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The Misremembered Vietnam War
Nov 28, 2007 19:34
#11  
  • CANADAGUY
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>>Anyway, what are the motives for America to involve in the war? America must have some hidden interests.<<

The 'domino theory' was generally used to explain the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

This foreign policy theory promoted by the U.S., speculated that if one land in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow in a domino effect.

The 'domino theory' was used by successive U.S. administrations during the Cold War to justify American intervention around the world.
Nov 28, 2007 20:14
#12  
  • LEONARDO
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Canadaguy,

>>The 'domino theory' was generally used to explain the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War<<

Good thoughts! In fact, The Vietnam War is part of the Cold War. The Cold War Mindset has dominated the foreign policies of US administrations since 1945.
Well, canadaguy, I am not sure if the "domino theory" is put forward by Dwight Eisenhower.

>>This foreign policy theory promoted by the U.S., speculated that if one land in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow in a domino effect.

Ironically, the dominio theory promoted by the US finally can be applied to explain the Collapse of Soviet Union. The USSR should have another version of " Domino Theory": if one land in a region ( East Europe) come under the influence of capitalism, then the surrounding socialist countries would follow in a domino effect. History seems to like playing tricks.
Nov 28, 2007 21:09
#13  
  • CANADAGUY
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>>Ironically, the dominio theory promoted by the US finally can be applied to explain the Collapse of Soviet Union. The USSR should have another version of " Domino Theory": if one land in a region ( East Europe) come under the influence of capitalism, then the surrounding socialist countries would follow in a domino effect. History seems to like playing tricks.<<

Yes Leonardo you are quite right here.
I guess we could call it the 'domino theory2' being applied, with completely different results.

If you are observing the politics of Russia these days you will see that they are moving very strongly in the direction of autocratic rule.
We might see a new Soviet Union sometime soon again as they become more power hungry.




Nov 28, 2007 21:47
#14  
  • LEONARDO
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<<If you are observing the politics of Russia these days you will see that they are moving very strongly in the direction of autocratic rule.
We might see a new Soviet Union sometime soon again as they become more power hungry.>>

Canadaguy, you are right. Since the Collapse of USSR, we have seen a trend in Russian politics: the concentration of power. Yeltsin has learnt a lesson from Mikhail Gorbachev. Gorbachev advocated "Neoliberalism" and loosed its control over member states of USSR, which costed USSR a great deal. Yeltsin witnessed the whole process of the Collapse of Soviet Union and understood well the importance of the concentration of power. For a coutry that has a long tradition of autocratic leadership, once the power scattered, it would fall into a messy condition. Since the Collapse of USSR, Russian leaders, both Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin are quite fear of Domino Effect. Both two leaders impose a hardline on Chechnya Issue.
Nov 30, 2007 03:59
#15  
  • JOHNNY512
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Russia's act is understandale. No country would tolerate any attempt to secede from its territory. Chechnya Separatists are a group of terrorists.
Nov 30, 2007 11:59
#16  
  • GRIZ326
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The Vietnam War IS completely misunderstood.

The French are to blame for the Vietnam war. The ruthless French exploitation of Vietnam setup a fight for freedom. The French even introduced Ho Chi Minh to communism. The US should never have sent the French military advisors after WWII. We got stuck and the French slipped away; today the French are not even blamed for their vulgar behavior.

The ground work for the Vietnam war was made in France. Do you remember that Vietnam was known as "French Indo-China" ???
Dec 1, 2007 22:16
#17  
  • DODGER
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Griz,
You are probably right in your assumption that the French return to what was then know as French Indo China is not widely known.
Ho Chi Minh studied in Paris and returned a fully fledge communist..
The French government’s track record in administering their colonies is not a good one. North Africa comes to mind.
As to the Domino theory, IMO fact more than theory.
Malaya as it was known as at the time came under attached by communist guerillas just after the last War. It lasted into the late 50’s
Singapore now exists today as we know it because the communists failed.
The Borneo confrontation in the mid sixties when Indonesia tried to take over the other half of the island.
There are many other examples of small scale attack probing to see if there was any weakness in the West’s resolve to defend it’s self
Lenin did admit just after the October revolution that unless they could convert the rest of the world to communism it would ultimately fail.
My closing observation on the Vietnam war is why did the Vietnamese from the south want to flee paradise for the safety of leaky boats?
Dodger.
Dec 2, 2007 20:00
#18  
  • JIMMYB
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Griz326,

The Vietnam is not misunderstood at all. Though France had committed some shameful crimes in the land, they quited after the WWII. Why would USA involve in the war with Vienam? USA wanted to take over the colonial presense in the Far East.
Dec 3, 2007 11:44
#19  
  • GRIZ326
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It has been a long time since I read the history of US involvement in Vietnam, but I do not believe the French quit (well......) or that the US wanted to take over the colonial presence. The French surrendered to Germany so French IndoChina was up for grabs and the Japanese got involved. The French managed to maintain some control through the Japanese. We started providing aid to the French to fight Ho Chi Minh in 1950. ...but the French are lovers not fighters and the communists were winning despite our assistance. So I guess the old line that "the US got involved to stop the spread of communism" is about as good an explanation of the US motivation to become involved in Vietnam as a guy can get. The history is mess of very convoluted pieces of information.
Dec 12, 2007 21:01
#20  
  • JOHNNY512
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Quote:

"So I guess the old line that "the US got involved to stop the spread of communism" is about as good an explanation of the US motivation to become involved in Vietnam as a guy can get. "

Griz, I think so, too.
The Domino Theory led the USA to the Vietnam War an Korean War. USA stuck in the Vietnam War.
America paid a high price for the involvment.
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