To what extent is it fair to claim that America lost the war in Vietnam and how did the war impact on subsequent foreign policy?

Essay , 2014 , 9 Pages , Grade: 1,7

Politics - Region: USA

The following essay intends to illustrate, with the help of comparing revisionist and orthodox theory, the reasons for the failed war in Vietnam for the U.S. and whether it is fair to claim that the U.S. lost the war. Furthermore, I intend to show how the war had an impact on the subsequent foreign policy of the U.S.

These questions can be answered in several different ways, depending on which school of thought the field of international relation studies is used in particular are they differing in the perception whether the engagement in Indochina was necessary at all?

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• To what extent is it fair to claim that America lost the war in Vietnam and how did the war impact on subsequent foreign policy?
• The Revisionist and the Orthodox Interpretation
• The War in Vietnam - A Necessary War?
• The Use of Arms and Troops in Vietnam
• The Orthodox Interpretation: Military Failure in Vietnam
• The Revisionist Position: US Involvement in a Conventional War
• The Vietnam War - A War that was Destined to Fail
• The Impact on Subsequent U.S. Foreign Policy After Vietnam

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

The essay aims to analyze the reasons for the U.S. failure in the Vietnam War, exploring whether it is fair to claim the U.S. lost the war, and to investigate the impact of the war on subsequent U.S. foreign policy. It compares revisionist and orthodox theories to understand the differing perspectives on the war's origins, necessity, and strategic approaches.

• The role of revisionist and orthodox theories in understanding U.S. foreign policy
• The justification for the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War
• The strategic approaches and military strategies employed in the Vietnam War
• The impact of the Vietnam War on subsequent U.S. foreign policy
• The consequences of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The essay begins by introducing the key question of whether the U.S. lost the war in Vietnam and how this impacted subsequent foreign policy. It then explores the differing interpretations of revisionist and orthodox theories regarding the war's origins, necessity, and strategic approaches. The essay examines the arguments for and against the U.S. engagement in Vietnam, considering the Cold War context and the perceived threat of communism in Southeast Asia.

Further analysis delves into the strategic approaches employed by the U.S. military, specifically focusing on the use of arms and troops. The orthodox interpretation highlights the failure of U.S. military strategies to achieve its political objectives, while the revisionist position argues for a more nuanced understanding of the war as a conventional conflict. The essay explores the arguments for and against the U.S. employing a counter-insurgency strategy, highlighting the limitations of applying traditional warfare tactics to the Vietnamese context.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The essay revolves around key terms and concepts such as revisionist theory, orthodox theory, Cold War, Vietnam War, counter-insurgency, containment strategy, military strategy, foreign policy, U.S. military intervention, and political objectives.

• College: University of Kent (Department of International Relations)
• Grade: 1,7
• Author: Otto Möller (Author)
• Publication Year: 2014
• Pages: 9
• Catalog Number: V459781
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668911901
• ISBN (Book): 9783668911918
• Language: English
• Tags: US Foreign Policy, Vietnam, Cold War