Lyndon B. Johnson’s Policies on Vietnam

Part A Plan of the InvestigationBoth of the American presidents Kennedy and Johnson played internal roles in the Vietnam conflict. Kennedy, supporting the idea of containment, committed the U.S. to support the government of South Vietnam in the early 1960s. After his assassination in 1963, Johnson became the next president, notwithstanding to what tip did he unfold Kennedys international indemnity concerning Vietnam?This investigation will therefore comp ar and contrast Johnsons and Kennedys contrasted policies concerning Vietnam, which will be analyzed with references to primary and secondary sources that clearly face the foreign policies of the two presidents. However, more intonation will be put on Johnsons govern on Vietnam, and how his administration actually decidedto act after Kennedys death.Additionally, emphasize will be put on how Johnson greatly deepened the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, after realizing the vast commitment it would take to win the war. This investi gation will primarily examine the degree of change in foreign policies of the two presidents towards Vietnam, and not the success or failure of Johnsons policies.Part B Summary of EvidenceKennedys Foreign policy 1961-1963 Committed the U.S to the Vietnam conflict, due to his support for containment and the eye mask theory change magnitude U.S. build up forces advisors from less than 700 men in January 1961 to 16,000 men by November 1963 Financed an increase in the South Vietnamese army from 150,000 to 170,000 men Launched propaganda and political activities to discredit the Viet Cong Drafted the NSAM 273, affirming to continue supporting South Vietnam Lyndon B. Johnson becomes president 1963Also supports containment and the domino theoryPledges to continue Kennedys foreign policy concerning Vietnam and to work with Kennedys former advisors Approves NSAM 273Johnson in 1964 Encounters m each(prenominal) an(prenominal) difficulties and lack of progress partially due to a confuse d and ineffective government in South Vietnam Realizes the vast commitment needed to win the war. demand an excuse to openly attack sexual union Vietnam and not lose his elections in 1964 Is able to exploit the Tonkin incident of August 1964 and to use it as an excuse Convinces sex act to pass the Tonkin resoluteness on August 7th giving him full authority and a blank check to wage war against North Vietnam Uses this announcement to Americanize the war in Vietnam.This village set the difference between Johnsons and Kennedys foreign policies The Tonkin Resolution in 1964 caused Johnsons Foreign policy to change Johnson was now able to send some 25,000 American combat troops to Vietnam by the end of 1964 Operation Rolling Thunder first in the spring of 1965 also emerged from this resolution It was a on divergence bombing campaign and aerial raids against North Vietnam.This surgery also demonstrated Johnsons much greater military commitment to Vietnam than Kennedys, showing It w as the first sustained U.S. military operation in Vietnam Johnson finally decided for an open-ended military commitment to Vietnam in 1965 Johnson was pretend to provide whatever military support needed to win the war This at last led to the United States committing more than 500,000 American troops to Vietnam.Par C rating of SourcesThe two sources that are going to be evaluated are Vietnam Explaining Americas Lost War by Gary Hess and An Album of the Vietnam War by Don Lawson, because they show contrary perspectives on how the American foreign policy developed towards Vietnam.The origin of the first text Vietnam Explaining Americas Lost War is a historic book and a secondary source that analyzes the U.S failure in the Vietnam War. The purpose of this text is to analyze the eight steps that deepened the American commitment to South Vietnam, starting with the Kennedy administration.The value of this source is that it gives the readers a good overview on the foreign policies of bo th Johnson and Kennedy, specifically stating the important decisions of each president. It also highlights all the important events that led to any changes in the American foreign policy towards Vietnam. However, a limitation is that it does not go into great detail and it does not connect the foreign policies of the two presidents, but rather deals with them separately.The origin of the second text An Album of the Vietnam War is a historical book and also a secondary source, attempting to explain Johnsons foreign policy on Vietnam and how this effected the U.S. involvement. The purpose of this source is to explain how Johnson exploited his power through and through the Tonkin Resolution, and how this caused a much bigger involvement and commitment in Vietnam. Unlike the first source, this one focuses a lot more on the Tonkin Resolution and sets it as the turning point in the American involvement in Vietnam, stating that this event was the foundation for further involvement.The valu e is that the readers can see and understand why Johnson and his advisors acted as they did, and how they justified their decisions. The mainlimitation is that it practically only deals with Johnsons actions and barely connects to the previous foreign policies of Kennedy. The overview of Johnsons foreign policy is also quite limited, since the focus is primarily placed on the Tonkin Resolution, where all the other events are stated in relation to it and not independently.Part D AnalysisDuring his governing from 1961 until 1963, John F. Kennedy committed the U.S. into the Vietnamese conflict. Being a surd supporter of the Domino scheme, and a strong believer in containment, he made sure to support the South Vietnamese government against the communistic North Vietnam. In his presidency Kennedy was able to greatly increase