Volume IV – Number 2
Harry Piotrowski
Abstract: Since the start of the Vietnam War, the American government has consistently claimed that its involvement in Vietnam was necessary to prevent the spread of Communism across Asia and ultimately around the world. In that sense, the fight against Communism in Vietnam was synonymous with a fight against Communism everywhere. To this end, the United States has supported the National Liberation Front (NLF) in its efforts to fight against the regime of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem. Unfortunately, the United States has relied solely on a military strategy in Vietnam, which has led to disastrous and deadly results for the Vietnamese people. Additionally, the Vietnam War may have increased Washington’s influence in American society, but it has also diminished the Pentagon’s moral authority in helping oppressed people because it has chosen to solely focus on Communism and no other threats to human security. Therefore, this paper argues that if the United States truly wants to obtain victory in Vietnam, it must move away from an exclusively military strategy and explore other diplomatic options in the future.
Keywords: Vietnam, NLF, Ngo Dinh Diem, Nixon, Communism
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