I conclude that from looking at the author, date context, reliability and motive of each source, I think that overall the most useful source will be Source B as it is a private conversation as and the President will give his true feelings. To find out which source is most useful for telling me why the United States became involved in Vietnam I will need to study the facts in each source.
I will now look at the facts of each source and use my own knowledge to say whether or not they are correct.
Source A begins with the President saying “We fight in Vietnam because we have a promise to keep” this contradicts what Johnson says in Source B and it contradicts his tone on Vietnam. I think that he will be telling the truth in Source B because he is not putting on an impression for anyone in Source B. I also know from my own knowledge that what this source is telling me is untrue because I know that the main reason for the USA to fight in Vietnam was Communism. USA wanted to get rid of communism all together due to the ‘domino theory’ which suggested that when one country falls to communism the rest will follow. I also know that the short term reason for the USA sending troops to Vietnam was to deafest the NLF because Johnson told his Joint Chiefs of staff that he would do all that was necessary to prevent the NLF winning in South Vietnam but was unwilling to take unpopular measures like sending troops to a tight foreign war, until after the 1964 presidential elections. Johnson's belief that the bombing raid on North Vietnam in August, 1964, would persuade Ho Chi Minh to cut off all aid to the NLF was unfounded. In the run-up to the November election, the NLF carried out a series of attacks and only two days before the election, the US air base near Saigon was mortared and four Americans were killed. Barry Goldwater, the right-wing Republican candidate for the presidency, called for an escalation of the war against the North Vietnamese. In comparison to Goldwater, Lyndon B. Johnson was seen as the 'peace' candidate. People feared that Goldwater would send troops to fight in Vietnam. Johnson, on the other hand, argued that he was not willing: "to send American boys nine or ten thousand miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves."
In the election of November, 1964, the voters decided to reject Goldwater's aggressive policies against communism and Johnson won a landslide victory. What the American public did not know was that President Johnson was waiting until the election was over before carrying out the policies that had been advocated by his Republican opponent, Barry Goldwater.
Three months after being elected president, Lyndon B. Johnson launched Operation Rolling Thunder. Unlike the single bombing raid in August 1964, this time the raids were to take place on a regular basis. The plan was to destroy the North Vietnam economy and to force her to stop helping the guerrilla fighters in the south. Bombing was also directed against territory controlled by the NLF in South Vietnam. The plan was for Operation Rolling Thunder to last for eight weeks but it lasted for the next three years. In that time, the US dropped 1 million tons of bombs on Vietnam. In just two battles in December 1946 two battalions of elite, specially trained South Vietnamese troops were effectively destroyed in Vietcong ambushes. Over 700 were killed, wounded or captured.-and these were the best the ARVN had to offer. In February 1965 the NLF Guerrillas destroyed then American helicopters killed eight servicemen and wounded over 100.
A week later, on 13th February, the president gave his approval to ‘Operation rolling thunder’. This meant the bombing of North Vietnam on a regular basis. It was a major escalation of the United States’ role in the war and it was quickly followed by another. The response of the NLF to 'Rolling Thunder' was to concentrate its attacks on the US air bases in South Vietnam. General Westmoreland, the person in charge of the military advisers in Vietnam, argued that his 23,000 men were unable to defend adequately the US air bases and claimed that without more soldiers, the NLF would take over control of South Vietnam.
On March 8, 3,500 US marines arrived in South Vietnam to protect the air bases being used to bomb North Vietnam. By the end of the year there would be 200, 000 of them. They were the first 'official' US combat troops to be sent to the country. This dramatic escalation of the war was presented to the American public as being a short-term measure and did not cause much criticism at the time. A public opinion poll carried out that year indicated that nearly 80% of the American public supported the bombing raids and the sending of combat troops to Vietnam.
Looking at this quote again “We fight in Vietnam because we have a promise to keep”. I know from my own knowledge that the long term reason for the US fighting in Vietnam was because of Communism spreading in South East Asia and the ‘Domino Theory’. What the government believed about communism and how they had to get rid of it made them enter the war in Vietnam but to do this the government needed an excuse. The Americans had hoped that they might be able to pay for and train an effective South Vietnamese army to fight the Vietcong. In this way the United States could avoid using their own troops. Paying for the army wasn’t a problem. The American advisors did their best to train it but they couldn’t give it the will to fight. On the other hand there was the Vietcong who had a great morale.
In early 1964 the United States military prepared bombs for the bombing of North Vietnam. Before the United States could bomb North Vietnam they needed information on Anti-aircraft systems which the communist government in the North had set up around their main cities in the coast. Secret South Vietnamese raids were planned to find this out. Operation Plan 34A involved the sending of Asian mercenaries into North Vietnam to carry out acts of sabotage and the kidnapping or killing of communist officials. As part of this plan, it was decided to send US destroyers into North Vietnamese waters to obtain information on their naval defences. South Vietnamese commander attacked North Vietnamese radar stations in the Gulf of Tonkin during the night of 31st July 1964. The American destroyer, USS “Maddox”, assisted in the attack by monitoring the signals sent out by the radar stations. This would help to locate their positions.
