how did the Cold War affect American policy in Vietnam?

Answer 1

There was no overt military conflict between the West and the Soviets and Chinese. However, there were a series of small proxy wars in which either side was either financed, or one of the major powers was directly involved. Korea and Vietnam were the latter. The North was supported by the communist bloc. The US supported the South (originally with weapons and advisers but they quickly became involved in fighting) In that sense Vietnam was a skirmish in the larger Cold War.

In another sense there was a strong fear of Communism that flowed from Cold War antipathy. The US became involved in the Vietnam because of the "Domino Theory", which said that if Vietnam became communist other South East Asian nations, such as Thailand and Malaya, would follow. Involvement in Vietnam and the support of the corrupt South Vietnamese regime was intended to stop the dominoes falling. Whether it worked is anyone's' guess. Thailand and Malaya are not Communist in spite of the North's victory in Vietnam.

Answer 2

The Cold War was the general period of tension and competition between the US and the Soviet Union...

Vietnam was a proxy war during the Cold War played out by the US and the Soviet Union...the proxy wars (Vietnam and Korea) generally avoided an all out direct conflict between the US and Soviet Union which would have been nuclear and devastating...

as for the Cold War affect on American policy in Vietnam...well...the Eisenhower doctrine stated that the US would back up any democratic nation opressed by communism militarily which was exactly the case with N. and S. Vietnam...

Answer 3

…what activities or rules helped shape American coverage in the process the conflict? First, the Truman Doctrine of containment introduced in 1947. 2nd, the Korean conflict from 1950-fifty 3. third, the withdrawal of the French from their former colony of Indochina in 1954. This extra the US into direct help of what could grow to be the Republic of Vietnam. Vietnam became a battleground interior the chilly conflict. The Soviet Union and united states used the Vietnamese human beings as surrogates to combat their very own conflict for international domination.

Answer 4

The Cold War was "fought" against the Soviet Union, the Soviet's supported communist North Vietnam, the U.S. opposing the spread of communism and the Soviet intervention in Asia went to Vietnam to protect South Vietnam who was trying to remain a free democracy

Answer 5

The US decision to break relations with the Viet Minh and to back the French colonial claims and its South Vietnames puppet government, was directly linked to China recognizing the North Vietnamese government and the outbreak of the Korean war.

Answer 6

haha i just finished a chapter on the Cold War

im pretty sure during the cold war period we proposed the containment policy, which aimed to stop the spread of communism, so we had to aid the french in vietnam and kept having to send in troops

Answer 7

Not at all. Corruption and the unfeasability of the war itself insured disaster. Kennedy talked with MacArthur who told him to stay out of there. It was a no win scenario. Too much importance is placed on the spooks. ( Spies. ) They've never stopped a war, and have only helped to muck things up. Now, they're the real power dictating in almost every sphere to government. All in the name of " National Security."

Answer 8

I'm actually vietnamese...it affected us by...um i don't get this question but i know is that there was tough life in vietnam thats why i had to move here...

Answer 9

what was the vietnam war all about anyway? was it just the continuation of the opium war? as for the russian, i think they're just an arm dealer. but who was financing that war? pls,enlighten me.

Answer 10

It made them get involved to fight the spread of communism.