America in Vietnam

America in Vietnam
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America in Vietnam
The Vietnam War is perhaps the most misunderstood event in American history. Despite the numerous studies and reviews that have spanned nearly half a century, it is still difficult to understand the intended purpose of America’s participation.Comprehending why the US joined the conflict and the intended gains is a constant question among most Americans.Was it a just conflict? Herein, the paper provides a brief discussion on the theory of Just War and whether it guided America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Additionally, the paper will present a brief speculation of how things might have turned out if the US did not join the Vietnam War.
The Just War Theory
Formulation of the just war theory as we know it today has spanned centuries. Historians and philosophers have been at the helm, shaping and molding the constituents of this concept. While discussing the morality of war, this theory divides those realities into two.These two assessments follow the reason why nations go to war and the manner in which the war is fought. The pioneers of this theory used Latin terms to distinguish between the two judgments. As such, the term jus ad bellum translates to the justice of war while jus in bellois justice in war CITATION Wal77 l 2057 (Walzer, 1977). In simpler terms, the former focuses on whether the war is fair or not while the latter on the conduct of war.The major ideologies of jus ad bellum are an impartial cause, proper declaration, right objective and viability for success.

America in Vietnam
The instances that led up to America’s direct involvement in the Vietnam War are unjust. The previous paragraph has outlined the four major principles of jus ad bellum that a country must abide by before going to war with another nation.While some may argue that the declaration of war followed proper channels, and at that time, there was a possibility of the US winning, it still remains that the cause was unjust and the country did not harbor proper intentions.According to the Just War Theory, just causes include retaliation, defensive strikes, and peacemaking. It is important to note that none of these defined America’s involvement. In fact, the Vietnamese only showed aggression towards the US after America engaged them n combat. Moreover, the preemptive strike could not justify involvement by the US because, at the time, the Vietnamese regime did not pose any threat to America’s territory.In essence, America’s involvement was politically motivated to stop the spread of communism. Political interests are unjust under the concept of Just War.
What if the US was never got involved in the Vietnam War?
This question has evoked numerous debates for the last four decades.If America did not get directly involved in the Vietnam War, the country might have unified in a less bloody manner.It is possible that this unification might have taken a shorter period too. Additionally, with the reduced loss of life and undamaged farmlands and forests with wild animals, Vietnam would have become a self-sufficient and wealthy country. Moreover, the population would not have to suffer from the effects of chemical warfare. From an American perspective, the international image of the US would be better. Furthermore, the US would have directed its resources to other conflicts such as the Khmer Rouge insurgency and subsequent genocide in Cambodia. There is a possibility that without the involvement of the US, communism might have spread in Southeast Asia.
In conclusion, it is clear that America’s involvement in the Vietnam War was unjust. The US neither had a just cause nor proper intentions for participating in the conflict. The decision was purely political, a principle deemed prejudiced under the Just War Theory. Conversely, there are numerous possibilities of how the world might be if the US did not participate in the Vietnam War. The paper presents several speculations, chief among which is the existence of rich and self-sustaining Vietnam, devoid of the negative effects of war.

References
BIBLIOGRAPHY Walzer, M. (1977). Just And Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument With Historical Illustrations (4th ed.). New York, NY: Basic Books.