Question

What was the primary goal of the United States in Vietnam?

a) To help poor countries
b) To promote democracy
c) To provide disaster relief
d) To increase U.S. power

Answer 1

The primary U.S. goal in Vietnam was to prevent the spread of communism, influenced by the global struggle between communism and democracy during the Cold War.

Step-by-step explanation:

The primary goal of the United States in Vietnam was c) to prevent the spread of communism. During the Cold War, U.S. foreign policy was heavily influenced by the desire to contain the Soviet Union and prevent it from spreading its communist ideology around the world. The U.S. viewed the conflict in Vietnam not simply as a civil war but as a crucial battleground in the struggle between communism and democracy. This misinterpretation led to the belief that the fall of South Vietnam to communism would trigger a domino effect throughout Southeast Asia, which would then undermine the global balance of power in favor of the communist bloc. Therefore, U.S. involvement in Vietnam was seen as essential to maintain the proliferation of democratic governance and halt the expansion of communism.