On August 2, 1964, the US destroyer, "Maddox", which was still in the area, was fired upon by three North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. In retaliation, "Maddox" fired back and hit all three, one of which sank. The "Maddox" then retreated into international waters but the next day it was ordered to return to the Gulf of Tonkin.
In August 1964 it was the scene of the Tonkin Gulf Incident between American destroyers and North Vietnamese vessels, which was used by President Johnson as the basis for a congressional resolution increasing US military involvement in the Vietnam War.
Soon after entering North Vietnamese waters, Captain Herrick reported that he was under attack. However, later he sent a message that raised doubts about this: "Review of action makes reported contacts and torpedoes fired appear doubtful. Freak weather reports and over-eager sonar men may have accounted for many reports. No actual sightings by "Maddox". Suggest complete evaluation before further action." Johnson now had the excuse he had been waiting for and ignored Captain Herrick's second message. He ordered the bombing of four North Vietnamese torpedo-boat bases and an oil-storage depot that had been planned three months previously. President Johnson then went on television and told the American people that: "Repeated acts of violence against the armed forces of the United States must be met not only with alert defence, but with a positive reply. That reply is being given as I speak tonight."
The Congress approved Johnson's decision to bomb North Vietnam and passed what has become known as the Gulf of Tonkin resolution by the Senate by 88 votes to 2 and in the House of Representatives by 416 to 0. This resolution authorised the President to take all necessary measures against Vietnam and the NLF. Johnson now had the power to escalate or step up the level of American military involvement. But he yet wasn’t willing to do this. Johnson and his advisors believed that further air attacks, if needed, would be enough to bring Victory.
The source then goes on to says “Since 1945 every American president has offered support to the people of South Vietnam” This links to the Truman doctrine and Marshall aid which was to give money and aid to any country falling to communism. What the president is saying here is true because I know this from my own knowledge. The president is trying to persuade the American people that entering Vietnam was right and to do this he is linking other presidents’ actions as a tool of persuasion.
The president then says “Our objective is the independence of South Vietnam and the freedom of the people of South Vietnam to guide their Country in their own way”. I know for a fact that their objective was not for the independence of South Vietnam and the freedom of the people of South Vietnam. I do know from my own knowledge and Source C that their objective was to stop communism spreading. I also know that they were not in Vietnam to let them guide their own country in their own way. If they wanted to let them guide their own country in their own way they would let them turn to communism like they want to and they wouldn’t have split the country along the 17th parallel. The presidents’ tone towards Vietnam again is totally opposite to the one in Source B this is because source B is a private conversation and he would have been showing his true feelings towards Vietnam. Taking this into account we can say that the president is putting on an act to boost the morale of the American public in this Source. When Johnson says he is there to “strengthen world order” what he really means is put a stop to communism and strengthen capitalism. He goes on to say “There are people whose well-being rests on their belief that they can count on us if they are attacked” This links to the Truman doctrine. It also contradicts what he says and feels in Source B, because in Source B he says he doesn’t want to go to Vietnam and says that he doesn’t care about Vietnam and questions what it is worth to him or his country. When he says “to leave Vietnam to its fate would shake the value of an American commitment…” what he is trying to is say the freedom of the American people but what he means is to put a stop to communism. He involves the Americans as individuals to try to personally persuade them into believing that it is right to fight in Vietnam. He then says “the battle would be renewed in one country then another” what he means by this is the domino theory which suggests that when one country falls to communism the rest will follow. I know that he does support the domino theory because he states it in Source B. He is talking of communism in a bad way when he says ‘battle’ this is another tool used to persuade the American people that entering Vietnam was right and that communism is wrong.
He then says “We must stay in South East Asia-as we did in Europe in the words of the bible ‘Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further’…” What he is saying is that communism must stop at the border of South East Asia and he is linking the domino theory to the words of the bible. He is again persuading the American people that going to Vietnam was right and that they are right in believing that it is right. He brings the words of the bible to back up his point of going to Vietnam being right.
Overall this source does not give me any direct facts to why the United States became involved in Vietnam. The reason for this is that the purpose of the source was to boost the morale of the American people. But the source does tell me that the reason for entering Vietnam was because of Communism as I have described previously.
I conclude that overall source A is not very detailed and it tells me basic facts. I have also found that most of the facts it does tell me are untrue, I know this from my own knowledge and Source B, a more reliable and accurate source, tells me that the facts are wrong. It also informs me of the political climate of the USA. It is useful because the author was there. It is reliable in the aspects of the source being tampered with. The source does not tell us specifics such as the defeat of France and the overthrow of Diem.
