How Significant Was The

How significant was the ‘Domino Theory’ as a reason for US involvement in the conflict in Vietnam?
What is the most important part of this question?
“HOW SIGNIFICANT”
“DOMINO THEORY”

This must be your main focus.
However, to analyse how significant it is, you need to be able to consider other factors.
That said, to achieve the top marks you need to consider other factors only in the context that they make the domino theory more or less significant.
Refer to the domino theory in every paragraph.

Rough plan
Intro - Briefly outline Domino Theory with quotations. Mention other reasons.
P1 – Go into depth about Domino Theory.
P2 – Talk about the failures of President Johnson, Kennedy and Eisenhower.
P3 – Weakness of South Vietnam and Diem.
P4 – Strength of Vietcong.

Category
Evidence
Source
Weakness of USA/Kennedy/Johnson
“At first the USA supported Ho Chi Minh against the French; then the USA supported the French giving them huge amounts of money of money for their fight against communism”
From History Controlled Assessment CA5 Vietnam 1960-1975 by Bircher and May”

1

“Just let me get elected, and then you can have your war…” http://www.spartacus.schhoolnet.co.uk 2
Strength of North Vietnam/Ho Chi Minh/ VC
“Possibly 80 percent of the population would have voted for the communist Ho Chi Minh as their leader.”
President Eisenhower writing after the Vietnam war.

3

Ho Chi Minh carried out land reform and was a popular leader. He would almost certainly have won the reunification election of 1956…”
From “Vietnam 1960-1975” by Waugh and Wright.

4

Category
Evidence
Source
Weakness of Diem/South Vietnam
“South Vietnamese disliked their government for being corrupt and undemocratic.”
From ‘The USA 1917-1980’ by Nigel Smith

“The South Vietnamese government and the USA were seen as supporting these large and wealthy landowners.”

5 Same source

“The death of Diem… lead to political chaos in the nation.” http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ngo-dinh-diem-assassinated-in-South-Vietnam 6
Domino Theory/Containment
“The US Leaders were very worried that Vietnam would be just the start of a chain of communist take-overs in the whole region. If Vietnam became communist, then it might topple a whole row of countries.”
From History Controlled Assessment CA5 Vietnam 1960-1975 by Bircher and May

7

“I believe that we must assist free people to work put their own destinies in their own way. (Communists that’s why they are not helping at the moment).
President Truman speaking to Congress in 1947

8

“After Eisenhower’s speech, the phrase “domino theory” began to be used as a shorthand expression of the strategic importance of South Vietnam to the United States, as well as the need to contain the spread of communism throughout the world.” www.history.com/topics/cold-war/domino-theory The domino theory and growing U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

9 Same source

“Kennedy backed away from support of Diem himself but publicly reaffirmed belief in the domino theory and the importance of containing communism in Southeast Asia.”

“Johnson would continue to use the domino theory to justify the escalation of the U.S. military presence in Vietnam from a few thousand soldiers to more than 500,000 over the next five years.”

“Mr Kennedy said, on the subject of Vietnam, I think, that he did believe in the ‘falling domino’ theory, that if Vietnam were lost, that other countries in the area would soon be lost.”
The Pentagon Papers, Gravel Edition, Volume 3, PP. 71 Same source 10

“I think the whole of Southeast Asia would be involved and that would involve hundreds of millions of people, and I think it’s-it cannot be ignored…”

“He did believe, however, in the Domino Theory: If one country came under Communist rule, neighbouring countries would soon follow.” https://www.boundless.com/u-s-history/textbooks/boundless-u-s-history-textbook/the-sixties-1960-1969-29/the -lyndon-b-johnson-administration -223/commitment-to-vietnam-1248-2265/
11

“In effect, Johnson escalated the war, following the controversial Gulf of Tonkin incident.” Same source

12

The ‘Domino Theory’ is one of the reasons people give to explain US involvement in the conflict in Vietnam. “The US Leaders were very worried that Vietnam would be just the start of a chain of communist take-overs in the whole region. If Vietnam became communist, then it might topple a whole row of countries.” The US thought that if South Vietnam turned to communism then neighbouring countries such as Laos and Cambodia would follow in their footsteps and become communists; this would, they presumed, cause the domino effect. Amongst this theory are a few other explanations for US involvement in the Vietnam War, namely the weakness of South Vietnam, Gulf of Tonkin and incident as two examples which will be explored later in this essay.