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JFK greatly expanded the U.S. involvement into Vietnam. He green lighted the killing of President Diem which eventually cause us to lose the war. JFK wanted to show the conservatives/Republicans he could be tough on communism but failed to understand the complex history of Vietnam. Vietnam was JFK's biggest failure.
This is hardly true, considering JFK along with RFK visited Vietnam in 1951 and witnessed first hand, France's failed attempts in Indo-China. JFK and RFK had a much better understanding of the the complex history of Indo-China/Vietnam than most people involved with US foreign policy in the early 60's.
When Diem died in November 1963 there was no such thing as the Vietnam War.
[quote=jackmccullough;21415797]Without Vietnam Johnson would have been a truly great president, up there with FDR.[/QUOTE
LBJ should have listened to Adlai Stevenson, the most prominent figure within his administration opposed to the Vietnam War. Stevenson was Ambassador to the UN and was frustrated by LBJ getting the US more and more involved. In fact, when Stevenson had his fatal heart attack in London, his girlfriend referred to his death as a "casualty of the Vietnam war".
JFK was raised to be a winner. He was using Vietnam to show the world how tough he was after getting slammed on his failed Cuba invasion. He pushed the advisors from 500-15,000. He gave the green light to kill Diem and that sealed our defeat. LBJ contined the JFK Vietnam policy.
JFK was raised to be a winner. He was using Vietnam to show the world how tough he was after getting slammed on his failed Cuba invasion. He pushed the advisors from 500-15,000. He gave the green light to kill Diem and that sealed our defeat. LBJ contined the JFK Vietnam policy.
That's not really an accurate picture of how things happened. The CIA already had the US in Vietnam when JFK was elected. This was going on and had, in fact, increased before the Bay of Pigs. However, JFK had also already committed to the plan to begin withdrawing from Vietnam by the end of 1963. After he was killed, LBJ overturned that Executive Order and the war escalated.
Perhaps this helps to explain our recent foray into Libya--an action that didn't make sense on any level. But if the Military/Industrial Complex wanted a war, why then a war was what they were going to get!
JFK increased the advisors from 500 to 15,000 and had no plans to pull out. He wanted to draw a line in the sand against Communism and Vietnam was his war. Go back and read his speeches. South Vietnam really on had one decent leader, Diem, and after JFK green lighted his death they never did get anyone decent to run the country.
JFK increased the advisors from 500 to 15,000 and had no plans to pull out. He wanted to draw a line in the sand against Communism and Vietnam was his war. Go back and read his speeches. South Vietnam really on had one decent leader, Diem, and after JFK green lighted his death they never did get anyone decent to run the country.
That's not quite accurate. National Security Action Memorandum # 263 (issued November 21, 1963) contained the President's approval of the plan to reduce forces by 1000 before the end of the year. It was overturned by National Security Action Memorandum # 273 signed by LBJ just 5 days later.
Hmm...maybe that's why LBJ and the CIA had Kennedy killed: so they could ramp-up the military-industrial complex and continue with the Vietnam War.
Bingo!
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