In source B the president starts off by saying “all the politicians are saying lets move in, lets go into the north” this suggests that the president was under pressure from his government to enter the war in Vietnam. From this we can question whether the US entering Vietnam was up to President Johnson or not. He then goes on to say “They’d bring a president down if he ran out…” What he is saying is that he has to stand up to communism which goes onto the political spectrum of people wanting Capitalism. This again suggests that president Johnson standing up to communism was up to him. When he say’s “They’d” he does not mean that the public would bring him down but his Military advisers. He then says “…I don’t think we can get out” This again suggests that it wasn’t his choice to go to Vietnam. Johnson like Kennedy before him, came under pressure from his military advisers to make more ‘forceful’ action against North Vietnam and the NLF. The Joint Chiefs of Staff advised Johnson to send United States combat troops to South Vietnam. The overthrow of President Ngo Dinh Diem had not resulted in preventing the growth of the NLF. The new leader of South Vietnam, General Khanh, was doubtful that his own army was strong enough to prevent a communist victory. Johnson told his Joint Chiefs of staff that he would do all that was necessary to prevent the NLF winning in South Vietnam but was unwilling to take unpopular measures like sending troops to a tight foreign war, until after the 1964 presidential elections. His tone in this source is totally different to that of Source A. This is because this source has no purpose and therefore the president will be showing his true feelings but source A has a purpose of boosting morale therefore his tone is different to Source B.
He then says “Of course if you start running from the communists, they may chase you into your own kitchen”. This shows his support for the domino theory he holds this same support for the domino theory in Source A but it is not as strong in this source. He may support the domino theory but he does not want to go Vietnam “What the hell is Vietnam worth to me?” This contradicts Source A where he says he is doing it for the freedom of South Vietnam. This shows that this source is more reliable when we want to know the presidents true feelings than source A because Source A has a purpose to boost morale and Source B has no purpose therefore we can obtain facts from the source.
Another thing is that what President Johnson says in source B contradicts what he says in Source A. An example of this is when he says “I don’t think we can fight ten thousand miles away from home”. And in Source A he has a much more positive attitude to winning the war. Taking into account that source B is a private conversation and source B is a public speech we can say that the positive attitude in source A Johnson has put on is a fake and is just to boost the morale of the American people. Another example of where source B contradicts source A is where it says “What the hell is Vietnam worth to me?” and in source A he says how he wants to offer support to people of South Vietnam. Again we can see that source A is untrue because of its purpose.
Overall this source tells me Johnson’s true feelings towards Vietnam which are that he doesn’t want to go and fight in Vietnam and sees Vietnam as nothing to him. The source also suggests that the rest of the government want to go into Vietnam and Johnson is under pressure. This source is more useful than source A because it is a private conversation and he is most likely to be honest as he does not have to put on an impression for anyone. The source is not useful because again there are no specific facts. It is not useful as it is a year before operation rolling thunder and the presidents feelings towards the war could have changed if this is the case we are not given his true feelings after operation rolling thunder. The source is not very reliable as it is a private conversation and is hard to get hold of.
Source C begins by saying “Every book that comes out talks about how the United States was defending South Vietnam from North Vietnam aggression…” From my own knowledge I know that North Vietnam have not been overaggressive. As it goes on to say “its official truth now of course is just not true”. He has the use of hind sight here and he is putting it into use. He can use this hindsight as he has done to portray the action taken by America on Vietnam in a bad light because he is aware of the outcome of the USA leaving South Vietnam. The source then goes on to say “The fact is that the United States did attack South Vietnam and the major war was fought against South Vietnam. It destroyed the farming peasant society. The south was devastated”. This also again agrees with my own knowledge that this War between communist North Vietnam and US -backed South Vietnam. 200,000 South Vietnamese soldiers, 1 million North Vietnamese soldiers, and 500,000 civilians were killed. 56,555 US soldiers were killed 1961-75, a fifth of them by their own troops. The war destroyed 50% of the country's forest cover and 20% of agricultural land. Cambodia, a neutral neighbour, was bombed by the US 1969-75, with 1 million killed or wounded. Following the division of French Indochina into North and South Vietnam and the Vietnamese defeat of the French 1954, US involvement in Southeast Asia grew through the SEATO pact. Non-communist South Vietnam was viewed, in the context of the 1950s and the Cold War, as a bulwark against the spread of communism throughout Southeast Asia.
The source then questions the reason for the United States for moving into Vietnam and goes on to say “The US did not want an independent South Vietnam”. This again backs up my own knowledge that the US were in Vietnam to stop communism spreading in South East Asia due to the ‘domino theory’ which suggests that when one country falls to communism the rest will follow.
I conclude that this source tells us that people are opposed to the war. Even though the author is an American critic of the war the source still backs up my own knowledge. The source is not useful as it is a secondary source and could have been tampered with and because the author has hindsight. The source being by a Russian could be bias but the source backs up my own knowledge.
I finally conclude that the Source C is the most useful, then it is source B and the least useful is Source A. My reasons for source C being the most useful are because it backs up my own knowledge to why the United States became involved in Vietnam. Source B contradicts source A even thought they are by the same author. This is because the two sources are of a different motive. Source B being a private conversation, with no motive and expressing the Presidents true feelings and backing up my own knowledge comes in Second place. Source A being a public speech with a motive to boost morale and backing back some of my own knowledge comes as the least useful when deciding which is most useful to explain why the US became involved in Vietnam.
