Preventing the Spread of Communism in the Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a protracted conflict between the Unites States and the communist forces in Vietnam. The US with the aid of the South Vietnamese Government wanted to prevent the spread of communism. In opposition, the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in the South known as the Vietcong wanted to unify Vietnam under one communist government. The war lasted from 1945 to 1975 and was not one that the US was destined to win. Despite its huge wealth and power the US was unable to defeat the Vietnamese people. The following reasons are the causes for their defeat in the Vietnam war. The first reason is that America’s tactics were a failure in contrast to the Vietcong’s successful tactics. The second reason is that the public in America opposed the war and showed no support and the final reason is that US soldier morale was extremely low, compared to the Vietnamese communist forces who were dedicated to their cause. There had been fighting in Vietnam decades before the Vietnam War began. Vietnam had been occupied by the French until their defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and the Japanese from 1941 until 1945. After the Geneva agreement in 1954 Vietnam was divided along the 17th parallel into North and South Vietnam. Diem became president in the South in 1955 which is when it is considered America really got involved, because they now had to support Diem’s government with supplies, military equipment and money. The reason America got involved was because ofShow MoreRelatedAmericas Role in Containing Communism Essay995 Words   |  4 PagesImmediately after World War II, another war emerged from the horizon. The Cold War, a battle for both political and military superiority between the Soviet Union and the United States, began soon after World War II, with Vietnam as a central issue. 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