the military assistance and funding for South Vietnam. Starting with fewer than 700 men in January 1961, he was able to increase the U.S. military personnel to 16 ,000 by November 1963. His foreign policy also caused to finance an increase in the size of the South Vietnamese army from 150,000 to 17000. Additionally, propaganda and political activities where launched with the purpose of discrediting the Viet Cong and edifice support for the Saigon government. However after his assassination in November of 1963, the situation changed.Just two hours after Kennedys death in 1963, Lyndon Baines Johnson was inaugurated as the U.S. President. However, many of Kennedys advisors strongly supported the idea of emphasizing continuity with Kennedys policies1. Johnson suddenly becoming the American President asked the Kennedy team to remain with him2. Johnson, like Kennedy, was a strong supporter of containment and believed that the U.S. main foreign policy should be to stop communist expansion. Several days after Kennedys death, Johnson approved NSAM 2733, a document drafted during Kennedys presidency, which affirmed the American commitment to assist So uth Vietnam.Just like Kennedy, who was determined to pursue the fight against Communism around the globe and promising to pay any price, bear any burden4, so was Johnson determined to accomplish his predecessors objectives stating let us continue5 in Vietnam. Therefore, it is no strike that Johnson pledged to carry out the policies of the Kennedy administration6. However Johnson soon realized that the new government of South Vietnam7 seemed confused and ineffective and that bold actions have to be taken in Vietnam since the conflict has reached a stage of definitive crisis8. However, Johnson did not want to risk his success in the upcoming elections in 1964, and needed a good reason to openly attack North Vietnam.The Tonkin Incident of August 1964 offered him this opportunity. This murky crisis, where an attack on an American destroyer war reported, provided Johnson with the opportunity of win over congress to pass the Tonkin Gulf Resolution on August 7, giving Johnson full author ity to take all necessary measures, including the use of armed force to assist South Vietnam9. This resolution carried the basis of Americas deeper involvement during Johnsons Presidency. This also set the difference between Johnsons and Kennedys foreign policies, since with this resolution Johnson was able to Americanize the war in Vietnam. Up until this event Johnsons foreign policy was quite similar to Kennedys, whereas after the resolution his new foreign policies deepened the U.S. involvement in Vietnam to a much larger extent. Already shortly after this resolution the effects could be seen, since immediate increases in military assistance were ordered, causing some 25,000 American combat troops in Vietnam by 196410. Additionally, by the spring of 196511 there were constant American aerial raids on North Vietnam, which was a part of an operation called Rolling Thunder12. Johnson and his advisors greatly supported this operation in the hope of damaging North Vietnams war-making infrastructure and its lines of supply13. This operation which emerged from the Tonkin resolution also set Johnsons foreign policy apart from Kennedys. It was the first sustained U.S. military operation in Vietnam, which demonstrated Johnsons much greater military commitment to Vietnam then Kennedys, whose foreign policy at the time did not include or plan such an operation. This trend of continuously sending more and more American troops continued, which can be clearly seen when Johnson finally decided in July of 1965 for an open-ended military commitment14. Johnson was able to on the whole Americanize15 this war and rush thousands of ground troops into Vietnam, which was a huge difference to Kennedys foreign policy. This can be especially seen when comparing the maximum number of Kennedys military advisors of 16,000 by November 196316 with Johnsons 500,000 American troops in Vietnam by 1968. Although Johnson started with a similar foreign policy as Kennedy, he soon realized that this wouldnt work for winning thewar effectively. Through the Tonkin Resolution Johnson was able to greatly increase the U.S. involvement, leading to events such as Operation Rolling Thunder. After deciding for an open-ended military commitment to Vietnam in 1965, Johnson eventually sent more than half a million American troops to Vietnam by 1968, which was the end of his presidency and clearly showing that his foreign policy was different from Kennedys.Part E ConclusionKennedys foreign policy committed the U.S in supporting the government of South Vietnam in the early 1960s, since was a strong believer of containment and the domino theory. His foreign policy involved increasing the number of military advisors and the funding for South Vietnam, as well as propaganda against North Vietnam. However after Kennedys assassination, Johnson inherits the responsibility for the U.S. involvement in Vietnam.At first, Johnson does continue Kennedys foreign policies concerning Vietnam, similarly supporting the idea of containment just as Kennedy did. However, after realizing the vast commitment it is going to take to win the war and being encountered by numerous difficulties and lack of progress, he eventually causes the U.S. involvement to become much deeper. Johnson was able to achieve this through the Tonkin Resolution, which gave him the power for operations such as Rolling Thunder and eventually an open-ended military commitment towards this conflict.This change in foreign policy where Johnson completely Americanized the war was different from Kennedys foreign policy. In conclusion, Johnsons foreign policy has caused a much larger U.S. involvement in Vietnam than Kennedys foreign policy.