Applied Business Law

American involvement in Vietnam in the 1950’s Name: Institution: Date: Prior to the American invasion of Vietnam, France had much sway in the country following the withdrawal of Japan in the area after WWII. According to Statler (2007) with China embracing communism in 1948, the influence of communism in Vietnam became stronger and a nationalism movement led by Ho Chi Minh erupted leading to war with the French. The French lost much control in Vietnam after the war, with communists now controlling northern Vietnam while French sympathizers took control of the South. However, the establishment in the south was weak and communist rebels began invading the South (Statler, 2007). The justification of American involvement in Vietnam in the 1950’s was that it was national interest. Following the end of WWII, there was a supremacy battle on ideology between the US and Soviet Union during the Cold War. In essence, the American foreign policy included halting the spread of communism in other parts of the world through containment (Cox & Stokes, 2012). To the American politicians the spread of communism in Vietnam would eventually lead to other neighboring countries also embracing communist tendencies. Thus, it became a foreign policy plan to prevent the domino effect of spread of communism in Indochina, but at the time the American Administrations did not think it necessary to engage in warfare in Vietnam. Another justification for involvement in Vietnam was that the region was strategic, and rise of communism would harm American interests. After the defeat of French troops in the country it was apparent that America would have less influence in the region, and because the region was in a strategic geo political area it was necessary to increase American sphere of influence in Southeast Asia. The Geneva conference of 1954 led to signing of agreements that recognized that Vietnam had defe...