Vietnam Assignment – History Sources Question

Authors Avatar
Vietnam Assignment - History Sources Question

. Source A tells us many reasons why America would be interested in helping South Vietnam overrun the north, Kennedy had to make out that Vietnam was economically very important and that it would be extremely beneficial to America. He told the civilians that it would be well worth public backing and would be the best thing that America could possibly do with its money. In truth Vietnam was of very little economic importance the only reason that Kennedy was interested in conquering Vietnam was because Kennedy wanted to prevent the "Red tide of communism" overflowing throughout Southeast Asia to all neighbouring countries like Burma and Thailand this was expressed as the domino theory. Similarly Kennedy thought that if he could turn them away from this idea then the other countries would follow suite. Kennedy thought that communism was the first stage in the country being lead in hateful dictatorship. In reality the world wouldn't suffer greatly if Vietnam turned communist.

2. Sources B and C tell us contrasting information about the reasons why the US got involved in Vietnam as they are taken from very different sources source B is from a governmental US state department statement and source C is from a volunteer fighter called Phillip Caputo. Source B tells us that a Vietnam communist has set out to conquer a neighbouring state full of people who are under sovereign rule having a king or queen. To combat this, the American government decided that the situation is no different to Korea in the 1950's when the north decided to take the south. America decide to use s similar amount of force to which was needed in the 1950's in Korea to stop the "Red tide of communism" (Kennedy Source A) spreading throughout Asia. Source C tells us a different story, the young man who volunteered to fight was taken in by Kennedy comments "...what can you do for your country" and the fact that the USA had never lost a war. He felt like he was a policeman, and that he was stopping the "criminal spread of communism" throughout the world. The young soldier realised that the idea wasn't to gain terrain or help citizens but only to kill and the pressure to do so was intense.

3. There are many hypothesises brought to light by sources C, D and E about why the US was defeated in Vietnam. Our textbook tells us much more information on the same issue and also raises so valid points. We are told that the "Vietnamese communists (VC) were always far readier to accept huge losses ...than the USA this fact alone ensured..." the communists "...would be triumphant". Another key element involved in the failure of the US was that unlike in previous wars they had no easy way to measure how well they where getting on. "Their was no Vietcong territory to invade and conquer... they (US) could never claim to have advanced so many kilometres" and because of this were unable to brag bout how well they where getting on to their citizens enticing more to join up. America also had the wrong tactics from the offset "...because the battle was in their own country the Vietcong could afford to wait years for victory... America could not. The colossal costs of war meant the US were under pressure to act" and win "very quickly" The Vietcong knew this factor would assist them greatly. In light of this they decided to wait, as they knew that if they didn't confront the Americans and take the war to them the "Americans would get board and wonder off home".
Join now!


Also with view towards the tactics the Vietcong decided that the best method would be to run away from the American well armed forces and plant cleaver traps along with sabotaging and ambushing the American vehicles. The Americans didn't use tactics as well thought out and suffered the consequences as the Vietcong where far less equipped, but tactically far superior. One of their other sneaky plans was to trap the US forces in a village by getting them lead in by young children asking for help. When the US forces were all in the village exits were covered ...

This is a preview of the whole essay