How Did The Domino Theory Affect The Vietnam War

Vietnam war
The Vietnam war was taken place mostly in Vietnam, eastern part of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. The Vietnam war was a long conflict that the communist hated and the southern allies, viet cong, and the its ally the United States. The war was worth millions of lives which most of them were Vietnamese civilians. We can because of need president Harry Truman sent around $160 million for aid to the Trench warfare. He also sent the Military Assistance Advisory Group or MAAG to help assist them there. Many of these conflicts were affecting the Domino theory espicslly the war in general. The Domino theory is if a country became communist if would soon start spreading it like a Domino when fallen. Because of this threat of communism in the air the United

States was afraid it might spread so far and get into Southeast Asia and eventually get to south Vietnam. During president Kennedy presidency in 1961 he sent advisors to Vietnam he also authorized to send 500 special forces and other advisors to help out western government in Vietnam.

President Kennedy continues to send aid in fact, during 1963 and again authorized to increase the aid and advisors being sent. Although unfortunately he was assassinated but then Vice President Lyndon Johnson takes his place and become president. During the beginnings of Johnson's presidency during 1964 there had been attacks overseas on the United States, everyone was surprised they did not believe it, and the attacks were all targeted toward the USS Maddox. The result of this attack the congress passed the “ Golf of Tonkin Resolution” allowed president Johnson to be able to attack back to north Vietnam for what they did. In 1965, the Viet Cong attacks the pleiku in south Vietnam, which is known as the “ operation rolling thunder”. There was a lot of bombing ,643,000 tons of bombs dropped on north Vietnam. Then in 1968 the tet offensive was in place. The tet offensive was an attack on January 30 ,1968 it was planned to be a surprise attack on the military and civilians commands all throughout south Vietnam. Also when Johnson was a president we witnessed the anti-war movement where people began to protest against war because of all the lives lost and the money becoming in debt for something they

did not need. Tv or television was also a big impact during these times they had the news showing graphics on the incidents due to the war in result of that they came up with the credibility gap during president Lyndon johnson's presidency. Later in 1969 president Richard Nixon was elected and was popularized for the silent majority. The silent majority is a group of do not express their own opinions publicly. Giving the people who did not have a chance to speak up for the Vietnam war they did it then. Thus in 1970 the vietnamization policy began ,troops were getting evacuated because of the tet offensive causing the United States to get out of the war. President Richard Nixon was the one who authorized the secret bombing in Cambodia. In 1971, New York Times publishes the Pentagon papers, as following the year followed president Nixon signed the 26th amendment to the law. The 26th amendment allowing U. S citizens that are 18 years or older have the right to vote. Then in 1972 Richard Nixon was re-elected. In 1973, the Paris Peace Accords was signed to establish peace in Vietnam and end the Vietnam war. The watergate scandal forced Nixon to resign, therefore causing the citizens questioning rather they can or should be able to trust their leaders. In 1975, Saigon falls to communism, their fall lead to the end of the war. General Gerald ford announed a speech about the end of the war, so now it would explain the removal of the American troops from Vietnam.