Vietnam and the Cold WarIt is impossible to accurately describe the major events that occurred during the Cold War without mentioning the Vietnam War. From the beginning, this war has been very controversial regarding its objectives and its effects on the countries involved. Both sides lost large numbers of soldiers and most of these men and women did not even know what they were fighting for. To date, many uncertainties remain regarding the events that occurred during this warm period in South Asia. One of the biggest questions raised is why the United States felt it was its responsibility to get involved and what was it trying to gain by sending its troops. A look at the history of the Cold War and its relationship to the Vietnam War can answer many of these uncertainties. Many of the decisions made by officials involved in this war would not have been made without the Cold War and its effects on the countries involved. The problems in Vietnam began in 1954 when, also in the aftermath of the Korean War, Vietnam and France signed the Geneva Peace Accord. This agreement caused Vietnam to temporarily split into two distinct regions at the 17th parallel. North of the line, the Viet Minh would be in control. France would control the region south of the line. This separation was then interrupted after the national elections of 1956. The communist superpowers were not satisfied with this agreement because they feared that it would upset the United States and its European allies. But the United States had other ideas. They were more interested in the creation of the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO). In 1955, with the help of SEATO, American President Eisenhower succeeded...... middle of paper ......he fight against communism placed a great responsibility on the United States and its European allies. In order to support their beliefs, they had a responsibility to contribute to the fight against communism. Each country strongly believed in its individual views regarding communism and was willing to do anything to stop the advancement of this particular form of government. This ultimately led to the deaths of thousands of American soldiers in a war fought for controversial reasons. Works Cited - Herzog, Tobey C. Vietnam War Stories: Innocence Lost. New York: Routledge, 1992. - Hunt, Michael H. Lyndon Johnson's War: America's Cold War Crusade in Vietnam. New York: Hill and Wang, 1997. - Lee, Steven Hugh. Korea, Vietnam and the Cold War in Asia, 1949-1954. Montreal fFKingston (Canada): McGill Queens University Press, 1995.