Anti Communist Situation in America
The anti-communist situation in the U.S. depicted communist fears, which led to their focus on containing communism through aggressive foreign domination. From the beginning of the conflict, America had been closely watching the turn of events in Vietnam. The country had been split into the Northern Communists and the Southern Democratic Capitalists and with the elections inching nearer, communism was a rising possibility for the reasonably impoverished country. Ho Chi Minh’s popularity throughout the uprising illustrated his determination to unite Vietnam under communist leadership instead of foreign rule, which appealed greatly toward the people, as more turned toward this solution. America’s strong anti communist beliefs led to the creation and installation of the Policy of Containment (containing communism within it’s own borders, to prevent spreading) and the Truman Doctrine (that the US would aid any nations under the threat of communism, by providing them with loans and aid through payments).
Follow the link here to find out more information about the Policy of Containment and the Truman Doctrine!
An example of America’s communist fear in the upcoming elections was shown when, President Eisenhower, the President of the United States made a speech about the domino theory. As renowned history author of many titles and website creator, John Simkin claimed that, “... if South Vietnam became a communist state, the whole of the non-communist world would be at risk... If communism was not halted in Vietnam it would gradually spread throughout the world.” (Simkin, 2013) This was supported by President Dwight Eisenhower at a Press Conference in 1954 who stated, “... you have the broader considerations.. you would call the “falling domino” principle. You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is certainly that it will go over very quickly... it moves to threaten Australian and New Zealand... So, the possible consequences of the loss are just incalculable to the free world.” (President Eisenhower; cited in; Dell, 1980).
Check out this short video that describes The Domino Theory!
Want to read more about the domino theory? Check out the manuscript taken from the conference here!
Sources
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Halsall, P., 2011. Modern History Sourcebook: The Tonkin Bay Resolution, 1964.[Online] Available at: http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/1964Tonkinbay.asp [Accessed 2 November 2013].
Hardcastle, N., 2005. Vietnam 1954-1965. [Online] Available at: http://www.dhahranbritish.com/history/A15_Viet5465.htm [Accessed 2 November 2013].
Herring, G. C., 2004. Oxford Journals Organisation of American Historians. OAH Magazine, 18(5), pp. 18-21.
Llewellyn, J., Southey, J. & Thompson, S., 2013. Ngo Dinh Diem. [Online] Available at: http://alphahistory.com/vietnam/ngo-dinh-diem/ [Accessed 2013 November 15].
ushistory.org, 2013. 55. The Vietnam War. [Online] Available at: http://www.ushistory.org/us/55.asp [Accessed 3 November 2013].
Westheider, J. E., 2007. The Vietnam War. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Wiretap, 1997. Two Letters to Ngo Dinh Diem. [Online] Available at: http://wiretap.area.com/Gopher/Gov/US-History/Vietnam/diem-letters.txt [Accessed 3 November 2013].
Halsall, P., 2011. Modern History Sourcebook: The Tonkin Bay Resolution, 1964.[Online] Available at: http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/1964Tonkinbay.asp [Accessed 2 November 2013].
Hardcastle, N., 2005. Vietnam 1954-1965. [Online] Available at: http://www.dhahranbritish.com/history/A15_Viet5465.htm [Accessed 2 November 2013].
Herring, G. C., 2004. Oxford Journals Organisation of American Historians. OAH Magazine, 18(5), pp. 18-21.
Llewellyn, J., Southey, J. & Thompson, S., 2013. Ngo Dinh Diem. [Online] Available at: http://alphahistory.com/vietnam/ngo-dinh-diem/ [Accessed 2013 November 15].
ushistory.org, 2013. 55. The Vietnam War. [Online] Available at: http://www.ushistory.org/us/55.asp [Accessed 3 November 2013].
Westheider, J. E., 2007. The Vietnam War. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Wiretap, 1997. Two Letters to Ngo Dinh Diem. [Online] Available at: http://wiretap.area.com/Gopher/Gov/US-History/Vietnam/diem-letters.txt [Accessed 3 November 2013].