Consequences of the US 'defeat' in Vietnam

• In 1965 the USA launched Operation Rolling Thunder: the bombing of military targets in North Vietnam
• Vietnam is a LONG way from America so, why did the US get involved in this conflict?
• Containment


  An American policy to try and stop communism from spreading, to restrict it from spreading to other countries
• The policy of containment had failed militarily
• Despite the USA's vast military strength it could not stop the spread of communism
• Vietcong


  • Their guerrilla tactics and absolute commitment to the cause far outweighed the desire of the Americans to keep going
  • The Americans' lack of knowledge of the enemy and area they were fighting in
• The policy of containment had failed politically
• Not only had the USA failed to stop Vietnam falling to communism, but their actions in the neighbouring countries of Laos and Cambodia had helped to bring communist governments to power there too
• Many US politicians were mounting pressure to commit to peace
• The policy of containment had failed in the propaganda war
• Having presented the war in Vietnam as a moral crusade against communism, the atrocities committed by US military in terms of killing and the use of chemical weapons, had tarnished America's image at home and abroad
• The war had cost 58,000 American and 1-4 million Vietnamese lives, affected 700,000 American veterans, cost America over one hundred billion dollars, and damaged reputation and morale at home
• The Russians and Chinese had an interest in what happened in Vietnam. Both had pumped money and technology into Vietnam to help the communist forces
• After Vietnam, the policy of containment was replaced by a period of détente, a thawing in the tensions of the Cold War and gradually relations between the USA and the USSR/China improved
• This is what the consequences were.

  A) 58,000

  B) 1-4

  C) $100

  D) propaganda

  E) politically

  F) militarily

  G) Detente

  
• Détente


  the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries.