America's Involvement In Vietnam example essay topic

All through the nineteenth century, America had been protected from the many conflicts in Europe by our misguided conception that we had no involvement in their affairs. The twentieth century exploded into America bringing new industry. Industries began selling their goods to European markets. This expansion into world trade brought America closer to European affairs. As the twentieth century unfolds America's international policy will change drastically. It will move from a learning process, into a stance of neutrality, and then into full involvement.

"Woodrow Wilson and Secretary of State William J. Bryan were diplomatic idealists who hoped that international tensions could be settled peaceably". (25, intro. 160) Many treaties and conventions were conducted to ease tensions between nations. These treaties made a good outward appearance but lying underneath was an emotional fight that could not be settled with anything short of war. Wilson's policy to keep peace collapsed when a Serbian nationalist assassinated Franz Ferdinand, the archduke of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The great powers of Europe split apart into alliances. Germany and Austria-Hungry formed the Triple Alliance, while Britain, France, and Russia formed the Triple Entente. The First World War was about to begin. At first, America was able to turn its head from the war", but it soon became obvious that America could no longer remain neutral or uninvolved in an expanding world war". (25, Intro, 160) President Wilson continued trade with Britain and France.

This aided the allies under the cover of capitalism. America had entered the war but remained neutral. In May of 1915, German submarines sank the British passenger liner Lusitania, killing over a hundred Americans de. Wilson protested, ordering Germany to stop attacks on civilian vessels.

On April 2, 1917 Wilson asked congress to declare war. "The war resolution swept through the senate by a vote of 82 to 6". (25, Intro, 161). After WWI, America began to retrogress back to its isolated state. American business relied heavily on foreign markets for its goods. In 1921, we implicated "The Open Door" policy with China.

This opened new markets in Asia. Japan began to resent this new movement saying that "it was too competitive" (29, Joseph Grew, 238). Japan Invaded Manchuria during the winter of 1931. This move raised western attention. At the end of WWI, Germany's military was taken apart. The League of Nations was set up to enforce neutral blockades that in theory would prevent a second world war.

With the rise of Leaders like Adolph Hitler and Mussolini, America retreated deeper. Hitler quickly rearmed. Boasting several million highly trained troops. The only response to his aggression came in the form of sanctions and threats that could not be enforced.

The Second World War has begun. As before, America declared neutrality but aided its allies in Europe. Before long, Hitler had taken France and was moving toward Britain with " Blitzkrieg" speed. Winston Churchill declared", We shall never surrender. We will go on till the end". (30, Atlantic Charter, 249).

With the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the fall of France, F.D.R. had no choice but to declare war on " Democracies Enemies". The great war of the later 20th century was Vietnam. Unlike WWI and WWII, America's involvement was not so clear. When John F. Kennedy came to power in 1961, America was trying to prevent South Vietnam from falling into the communist north.

Not only was America not neutral in any way to this war, but also it might have been over aggressive. The Vietnam War was America's most controversial. Unlike the previous two wars, many Americans did not support America's involvement in Vietnam. Vietnam created social unrest at home and many American soldiers went off to die for an unclear cause. It cost Lynden B. Johnson his presidency and it cost America billions of dollars. In the pattern of American involvement, neutrality prolongs war, but it allows for policy and improvement.

Rushing into a conflict can bring social and economic problems.