Cold War Analysis: Ideological Superordinance and Vietnam War Failure

This essay examines the Cold War as a period of ideological tension between the US and USSR, focusing on their differing capitalistic and communist ideologies. It highlights the Yalta Conference as a key moment where the rift between the two superpowers became evident. The essay further discusses how this conflict extended beyond Europe, particularly into Vietnam, where the US military faced defeat due to the strategic advantages and determination of the Vietnamese communist forces. The Vietnam War is presented as a significant embarrassment for the US, leading to a shift in its foreign policy and raising questions about its international reputation. The analysis draws upon historical sources to support its claims, providing a comprehensive overview of the Cold War's impact and consequences.

Running head: THE COLD WAR
The Cold War
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1THE COLD WAR
With the end of the Second World War and the redrawing of the map of Europe to
divide the continent among the victorious powers, Britain, France and Russia, the Cold
War surfaced itself on the forefront. It was a war of nerves and ideological positions
between the US Bloc and the USSR Bloc. Britain and France chose to side with USA as
they championed Capitalism, and had divided western part of Germany amongst
themselves. USSR on the other hand was allowed to have its foothold in the eastern part
of Germany and the entire range of countries falling to the eastern part of Europe, which
came under the grip of communist ideological stronghold. The ideological tensions
between the former allies had heightened itself in the Yalta Conference when the rift
between USSR and USA was clearly demonstrated over the former’s preference for
socialistic ideas and of the latter for capitalistic ideas. The situation had escalated itself to
its height when this rift started exerting its influence in other parts of the world beyond
the continent of Europe in Asia, Africa and Latin America. In order to demonstrate each
other’s superordinance, both the blocs tried to bring the countries of the third world under
the control of its ideological position. Vietnam, in South East Asia was one such country
which became a hot bed of ideological and armed conflict between the communist forces
of the country under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh, and the intervention of the US army
to establish capitalism therein. The results of the Vietnam War had proven to be
disastrous for USA and Capitalism, and victorious for Communism and Ho Chi Minh
(Shi and Tindall).
It makes every sense to say that the US Military despite being more equipped
militarily than the Vietnamese army had to face defeat. The reason can be attributed to
the knowledge of the Vietnamese Communist Army about the topography of the country

2THE COLD WAR
which had enabled them to launch ambushed guerrilla attacks on the American forces and
they were caught unaware. Had it not been the strategic locational advantage and the zeal
of the Vietnamese army to free themselves from the yoke of foreign influence, the
American army would have been victorious in establishing its foothold over the country
both ideologically and politically (Maclear).
The Vietnam Debacle had been a source of immense criticism and embarrassment
for the United States of America, both internationally as well as domestically causing a
paradigmatic shift in the history of USA by effecting a change in its expansionist foreign
policy. The people were highly dissatisfied by the fact that the death of their men and
women as soldiers in the battlefield at distant lands had been to no avail. Internationally,
the reputation of USA had been tarnished as its invincibility was put to question, and had
boosted the morale of the Communist Bloc (Pribbenow).

3THE COLD WAR
References
Maclear, Michael. Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day. 2017.
Pribbenow, Merle L. Victory in Vietnam: The Official History of the People's Army of Vietnam,
1954-1975. University Press of Kansas, 2016.
Shi, David E., and George Brown Tindall. America: A narrative history. WW Norton &
Company, 2016.