United States History from World War 2 to the 1975
The United States was involved in the Vietnam War between 1945 and 1975. The cold war took place in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The government encouraged the efforts of the southern Vietnam government against the communists. There was the use of the air strikes and also ground operations. The main purpose of this war was to avoid the takeover of the South Vietnam by the communists. The United States policy was against communism in Vietnam. In the year 1965, the government increased the presence of the military in Vietnam who extended the war to Cambodia and Laos.
My Perception of the United States before the History Class
My perception of the United States was that the state must have had enough reasons to engage in the Vietnam and the cold war. I believed that the United States had to stand for what it believed in even if it meant going into war. I however believed that dialogue between the conflicting parties would have resolved the problem.
Perception Change about the United States after attending the History Class
The major reason why the United States engaged in the Vietnam War was due to the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union. The implementation of the containment policy was to stop the spread of communism in other European nations. My perception of the United States has now changed since I believe that its fear for the spread of communism does not warrant for the war. The war was costly and unsuccessful and thus the government should have supported democracy by allowing the Vietnamese to practice nationalism. I now believe that the involvement of the United States in the war was a mistake.