Essay Sample on Lyndon B. Johnson & Cold War: Vietnam War & US Foreign Policy

Introduction

Lyndon B. Johnson, who served as the President of the United States of America, had a foreign policy that was being implemented in his administration. Johnson served during the cold war; it was a period precedented with the tension between the Soviet Union and the United States. It was during this time in office when Johnson Presidency was affected by the Vietnam war. On 8 March 1965, U.S. marines first deployed 3,500 armed forces to South Vietnam to assist the government in defeating the lethal socialist revolution. Its mission was to defend an airbase that was used by the Americans while bombing the raids from supplying any military aid to the revolt. President Lyndon B Johnston recorded everything during his period between 1965 and 1973, which was very violent. His recordings and transcripts between 1964, to 1965, help a lot in a mission into a full-scale American war. In August 1964 during the incident of Tonkin Gulf, more than 44 Militia was dispatched in July 1965, which brings authorization for military action as well as Americanization of the conflict. Many decisions were made in between to dispatch the marines and to shift from defensive to offensive oppressions. The essay is intended to describe Lyndon Johnson's policy as he faces military escalation unveiling in Vietnam, explain the reason why he pursues these policies, and factors that made him prompt the ramp up which involves Vietnam and United States as well as his aim in trying to accomplish all these actions.

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Lyndon Johnson's Policy

President Lyndon B Johnson took over from office after the assassination of President John F Kennedy in November 1963. After inheritance, he implemented the civil rights and economic policy to win the fight against Vietnam in which Kennedy had joined while in office. Kennedy had increased the number of US military advisors in Vietnam during the second world war from seven hundred in 1961 to more than 16,000 by the fall of 1963 and also led to the expansion of foreign assistance in that his office gave more amount of joined armed and economic assistance from 223 million dollars in FY 1961 to 471 million dollars by FY1963. This brings victory and stabilizes the politics of the South Vietnamese.

During the reign of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem, corruption had been persistent. Diem faced many challenges when he reserves some of the best troops from the south to guard him; instead of allowing them to go and fight the Communists and also by reshuffling his military personnel. The nationwide demonstrations were Ignited by attacks of Buddhists by Diem's followers, which shake the country and led to the revolution, which results in both Nhu and Diem being murdered.

Factors Prompted to Johnson Involvement

A Congressional Mandate was a major factor that Johnson get involved; When the war took the center stage, Johnson administration needed direct action from the armed soldiers, whereby they require congressional approval more so in the forthcoming elections. On 7 August, they passed and signed into law three days later, the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, which gives Johnson administration decree to intensify U.S soldier's involvement in Vietnam. On August 2, the USS Maddox reported to the National Security Agency that they were under attack by North Vietnamese torpedo boats but they manage to resist the attacks.

Moreover, the Johnson war was another major factor. As the president, it helps Johnson through his position and powers to draft policy through his administration toward the communist challenge in South Vietnam. Four Americans were killed just before the elections when they attacked the U.S. airbase at Bien Hoa by the Communist guerrillas, but Johnson did not answer instead, he forms a task force led by William P. Bundy to review Vietnam policy. These policies agreed upon include; persisting with the current approach, pursuing a strategy of graduated response, and escalating the war. They took the next step by implementing the policies.

Pleiku and Qui Nhon were the first to attack, but it was failing. Johnson changed his tactics by considering additional proposals for increasing the American combat presence in South Vietnam. The active defense Marine throngs were brought to assist in security and ensure more troops were stationed in Vietnam, the number of U.S militias was increased to eighty-two thousand.

Johnson Aims in Trying to Accomplish Vietnam War Involvement

Johnson tried to neutralize and solve the dominion crisis. Striking counterparts were offered by the developments closer to home in Vietnam whereby President Johnson consumed his additional time dealing with Dominican Crisis in late April through June 1965. Johnson met with his seniors to discuss the problems facing Vietnam, whereby they were warned by the US ambassador of the dire consequences. When the war broke, the Americans seek refuge in inexpensive hotels. Americans were not safe when more soldiers were deployed when Johnson give a press statement on a Television about the safety of Americans that he no longer guarantees to protect them. After many days of bloodshed, Johnson announced that more troops were to be increased to protect the remaining Americans in the nation's capital after most of them had been killed, hence intervention was needed for humanitarianism. His involvement was aimed to ensure the safety of Americans in Vietnam.

Conclusion

In conclusion, political temperatures were routed in fear about local as well as international significances. This political consideration results in the loss of China's episode towards the end of the 1940s and early 1950s, which was led by Johnson, who was a democrat. He feared to happen again, more so, in South Vietnam. In March 1968, he stepdown in fear of his life and anything to happen while in power. Perhaps, Johnson made a significant impact through his foreign policy, goals, and involvement in the war between Vietnam and the United States.

Work Cited

Herring, George C., and George C. Herring. America's longest war: the United States and Vietnam, 1950-1975. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2016.

Summers, Harry G. On strategy: A critical analysis of the Vietnam War. Presidio Press, 2019.

Sturken, Marita. Tangled memories: The Vietnam War, the AIDS epidemic, and the politics of remembering. Univ of California Press, 2017.