Cold war essay sample.

1. Running head: THE COLD WAR AND THE US DIPLOMACY 1
The Cold War and the US Diplomacy: Johnson’s Leadership in the Vietnam War, 1963-1969
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2. THE COLD WAR AND THE US DIPLOMACY 2
The Cold War and the US Diplomacy: Johnson’s Leadership in the Vietnam War, 1963-1969
Summary of the Situation
During the period of 1963-1969, the U.S was involved in warfare with the Northern
Vietnam. The United States’ goal in the war was to stop the expansion of communism to the
Southern Vietnam. It was a massive war that led to destruction and life losses from all the parties
involved. Despite the US employing sophisticated weapons in the war, its troops still suffered
unexpected losses. Northern Vietnamese forces launched a guerrilla war on the United Staes
troops since the US heavily relied on their air force to destabilize Northern Vietnam. (Cuddy,
2003).
In 1967, there was resistance in the United State against its involvement in the North
Vietnam war. Protesters in the US claimed that their troops were facing unjustified fatalities in
the war, yet the US had no good reason of fighting the war. Furthermore, the dissenting voices
against US involvement in the Vietnam war claimed that US involvement in the war was
destroying its image in the international system. Various questions were asked; for instance, why
was it necessary for the United State to fight the Vietnam war? What were the alternatives and
the nature of the war? These are some of the questions that Americans who opposed the war
raised. As a result of the opposition of the US troops in Vietnam, massive protests were reported
in the US cities such as Washington D.C and state universities among other cities. Police had to
use live bullets to quell the protests and this resulted in death and eventually worsened the
protests. People protested against the military drafted intervention by the US forces in Vietnam.
The anti-war movements became popular and the Johnson’s administration was on the receiving
end. The US troops had lost home support. This was a clear message to Johnson’s administration
that he had to withdraw US troops from Vietnam (Brands, 1985).

3. THE COLD WAR AND THE US DIPLOMACY 3
President Johnson had no option but to implement President John F. Kennedy’s plan of
withdrawing US forces in the South Vietnam in order to prevent escalation of riots in the US and
the subsequent deaths from police shots in an attempt to calm the protesting people. Johnson’s
diplomatic efforts aimed to withdraw the US troops from Southern Vietnam in order to avoid the
worsening of the humanitarian crisis that was being experienced, and at the same time to stop the
expansion of communism, and retain the US position in the world as the champion of democracy
and liberty (Cuddy, 2003). Finally, the US signed and adhered to the Geneva accord that led to
the withdrawal of the American forces from Vietnam. The US decided to train South Vietnam
forces so that they could fight their own war.
Diplomatic Doctrine Followed By The President
After realizing that the war was not coming to an end as planned President Johnson
agreed to peace talks to end the war. He also realized that a better solution could be found
through dialogue as opposed to military action. President Johnson made it clear that the US
interests and its global position could be maintained without engaging in war. Johnson, therefore,
signed the Gulf Tonkin Resolution that gave him the authority to order military operations in
Southeast Asia without declaring full scale war. He did not want to commit the US into Asian
war as much as he had the powers to call for a full scale war.
After long years of fighting and no progress reported towards the US goals for engaging
in the Vietnam war, Jonson agreed to the peace talks. He met with the president of North
Vietnam in Paris and the two leaders agreed to embrace dialogue. In 1968, peace talks between
the United States and North Vietnam began in Paris, France. During the negotiations, the
bombing of North Vietnam by the American troops continued until Johnson ordered the halt.
President Johnson further refused to send more troops to Vietnam. Johnson admitted for the first

4. THE COLD WAR AND THE US DIPLOMACY 4
time that the war could not be won by escalation, but by agreeing to talk and resolve the
differences rather than through military actions. From these peace talks, President Richard Nixon
continued with the plan of withdrawing American troops from South Vietnam. This is what is
referred to as Nixon’s doctrine. The United States came up with a plan of training Vietnam army
to provide security to its people. When eventually North Vietnam won the war, it resulted in the
Vietnamization. This meant that Vietnam would provide its own security and fight its own wars
without the United States direct involvement. Johnson’s signing of the Paris accord also helped
in restoring peace in the country that was marred with wars.
Effects Of The Diplomatic Efforts For Both US And Other Countries
The first and the most important effect of the diplomatic efforts was the cease fire; which
led to a halt in military and civilian casualties as well as property destruction. Diplomatic
relations were developed and this encouraged cooperation of the two countries. The leadership of
both Vietnam and the US came to learn that people can disagree, but through talks an agreement
is reached without necessarily going to war.
The diplomatic efforts eventually led to the resumption of normal diplomatic relations
between the United States and the Republic of Vietnam. The relations between the two states
improved, and each country opened a consulate in each other’s home country. In Vietnam, the
U.S consulate was based in Ho Chi Minh City while in the U.S the Vietnam consulate was
located in San Francisco, California (Guan, 2000). This was a great step towards normalization
and deepening of diplomatic relations between the former warring states.
As a result of the deepening of the diplomatic relations, the two countries have since
broadened their political relations and exchange. It has facilitated sharing of information on
security issues affecting both states. In 2000, the US and Vietnam signed a trade treaty, and in

5. THE COLD WAR AND THE US DIPLOMACY 5
2006, they both participated in talks to enhance human rights issues. Since then, several
ratifications that encourage cooperation have followed. For instance, the US and Vietnam signed
a counternarcotic letter in 2003. In the same year Vietnam and the US signed an agreement that
promotes cooperation in civil aviation and textile. In 2007, the United States Congress approved
permanent trade relations between the two countries (Cuddy, 2003). The diplomatic,
development of relations between Vietnam and the US have made Vietnam to be the US
strongest ally in the Southeast Asia. Both the US and Vietnam take part in education exchange
programs that have continued to strengthen their diplomatic relations. Although Vietnam is still a
communist state, it has leaned more from the US than its communist allies such as China and the
former Soviet Union.
After signing the peace accord, the US gave Vietnam billions of dollars to help in its
rebuilding.Tthe US troops and experts were sent to help in the reconstruction and modernization
of post war Vietnam (Atwood, 2010). The main reason for US aid to Vietnam was to develop
relations with Vietnam so that the two countries could cooperate in a number of issues of mutual
interests.
Conclusion
President Jonson’s regime learned a bitter lesson from its engagement in the Vietnam war
as the campaign lost the support of the Americans because of the fatalities American troops
received yet the war was not justified. It is for this reason that the US agreed to take part in peace
talks “Nixon Doctrine”so that a solution could be reached amicably. President Johnson,
therefore, ordered a halt to the war and plans were made to start withdrawing troops from
Vietnam. Withdrawal of the US troops in Vietnam marked the beginning of diplomatic relations
between the two countries. The disadvantage of the doctrine is that the US military lost

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credibility as it was realized that their reporting was skewed towards giving the US troops
progress in the war yet that was not the case. Another disadvantage is that the US was viewed as
having lost the war.

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References
Atwood, M.L. (2010). The Vietnam War: A Concise International History. Oxford University
Press.
Brands, H.W. (1985). Johnson and Eisenhower: The President, the Former President, and the
War in Vietnam. Presidential Studies Quarterly, 589-601.
Cuddy, E. (2003). Vietnam: Mr. Johnson's War—Or Mr. Eisenhower's? The Review of Politics,
65(04), 351-374.
Guan, A.C. (2000). The Vietnam War, 1962–64: The Vietnamese Communist Perspective.
Journal of Contemporary History, 35(4), 601-618.