How useful are sources A to C Essay Example for Free

How useful are witnesss A to C EssayIn this essay I will assess the avail of sources A to C in determining the reasoning for the Statesn stake in the Vietnamese war. ancestor A is reasonably useful in shoeing how the U. S government wanted the general public to calculate them and their reasoning for the res publicas actions in Vietnam. Although source A does not state to whom the speaker (President Linden Johnson) is addressing this information. However, the mere feature that it is Johnson speaking, influences the reader to assume that it an audience of the general public that he is talking to. The time upon which he gave this delivery is also very significant, as it was April 1965, one month after major bombing operation rolled Thunder. This made the speech more significant as president Johnson was attempting to explain and justify the reasoning butt the major polishs that were taking place. In the first sentence of source A Johnson states, We fight in Vietnam becau se we deliver a promise to keep. He is near two different promises, the first being the Truman doctrine which states that America will give aid to any counties suffering from the threat of collectivism.This was set up to contain communism and prevent the domino theory, which was the theory that if one country were fall under the power of communism separately neighbouring country would follow. Johnson again refers to the domino theory when he says The battle would be renewed one country and then another. The second promise that Johnson was referring to in his speech was an unwritten promise that he had to personally keep.And that was maintaining well-nigh of the traditional policies of previous American presidents, specifically over the war in Vietnam and the containment of communism. Also at the residual of source A, Johnson quotes from the bible saying, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further This was probably used because legion(predicate) American citizens were very r eligious at this period in time therefore people to appertain to it. Also the quote links the actions of America with Christianity, which would influence people into thinking what was taking place was estimable and true.Source B is also reasonably useful as it aims Johnsons real opinion on Americas amour in Vietnam. From the first line the opinions are noticeably different from that which he expressed in source A. This is probably because source B is taken from a private conversation. The first line of source b brings his true feelings into the light as he says I dont think the of the country know much ab come to the fore Vietnam, and I think we care a hell of a lot less. This and other statements such as I dont think its worth fighting for.And I dont think we can get out, show that in may 1964 president Johnson was clearly against the war. Yet by the time of source A (approximately one year later) Johnson had ordered a mass surgical bombing of North Vietnam, named Operation R olling Thunder. Therefore by this point Johnson had either drastically altered his views on the war or had succumbed to the pressure of knowing how horrifically impair the images of himself and his party would become if he ordered a mass withdrawal from Vietnam.It is safe to assume that the last mentioned is correct, as Johnson talks about this pressure in source B saying Theyd bring a president down if he ran out wouldnt they? This refers back to the reaction of the public and other politicians, which nearly in all likelihood be accusations of indecision towards his party (Democratic) on matters such as the involvement in Vietnam and the general Containment of communism. He would quite probably be labelled a traitor or a communist for okay out of the war and not sticking to the policies of the Truman Doctrine.Near the end of source B Johnson speaks of his fear of communism as he says Of course if you start running from the communists, they might chase you into your own kitch en. This is again referring to the half mask Theory that if one country falls to communism each in turn will follow. solely of this shows the predicament that Johnson was in. That if he retreated he would be accused of backing communism, but if he chose to stand by it would become Just the biggest God damn mess. Although the opinions change through sources A and B, source C is on the entire different.It was written by Professor Noam Chomsky, a political critic and a leading anti-war figure during Americas involvement in Vietnam. The source was taken from an interview with Chomsky in 1982. Therefore he has the benefit of hindsight that aids him to consider and criticise the attitudes and actions of the American government during the Vietnamese war. In source C Chomsky says Every book that comes out talks about how the United States was defending due south Vietnam. And that this is now the Official truth.This is saying that although it is not a written law, but it is still wi dely considered that America was protecting South Vietnam from the Norths aggression. Chomsky disagrees with this saying The United States did attack South Vietnam. It destroyed the farming, the peasant society. This is commenting on the use of chemical weapons such as Agent orangeness and Napalm, and tactical warfare such as Blanket and Surgical bombing. All these things contributed to the mass destruction of the South Vietnamese farms and forestation.This happened in Americas desperation to locate the rebel militia the Vietcong, and stop the use of guerrilla tactic against largely unaware U. S troops. However in attempting this the U. S forces damaged much of the Vietnamese pastoral lifestyle. And on occasion, American soldiers in frustration in their inability to locate the Vietcong would burn down whole villages at the nearest suspicion that they were helping the Vietcong. Later in source C Chomsky talks of how The U. S did not want and independent Vietnam He is saying that America did not want to allow Vietnam to take root their own future, and they did not want Vietnam to slip out of their strong Capitalist grip or orbit. To conclude, I believe that source A is the most useful in showing the reasons for U. S involvement. As it show all the pressures Johnson was under. The pressure to keep promises and the pressure to contain communism and prevent the domino theory, But most of all it shows the lie that he was forced to tell the public simply because it was what they wanted to hear.