Question 1
U.S believed in capitalism. It was therefore ready to deploy its army to South Vietnam to fight the communist combatants who were out to occupy Vietnam (McMahon, 178). It was clear that acquisition of southern Vietnam by the communists would be of great advantage to the communist block and the U.S feared that the communists would defeat them in case of a war if they continue to acquire more states (Anderson, 26). Being a superpower, U.S had already lost some states to capitalists and was not ready to give up some more. They wanted to defeat aggression in Vietnam and build a free, peaceful society (Anderson, 125).
Question 2
U.S’s view of what was befalling in Vietnam was correct. Despite having its own interests in Vietnam, the U.S also wanted to ensure that people in that small country are not subjected to unnecessary suffering by the communist combatants (McMahon, 52). It was taking the role of protecting the lesser and scrawny states. Such a superpower should merely not terrorize small states just because it possesses the might. It should actually withdraw from the war to avoid corrupting its image, losing its militia and overburdening its taxpayers (Isserman, 98). After discovering that the war had devastating effects on US, it was therefore virtuous for them to withdraw from it.
Question 3
The U.S was unable to relate its tremendous military power to the fundamental task of establishing a viable government in South Vietnam due to the presence of the French in Vietnam, the understanding that Vietnam was independent and the fact that U.S did not want to misuse her resources in matters that would potentially tarnish its image on the global arena (Anderson, 78). The U.S wanted to create a peaceful environment in Vietnam so that she could establish her own government that would run her affairs (Isserman, 43).
Works cited
Anderson, David L. The Columbia Guide to the Vietnam War. New York: Columbia University Press, 2002. Print.
Isserman, Maurice, and Michael Kazin. America Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print.
McMahon, Robert J. Major Problems in the History of the Vietnam War: Documents and Essays. Lexington, Mass: D.C. Heath, 1990. Print.
