VW → devastating consequences for American Society + confidence of US in managing international relations domestic self doubt → created international decline in American prestige.
| Impact of Vietnam War on US Foreign Policy | Description |
|---|---|
| Bankrupt Ideology | Campaign against communist → portrayed by US as a moral crusade. However Vietnam war → demonstrated that ideology of West was not morally superior. atrocities committed by US soldiers + use of chemical weapons → had damaged its reputation |
| Failure of Containment | US failed to enact containment in SEA despite military strength. as feared by proponents of the domino theory, after fall of SV → Laos, Cambodia also turned communist |
| Weakening of US Presidency | US congress → traditionally supported the presidents in their conduct of foreign policy however towards end of VW → congress exercised greater oversight of presidential actions. for instance → Congress forbade US military aid to Cambodia in 1970. in 1973 → it introduced war powers act → limiting ability of president to go to war |
Impact on SEA Within SEA → inability of US to win Vietnam war + contain communism in Vietnam → stoked fears of spread of communism.
- fear contributed to formation of association of southeast Asian nations (ASEAN) in 1967 amid the Vietnam war
- ASEAN also declared SEA as zone of peace, friendship, neutrality in 1971 → with goal of keeping ASEAN free from the interference of any outside powers