Was the Domino Theory Wrong? Communist Internationalism and the Vietnam War.

Abstract

In the spring of 1995, former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara said he now believes that the domino theory was wrong. The domino theory was the basis for the United States' national strategy of containment and the reason for entering the Vietnam War. This study will examine issues that support the concern for the domino theory and the need for the containment strategy. Topics that are developed include the situation of Southeast Asia, communist ideology, capability and investment, and the views of the leadership of North Vietnam. This analysis of the domino theory and the containment strategy includes an explanation on why the domino theory, although initially true, lost credibility in the 1970s.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 11, 1996
Accession Number
ADA309186

Entities

People

  • Donald L. Langridge

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Asia
  • Communism
  • Communist Countries
  • Department Of Defense
  • Governments
  • Korean War
  • Military Capabilities
  • National Security
  • New York
  • North Vietnam
  • Political Systems
  • Southeast Asia
  • Students
  • United States
  • Ussr
  • Vietnam War
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Aviation Safety Risk Assessment.
  • Library and Information Science/ Studies, Southeast Asia Studies, Bibliography of Vietnam and Lao Studies.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.