United States Loss to Vietnam Essays - 1033 Words

United States Loss to Vietnam There were many reasons for the USAs loss in the Vietnam War. There is no singular reason for the USAs loss; instead there are many, and each of these contributes to the end result. Some historians believe that the USA didnt lose the war at all. The USA first invaded Vietnam on the 8th March 1965, with the first 3,500 US marines landing on Vietnam soil, this seemingly small amount of troops would mass to 525,000 in 1967. America first involved themselves in Vietnam because of the Policy of Containment in this policy it made it clear that the USA was to stop the spreading of communism. The Domino theory was also a persuasive element. It suggested in the Domino†¦show more content†¦The Search-and-destroy operations undertaken by the US meant that many innocent civilians were killed which also helped to increase the un-popularity of the South Vietnam regime. Many of the Vietcong hid in villages and the US troops didnt know civilian from VC You never knew who was the enemy an d who was the friend. They all looked alike. They all dressed alike. They were all Vietnamese. Some of them were Vietcong. - Source F. An Extreme example of this is the My Lai Massacre We were firing before we hit the ground, we fired into the huts all we could. Then we burned the huts - Source H. Bombing usually had the opposite effect to what the US desired. The Intense bombing campaign, Operation Rolling Thunder, was mainly directed at the jungle to stop the Vietcong gaining routes to the South through the Ho Chi Min trail. This was largely in effective and until the introduction of chemical weapons. Even the chemical weapons meant the US were not gaining favor as the chemicals they used often meant long-term damage to the communities and also with other chemicals (mainly napalm) serious injury. Diem made himself un-popular in many ways towards the population. Diem made a corrupt government putting many Roman Catholics in power although they were a small majority ofShow MoreRelatedThe Vietnam War : A Great Loss For The United States1696 Words   |  7 PagesConsidered a great loss for the United States, the Vietnam War claimed thousands of U.S. lives. Throughout the power struggles, warfare, and lost lives, Francis â€Å"Frank† Horsting unloaded supply ships on the beaches of Vietnam. Drafted at the age of twenty, Frank traveled to Fort Knox in Kentucky before he set off for Vietnam. Along the way he sent a gift to his wife, Rebecca; this gift, a twelve-piece set of Noritake brand china, will forevermore hold a spot in Frank Horsting’s family as it tricklesRead MoreThe Vietnam War Was A Great Loss For The United States2250 Words   |  9 Pageswars in which many lives have been lost and a huge impact has been made upon the United States of America. 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Countries receiving foreign aid and military assistance have no incentives to build an effectiveRead MoreVietnam And The Vietnam War1649 Words   |  7 PagesThe Vietnam War was probably one the most infamous war in the history of the United States. Vietnam was divided into North and South Vietnam as a result of the Indochina War. North Vietnam belonged to the Communists and its allies after World War II and South Vietnam belonged to the anti-Communist supporters and their allies (the U.S was one of South Vietnam’s allies). It all started as an effort by America to keep South Vietnam away from Communism. Americans feared that if South Vietnam adaptedRead More How Can They Succeed?1034 Words   |  5 Pagesis behind him.† In the Vietnam War, many official soldiers and civilians took part in the combat. It started from December 1956 to 1975, nearly 20 years, in Vietnam. The Vietnam War was a war between North Vietnam and government of South Vietnam that United States participated and supported. It was a highlight in Vietnamese history and United States history also which was recorded, commented, discussed, debated in many books, journals and articles. In the South of Vietnam, there was a political organization