The Cold War was a period of political and military tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. It began after World War II and lasted until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The Cold War was fought primarily through proxy wars, in which the two superpowers supported opposing sides in conflicts around the world.
The Domino Theory
The domino theory was a foreign policy doctrine that stated that if one country in a region fell to communism, then the neighboring countries would also fall. Developed by US President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954, the domino theory was used to justify US military intervention in Vietnam.
The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War conflict between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The war began in 1955 and ended in 1975. The United States supported South Vietnam, while the Soviet Union supported North Vietnam.
The United States entered the Vietnam War in 1964 after the Gulf of Tonkin incident, in which North Vietnamese torpedo boats allegedly fired on US destroyers. The US Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which gave President Lyndon B. Johnson the authority to use military force in Vietnam.
The United States gradually increased its military involvement in Vietnam. By 1968, there were over 500,000 American troops in Vietnam. The war became increasingly unpopular in the United States, and in 1973, the United States signed the Paris Peace Accords, which ended US involvement in the war.
The Fall of Saigon
In 1975, North Vietnam launched a major offensive against South Vietnam. The South Vietnamese Army collapsed, and on April 30, 1975, North Vietnamese troops entered Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam. The fall of Saigon marked the end of the Vietnam War and the reunification of Vietnam under communist rule.
The Legacy of the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a major turning point in American history. The war led to the end of the draft and the rise of the anti-war movement. It also had a profound impact on American politics and foreign policy.
The legacy of the Vietnam War is still debated today. Some people believe that the war was a mistake, while others believe that it was necessary to stop the spread of communism. The war remains a divisive issue in American society.
Kind regards E. Thompson.
