How useful are sources A, B, C in explaining why the U.S.A. involved in Vietnam?Source A is a quote from the U.S. President Johnson to the American public in 1965.

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How useful are sources A, B, C in explaining why the U.S.A. involved in Vietnam?

After WW2 Vietnam was separated into the communist north, and the democratic south governed by the corrupt American  supported leader Diem. Americas initial aim was to prevent communism spreading, particularly from North Vietnam. A guerrilla army emerged who were sympathetic to the communist beliefs of North Vietnam called the Vietcong and were lead by Ho Chi Minh. In this coursework I intend to assess the usefulness of three sources related to the war in Vietnam.

        Source A is a quote from the U.S. President Johnson to the American public in 1965. The President is speaking one month after ‘operation rolling thunder’ and is trying to justify to the public the reasons why America is in Vietnam. One of the most interesting things about this source is that the President does not once directly mention communism or the domino theory although he does make references to communism and the Truman Doctrine, he says ‘We fight in Vietnam because we have a promise to keep’. Here he is talking about the Truman Doctrine but he is twisting it to make it sound heroic and dutiful. ‘Our objective is the independence of South Vietnam and the freedom of their people’. The President is telling the American people that he intends to help the Vietnamese and give them their freedom he is giving the impression that America is being heroic and fulfilling its duty to the international community by being the good guys and coming to the aid to endangered countries. He also talks about how America has a duty to stay in South Vietnam and underlines the idea that America must prevent communism, and that democracy must be strengthened. In the speech the President makes links with the Vietnam war and fighting the tyranny of Hitler; he then concludes it by using a quote from the bible to try and twist the situation so that it is as though god is on the side of America: ‘Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further.’ This is again a way of appealing to peoples patriotism to increase the support for the war it is also making a parallel with stopping the progression of communism. The source does not really give us reasons why America is involved in Vietnam it more tries to justify why America is there rather than giving any straight forward reasons. It leaves out huge chunks of important information such as the advisors that were at the time in Vietnam as well as the obvious worries about the spread of communism to South Vietnam and the concerns about the domino theory.

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        President Johnson had dressed up the situation in Vietnam for the public to keep public opinion of him and the war high, during his speech to the public he kept many of the truths about Vietnam to himself. Source B is a quote from President Johnson speaking in private which is more true to his true feelings towards the war. The source shows that Johnson feels he has to do what he is doing in Vietnam to save the public opinion of himself he says ‘They’d bring a President down if he ran out, wouldn’t they?’ he means that he ...

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