The Vietnam War: How the United States Became Involved

by Mitch Yamasaki (Editor)

Overview

Through a collection of original source documents and the words of those who lived through it, The Vietnam War gives insight into the historic background and events leading to American involvement and escalation of the war. Professor Mitch Yamasaki examines the major interpretations of how and why the U.S. became involved, what it hoped to accomplish, and how a poorly armed guerilla army thwarted U.S. efforts. Carefully selected materials highlight the forces that led to President Johnson's dilemma, the country's deep divisions over the war, and the ongoing reexamination of the Vietnam War.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781932663143
Publisher:	History Compass
Publication date:	01/01/1970
Series:	Perspectives on History Series
Edition description:	2nd Revised ed.
Pages:	110
Sales rank:	993,497
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.23(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

Table of Contents

	Introduction	5
	The Vietnamese People
	French Rule
	World War II and Its Ramifications
	French-Vietminh War (1946-54) and the Seeds of U.S. Involvement
	Dienbienphu
	The Geneva Conference
	Ngo Dinh Diem
	The Kennedy Administration and the Vietnam War
	President Johnson and the Escalation of American Involvement
	Sources	30
Document 1	Roosevelt's Trusteeship Plan for Indochina
Document 2	Allies' Responses to Roosevelt's Trusteeship Plan
Document 3	State Department Divided on Indochina Policy in 1945
Document 4	Vietnamese Declaration of Independence
Document 5	Ho Chi Minh Asks for U.S. Support
Document 6	Truman Describes the Opposing Sides of the Cold War
Document 7	Changing Views of Ho Chi Minh by American Officials
Document 8	Eisenhower Advances the Domino Theory
Document 9	The Geneva Conference
Document 10	"The Best and the Brightest"
Document 11	The Kennedy Administration and Diem's Overthrow
Document 12	Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Document 13	Meeting to Consider the Escalation of American Involvement
Document 14	President Johnson's Dilemma
	Interpretations of America's Involvement in the Vietnam War	55
	The "Official" Explanation
	Economic Motivation
	Arrogance of Power and Ethnocentricity
	Quagmire versus Stalemate Theories
	Government Complicity: The Presidents and the Bureaucracy
	Bibliography and Suggested Further Reading	63
	About the Editor	64