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Why did Johnson continue US involvement in Vietnam? (Beliefs (Firm…
Why did Johnson continue US involvement in Vietnam?
Beliefs
Firm believer of Domino Theory = believed USA should fight communist aggressors
Patriotic, believed in US military superiority, called North Vietnam 'raggedy-ass little fourth-rate' country
Misunderstood North Vietnamese cause, believed Ho Chi Minh was another Hitler rather than a nationalist
WW2/Korea - believed America had successfully defended freedom and democracy
Assassination of Kennedy
As VP he opposed escalation - against assassinating Diem
Motivated by guilt, decides to continue with Kennedy's positions BUT Johnson immediately reversed Kennedy's order to withdraw 1,000 military personnel by the end of 1963
Advisers
Continued with many of Kennedy's hardline advisers
Robert McNamara, Sec of Defence - Outspoken supporter of US involvement, military solutions
Dean Rusk, Sec of State - Believed appeastement was cause of WW2, hard line against communist aggression
Lack of fresh thinking
Military pressure to continue with war!
Curtis LeMay, Chief of the Air Force - frequently advocated bombing of North Vietnam"
'Yes Men' - supposedly, Johsnon surrounded himself with people who agreed with him, debate as to whether continuation of war was because of his close mindedness.
eg. Johnson rejected D Sen Mansfield proposal to pursue policies leading to neutral and united Vietnam
Honour
No American president had ever lost a war
20th April 1964: USA is "in this battle as long as South vietnam wants our support" = creates own public pressure!