The Impact of Domino Theory on US Involvement in the Vietnam War

What is the domino theory?

How did domino theory impact the US involvement in the Vietnam War?

Answer:

Domino theory is the belief that if one country falls to communism, neighboring countries will also fall like a row of dominos. It influenced the US involvement in the Vietnam War as policymakers feared that if South Vietnam fell to communism, other countries in Southeast Asia would follow suit, leading to a wider spread of communism and a threat to US national security.

The domino theory played a significant role in shaping US foreign policy during the Vietnam War. The fear of communist expansion led the US to increase its military involvement in Vietnam, as policymakers believed that stopping the spread of communism in South Vietnam was crucial to preventing the domino effect in the region.

This mindset justified the deployment of troops, escalated military operations, and prolonged the war as the US sought to contain the perceived threat of communism.