The Vietnam War (1945–1975)

Summary

The Aftermath of the War

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Summary The Aftermath of the War

The wars in which the United States had previously been involved, especially World War II, had been winner-take-all wars in which few considerations other than ultimate victory or defeat affected U.S. military policy. The Vietnam War was fundamentally different for the United States, as it was essentially a proxy theater of the larger Cold War with the USSR. Vietnam thus was asymmetrical: whereas North Vietnam’s objectives were simple and straightforward, the United States was burdened by a whole host of other issues in its dealings. Ultimately, Vietnam was an entirely new kind of war for the United States, one that still remains morally and historically problematic. Though far smaller and more geographically confined than the great world wars earlier in the century, Vietnam completely changed the way the United States approached military action and helped define the role of the United States within the new world order.

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