Seminar paper from the year 2005 in the subject History of Europe – Newer History, European Unification, grade: 1, 7, University Pierre-Mendès-France (Institut des Etudes Politiques), course: Cours spécialisé, language: English, abstract: Since the beginning of the escalation of the Vietnam War politicians and scientists are discussing the reasons for this intensification of military action. One can find as much theories as theorists. In the following I will present the most important and disseminated concepts.
To create a foundation for my presentation I will shortly describe the chronology of the events which frame the escalation and the escalation itself.
After that I will at first present the official, government explanation for the escalation, which is based on the containment of Communist aggression. Subsequent to that I will portray the two most important theories: the ‘Quagmire Theory’ and the ‘Stalemate Theory’. Furthermore some analysts saw the dilemma in the personality and the authority of the American Presidents. At least there is the idea that the escalation was a result of political and economical interests of the USA.
Finally I will finish my work with my own conclusion about the intervention in the Vietnam War and its escalation.