A Failure in Strategy: America and the Vietnam War 1965-1968

The U.S. strategy pursued in Vietnam between 1965-1968 to contain Communism above the 17th parallel was flawed. This paper analyzes the primary factors in President Johnson's decision to expand U.S. involvement in Vietnam with the introduction of ground forces. Second, this paper provides an analysis of U.S. military strategy and identifies its strategic weaknesses. Lastly, an alternative U.S. grand strategy, in concurrence with Bruce Palmer's, The 25-year War: America's Military Role in Vietnam, will be proposed. This strategy, if implemented, would have galvanized the people behind the U.S. strategy in Vietnam. It would have given the military Commanders in Vietnam the flexibility required to execute a military strategy capable of defeating not only the communist forces of North Vietnam but also the pacification of South Vietnam.