In the 1960’s the United States was involved in Vietnam Primary because:

cambodia Threatened militarily by possibility of communist government in Vietnam
The american people supported the involvement in Vietnam
It feared that Vietnam became communist there would be a domino affect causing surrounding countries to become communist
American businesses in Vietnam supported communist control

1 answer

The primary reason for the United States' involvement in Vietnam during the 1960s was the fear of a domino effect. The United States was concerned that if Vietnam fell to communism, it would lead to the spread of communism to neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. This theory was called the Domino Theory, and it greatly influenced U.S. foreign policy towards Vietnam at that time.

Additionally, the United States believed that if Vietnam became communist, it would threaten its allies in the region, such as South Korea and Japan. The U.S. government feared that the spread of communism would destabilize the region and potentially lead to Soviet and Chinese influence in Southeast Asia.

The American public initially supported the involvement in Vietnam, largely due to the fear of communism and the belief in supporting anti-communist efforts around the world. However, as the war dragged on and casualties mounted, public opinion shifted, and there were widespread protests against the war later in the decade.

American businesses in Vietnam did not support communist control. The United States had economic interests in Vietnam, particularly through investments by multinational corporations. These businesses were concerned about the potential nationalization of their assets and the loss of profits if Vietnam became communist, which influenced the U.S. government's stance against communism in the region.