Were there any economic reasons for the U.S. entering the Vietnam War?

Question

If so, then what? If not, then why not?

Theories welcome :)

Answer 1

Of course there were economic reasons. The entire Cold War and the whole "fight the commies" stupidity was to spend money on the military, so as to build the U.S into a super power. [It wasn't just Vietnam; this goes back to Korea.] The U.S. used propaganda on its citizens to make them believe a communist invasion was imminent -- and a good friend who grew up in Russia in the 60s has explained to me that Russians were told that a U.S. invasion was imminent. Almost makes you think the U.S. and Russia were in cahoots, but I won't go into conspiracy theories. My dad was in the U.S. Navy from 1942-71, and even he has admitted that a lot of the fearmongering was massive exaggerations intended solely to fund the military.

In retrospect I don't understand why people equated communism with fascism. Communism is about everyone having enough and working for the common good -- it's largely failed because those in charge get power-hungry and the system breaks down, but on paper it really is a benevolent system. It's hardly the same as Fascism, which is largely a few power-mad leaders using fear and violence to remain in power. See Nazi Germany for plenty of examples. But I digress.

The U.S. claimed that Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq were/are all about protecting human rights. That is a gargantuan pile of odious manure. They were about protecting U.S. financial interests. The last war that was truly about human rights and liberty was World War II.

Answer 2

I don't recall that there were any economic reasons in particular. The French, who were there first, did have significant economic interests in South Vietnam. They were, however, not having much success against the North and the South Vietnamese government looked to us for help. I think that our entry was more of a result of the then popular notion that the fall of South Vietnam to the Communist North would result in a "domino effect" in Southeast Asia. The validity of the concept has been questioned of course, but many foreign policy types thought it valid.

Answer 3

Not sure. Some say the huge natural gas reserves under the continental shelf were a reason. Others say that fighting the Vietnam War was much cheaper than allowing SE Asia to pursue an independent course.

Answer 4

No economic reasons. Even the French knew what Vietnam, once thought a jewel of the empire, was a poor country, with no ressource. Michelin was once interested in the heveas, but it was nothing. And for the Americans? I'm sure that Guatemala was much more important to the USA.

Answer 5

No economic reasons but ideological reasons.

The purpose of the Vietnam Police Action was the containment of communist expansion.

Thank God for Joseph McCarthy.

Answer 6

No economic reasons. Just humanitarian concern for a nation invaded by communist infiltrators. JFK's decision was perfectly justified- especially when you consider what the communists did in the previous "Dominoes" - China, North Korea, North Vietnam and Laos. 70 milion dead is the lowest estimate.