The United States fear of Communism began before Vietnam. The fear of Communism crept in continuously throughout the Cold War. The United States became paranoid that Communists from the Soviet Union were bound to overthrow democracy in America. The president and his administration prosecuted anyone who seemed deceitful to their country and involved with the Communists party. Thousands of civilians lost their jobs. The Hollywood Ten for example, famous actresses, actors and directors who were accused of being involved with the Communist Party and their lives were forever ruined.The Rosenberg’s received the death penalty because of the accusation of being spies for Russia.
The fear and paranoia of Communism did not destruct after the Cold War. The government’s paranoia of the Communist party escalated once again during the war of Vietnam. Although President Lyndon Johnson feared Communism, his decision was incorrect to escalate troops in Vietnam; he should have withdrawn troops immediately because of the continuous protests and chaotic events occurring in the United States and the intense fighting against guerilla warfare.President Lyndon Johnson and his administration’s main reason for escalating troops was because they wanted to use South Vietnam as an example, the administration wanted to prove to that the United States would not stand for Communist aggression. Past historic events from World War II with Adolf Hitler, at Munich in 1938, displayed that if aggression is not immediately handled the aggressors become more encouraged. Johnson and his administration also wanted to take over this war because if South Vietnam were to fall to the Communists its” neighboring countries, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, would fall to communism as well.This theory is referred to as the domino theory. “Burma, Thailand, India, Japan, the Philippines and obviously Laos and Cambodia are among those whose security would be threatened if the red tide of Communism overflowed into Vietnam” (option 1 Senator John Kennedy’s speech June 1956).
One other important reason President Johnson sent numerous troops to South Vietnam is because the United States made an oath to protect Vietnam from the threat of Communism. This oath was extremely important because if America did not hold to this promise the worlds view on America could be forever damaged.Throughout this time period the United States should have been more concerned about its reputation among its own citizens rather than the rest of the world’s opinion. The only war was not being fought in Vietnam but back in the United States as well. The protesting began towards the end of the war but in the civilians opinion it was never too late to start.
The antiwar movement had about 500,000 participants (Tune-in, urn-on and drop out packet p. 2). Many protests were organized by National Mobilization against the War.Former Vietnam veterans even supported to end the war. The veterans established a group known as the Vietnam Veterans against War. During one of they”re demonstrations they threw their combat medals over a Capitol Building fence (Tune-in, urn-on and drop out packet p. 2).
Even though that was courageous act one of the most memorable demonstrations held at the Democratic Convention in Chicago. The Mayor Richard J. Daley prohibited permits to be granted for this protest.
About 10,000 protesters gathered in Chicago Lincoln Park.As the week progressed the police became extremely violent. Tear gas was thrown at protesters. Citizens were beaten, news reporters were assaulted, innocent bystanders and even convention delegates were harassed. The “police riots” that occurred during August of 1968 were viewed by the public since members of the press were battered they displayed unedited coverage of the bloody scenes. As the cameras pointes at the police the demonstrators chanted, “The whole world is watching.These broadcasts opened Americans eyes that the war in Vietnam was not the only one being fought.
Not everyone in Johnson’s administration agreed that the troops should be escalated in Vietnam. Secretary of State George Ball, Presidential Press Secretary Bill Moyers, State Department Advisor James Thompson, and Vice- President Hubert Humphrey believed that this war was not the United States battle. George Ball stated, ” No matter how many hundred thousand white, foreign troops we deploy.
No one has demonstrated of whatever size can win a guerrilla war- which is at the same time a civil was between Asians- in jungle terrain in the midst of a population that refuses cooperation to the white forces and provides a great intelligence advantage to the other side-(option 3). This war was not traditional fighting. American troops were unprepared to fight this type of warfare. This war was guerrilla war. Villages and paths were not always what they seemed. Treacherous traps lingered within every step taken. Civilians” appearance tended to be deceiving as well.Many civilians belonged to a pro communist organization known as the Vietcong.
President Lyndon Johnson stated, “We are not about to send American boys nine or ten thousand miles away from home to do what Asian boys should be doing for themselves”(option 3). This war should have never involved the United States. Thousands of troops lost their lives. The war did not only affect the people in Vietnam but the people in the U. S.
as well. The fear of Communism struck the U. S. like a wave and because of the fear and paranoia the lives of Americans were forever changed.
