Citation

Miller RH. Stud. Conflict Terrorism 1992; 15(2): 99-123.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10576109208435895

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article traces the policy choices that successive American presidents faced regarding Vietnam in the context of World War II and the ensuring cold war. It describes the choices made as "mainstream" political decisions at the time, despite the deepening and ultimately unsuccessful engagement into which those decisions led the United States. Finally, it notes the ultimate irony that, although U.S. policies led to defeat in Vietnam, they achieved their larger objective of ensuring that the rest of southeast Asia remained out of the Communist orbit, politically stable and economically dynamic.

Language: en