US Pres Johnson’s Policy in Vietnam

The unite c tot everyy forths of America is often depict as invincible and unyielding. Yet during the Vietnam War, America was forced to look at its weaknesses, both politically and militarily. chairman Lyndon B. Johnson, in s expirying U. S. Marines in March 1965, followed shortly thereafter by U. S. Army ground invade units, broke the strategic continuity of American involvement in Vietnam and, in so doing, paved the right smart for the U. S. forces ultimate defeat. Thus, it is plausible that hot seat Johnsons policy in Vietnam was doomed to fail from the beginning.Although South Vietnam asked for help, which the linked States had previously promised, the entire conflict was managed in lodge to meet personal political agendas and to remain politically correct in the worlds eyes rather than to bring a quick and fatal end to the conflict. This can be seen in the selective bombing of Hanoi throughout the course of the Vietnam War. Politically, this dodging looked very good. However, militarily it was ludicrous. War is the one arena in which politicians have no place.War is the forces sole purpose. United States involvement in Vietnam continued to escalate throughout the 1950s and into the previous(predicate) 1960s. On August 4, 1964, the Gulf of Tonkin incident occurred in which American Naval Vessels in South Vietnamese waters were fired upon by congluti solid ground Vietnam. On August 5, 1964, President Johnson requested a firmness expressing the determination of the United States to continue in its basic policy of assisting the free nations of the area to defend their freedom.On August 7, 1964, in response to the presidential request, Congress authorized President Johnson to take all incumbent measures to repel any attack against the forces of the United States and to pr purget further aggression (A). The selective bombing of North Vietnam began immediately in response to this resolution. In March of the following year U. S. Troops began to a rrive. Although the Gulf of Tonkin effect specifically stated that we had no military, political, or territorial ambitions in southeast Asia, the interests back home were of a different nature.The United States was not expecting a more extensive development in Vietnam, and Johnson shocked the nation by his exclusive decision. A mature great power will make measured and restrict use of its power Since in this generation we have become a great power, I am in favor of learning to behave like a great power (B). Thus a major downfall of Johnsons policy was his blatant damage of his respective power. According to Johnson in his State of the Union Address, We will stay because in Asia-and around the world-are countries whose independence rests, in large measure, on authority in Americas word and protection (C).However, the political involvement in Vietnam was about ofttimes more than just promised aid to a weak country in baseball club to prevent the mete out of communism. It was a bout money. After all, fights require equipment, guns, tools and machinery. Most of which was produced in the United States. We intervened with money, advisors, bombers, and weapons at a time when even our own government did not claim that North Vietnam was sending forces south (G). It was about proving Americas commitment to stop communism. Or rather to confine communism in its present boundaries.Most of all it was about politics. The military involvement in Vietnam is directly related to the political management of the military throughout the war. The military controlled by the politicians. The management of the military by the White House for political gain is the primitive reason for both the length and cost, both monetary and human, of the Vietnam War. One of the largest problems was the lack of a clear purpose in the war and the support to accomplish it. So-how do we end the war in Vietnam? We must fiat our objective.Instead of negotiation, our objective must be to make th e war so costly for the Communists that they will end it We must fight the war from our strength, not theirs (F). The politicians dictated the war in Vietnam. It was a limited war the military was never allowed to fight the war in the manner that they thought that they needed to in order to win it. To conclude on the Vietnam War, the political management of the war made it unwinnable. The military was at the compassion of politicians, especially Johnson, who knew very little about what needed to be done militarily in order to win the war.And it is the failure of that regime to come to the bargaining table that has thus far frustrated either effort to move the problem of South Vietnam from a military to a political solution (E). Therefore, the U. S. soldiers should be allowed to conduct any war, conflict, or police action that it has been committed to without political interference or control because of the problems and hidden interests which are always present when dealing with p olitics. There is an enormous difference in the midst of political judgment and military judgment. This difference is the primary reason for the outcome of the Vietnam War.Vietcong knew they could beat us by wearing the United States down until they surrendered (H). It was the policy of military escalation in Vietnam, however, that proved to be Johnsons undoing as president. It deflected attention from domestic concerns, resulted in sharp inflation, and prompted rising criticism, especially among young, draft-aged people. mood of Congress changed, a contemplation of public attitudes strongly influenced by the news media, particularly television (I). Although society originally supported Johnsons policy, he lost a large amount of support due to his mistakes.Escalation also failed to win the war. The extensive struggle made Johnson even more secretive, dogmatic, and highly sensitive to criticism. His usually sure political instincts were failing. On March 31, 1968, President Johns on was faced with increasing antiwar sentiment. He announced a halt in all bombing north of the 20th parallel and offered to negotiate for peace with North Vietnam. Peace talks began in Paris in May, but were quickly deadlocked. After the United States stopped bombing North Vietnam in early November, the North Vietnamese agreed not to escalate the war.In January 1969 South Vietnam and the NLF joined the talks. (History of the United States) Americans judge the Vietnam War to have been a mistake. Unfortunately, few claim to know what the U. S. should have done differently. President Johnson made various unfavorable decisions, and his ignorance led to the demise of our military and political policies. Through the corruption and misuse of power, the strategically wrong military setup, and the high cost, the Vietnam War was doomed to fail from the beginning. It is inevitable that Johnson received the blame.