American feared threat of the spread communism seemed to be real.”
b.“During the 1950's, America had developed her Domino Theory. This was the creation of John Foster Dulles, America's Secretary of State. He believed that if one country was allowed to fall to communism, the country next to it would be the next to tumble just as when one domino falls the rest go with it if they are connected. In view of the fear in America of communism spreading throughout the world, the thought of Vietnam starting this process of turning to communism and then it spreading was unacceptable.”