What Went Wrong in Vietnam

¶ … Vietnam War: Its History and Harmful Effects The Vietnam War is considered as one of America's failure to promote its containment policy in Southeast Asia during the latter 1950s until 1970s. The Vietnam War is a military conflict between South and North Vietnam during the period of 1959-1975, wherein the U.S. had actively participated and supported South Vietnam against the North Vietnamese, who are considered supporters of Communism. Communism plays a big part for the escalation of and participation of U.S. In the Vietnam War.

America's Containment Policy in Southeast Asian nations was implemented right after World War II, wherein the spread of Communism was prevented by fighting the elements that support and spread Communist principles and beliefs, as well as actively participating in a military arms struggle for the cause of Communism. The U.S. containment policy is implemented during Dwight Eisenhower's term s president of the U.S., wherein the Korean War is marked as the first step the U.S. took in implementing the said policy.

Furthermore, during Eisenhower's time, the Geneva Accords was signed by USSR, China, France, and the U.S. And the Asian countries of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam guaranteeing the safe withdrawal of French troops in Vietnam and other nations it colonized. It also pushed forward for a united Vietnam nation, which have been factionalized because of the division that occurred during an uprising against French colonization among Vietnamese forces.

However, the Geneva Accords was violated by South Vietnam leader Ngo Dinh Diem, who pushed through the elections in South Vietnam despite the unification and peace efforts ongoing in the country. What followed began the long period of conflict that is to be called the Vietnam War. Because of Diem's hostile actions and corrupt governance, the North Vietnamese Army sought to oust Diem's government.

The killing of Diem during the conflict resulted to a massive conflict between the two regions, wherein the Army of the Republic of Vietnam or ARVN in South Vietnam was funded by the U.S. The fight between ARVN and Communist North Vietnamese or Viet Congs escalated as U.S. decided to participate in the said conflict by sending military troops to aid South Vietnam and its army. In 1967, Lyndon Johnson's office approved of a massive air attack against the Viet Congs, and the aggressive actions of the U.S.

regarding the North-South Vietnam conflict led to the formulation of the Tet Offensive, which is an assault conducted by the Viet Congs by 'containing' and trapping the U.S. military base Khe Sanh. The Viet Congs were also able to control the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, an event signifying the dying cause of the U.S. against the war in Vietnam because it is no longer invulnerable to Viet Cong attacks.

Under Richard Nixon's leadership, the process of "Vietnamization" was implemented, which called for a gradual withdrawal of troops in Vietnam.