Analyze the reasons for the United States involvement in Vietnam between 1953 and 1968 - Essay Example

When French left the region it was divided into Laos, Cambodia, North Vietnam, and South Vietnam (Levy, 17). South Vietnam was governed by anti communist government and North Vietnam was controlled by communist forces. United States wanted to curb the influence of communism in the region and therefore helped build South Vietnam. United States was supporting anti communist forces from the French Indochina War because it wanted to build the pro capitalistic forces in the region. This is one of the main reasons of United States involvement in the Vietnamese War between 1953 and 1968.

On the other hand, Soviet Union was providing all the help to communist forces in the North. This is why Vietnam became a proxy war between the two Super Powers. In reality, the conflict of Vietnam was a fight between capitalism and communism. Communist forces other than Soviet Union were also helping North Vietnam government. Their motivation was also to increase communist presence in the region. Communist wanted to extend their influence in the region and therefore supported the military advances of North Vietnam into Laos and Cambodia.

Soviet Union and its allies thought of this as a way in which they can gain more turf in the region. The Soviet Union involvement in the region was became a reason for United States to get involved in the Vietnamese conflict. Another important reason for United States involvement in the Vietnam War was related to the trade and economic significance of the region. United States wanted to secure its interests in the region because of many economic reasons. A United States friendly Indochina region would have helped Japan in rebuilding its economy.

United States had vowed to help Japan in rebuilding and pro capitalist governments in the region could become good markets for Japan (Rotter, 1). This was another reason for United States to enter into the Vietnamese conflict in 1950s and 60s. Britain, a United States ally, also wanted pro capitalistic regimes in the region because Malaya was a British colony neighboring Vietnam. Britain wanted to revive the tin and rubber industries of Malaya in order to help them with their post war recovery (Rotter, 1).

This might be another reason why United States wanted to stop the proliferation of communism in the region as communism would destroy any trade opportunity. Another reason for United States involvement in the Vietnam War was that United States wanted to stop the war from escalating (Wiest, 20). This is another reason given for the involvement of United States in the Vietnam War. The war in Vietnam was creating problems and therefore the goal of United States was to curb the conflict and not let the conflict turn into a nuclear fight (20).

This is why the government actively participated in war so that the conflict can be stopped before serious damages are realized. Tensions were high between United States and Soviet Union during the Vietnam War as both were supporting opposing forces. There was always a chance of escalation which could lead to an all out nuclear war. Some argue that United States active involvement was to stop this from happening and to find a solution to the problem without taking the cold war to the next level.

This is why United States got involved in the war and helped South Vietnam defend itself from its