Contemporary International Problems Essay

The United States of America experienced various disputes and wars in its history. Some of these armed conflicts do not only take place within their boundaries because there are also some battles that they have to fight in another country’s territory. The reasons for engaging in such warfare may either directly or indirectly involve the U. S. However, one thing is sure, that in the country’s every participation there is a certain interest that its officials want to fulfill. This kind of situation is what exactly took place in the U. S. ntervention in the Vietnam War. The U. S. government wants to achieve a certain national interest that will work for their benefits. The Vietnam War started in 1954 when the Communist-led parties of the Vietnamese Nationalist and the Vietminh army defeated the French forces. France was forced to recognize North Vietnam as communist while leaving the Southern part of the country as non-communist. Nevertheless, the U. S. did not approve this situation especially the establishment of communist leadership in North Korea. President Dwight D.  Eisenhower ordered the establishment of political machinery in South Vietnam. This includes creating a government that replaced the French leadership as well as deploying military advisers that will train the South Vietnam army. The Central Intelligence Agency of the U. S. also employed psychological warfare in order to weaken North Vietnam. The United States government explicitly expressed its participation and commitment in the Vietnam War when they ordered continuous air bombing in North Vietnam by means of the Tonkin Golf Resolution. The war ended in January 1973 through a diplomatic agreement that resulted in the U. S. withdrawal from Vietnam in exchange for the release of U. S. prisoners (Rotter, 1999). The intervention of the U. S. in the Vietnam War is part of their national interest of establishing democracy in different countries and controls the spread of communism. During the Cold War two conflicting forces are involved namely: the Communist bloc and the Democratic bloc. The U. S. leads the Democratic group, which is why they are doing all the necessary means to combat communism. Their intervention in the Vietnam War is an effort to stop other Asian countries from following the principles of communism especially since Ho Chi Minh is the one leading the Northern part of the country (Rotter, 1999). The American government believes that communism is an enemy because it defies every value and principle that the U. S. upholds such as: free trade and democracy. In relation to this the operations of the U. S. against the Communist bloc is largely dependent upon their belief in the Domino Theory. The Domino Theory is similar to a set of dominoes wherein toppling one of it will result for the others to follow suit. In the same manner, Vietnam represents the first domino that toppled down. The U. S. deemed that if they will not intervene in the Vietnam War other countries in the Southeast Asian region would also adhere to communism (Rotter, 1999). Another reason for U. S. involvement in the Vietnam War is their goal of influencing other countries to follow the path of democracy and adhere to the values and principles that the U. S. stands for. By doing so, the U. S. ould be able to win their battle with the soviet bloc and at the same time establish their position as the world’s superpower. The U. S. government encouraged other countries to follow their ideals by giving military and economic aid to them. This is observable when they helped France in maintaining its Indochina colonies. The U. S. also applied the Domino Theory in acquiring more countries in their side. They think that by showing other countries the development of France, they would choose democracy over communism, as this would entail more benefits for them (Rotter, 1999). The U. S. intervention in the Vietnam War clearly shows that the country tend to intervene in others’ affairs in order to accomplish their national interests. The U. S. government used the resources that they have in order to pursue their objectives. They took advantage of the conflicts that is happening in the other parts of the world so that they could defeat the soviet bloc and control the spread of communism. In doing so, they were able to emerge as one of the most powerful countries in the world.