Vietnam Political GamesThe Vietnam War was a watershed in American foreign policy. During the period of three presidents and the Cold War, Vietnam changed America's view on the world stage. After the end of the Indochina War and the oppression of Vietnam by the French, the country was divided into north and south along the 17th parallel. Following the declaration of the Geneva Accord, there was to be a demilitarized zone along the north and south of the 17th parallel and each side of the country would have 300 days to withdraw its personnel to the opposite side of the country. North Vietnam, or Democratic Republic of Vietnam, was controlled by the Vietnamese Communist Party (Workers' Party) and the elected president was Ho Chi Minh. South Vietnam, or State of Vietnam, was led by Ngo Dinh Diem. In the north, Minn accelerated communist logic and planned to make Vietnam a major communist state. Diem considered the conservative ways of the Western world led by the United States and would lead the new Vietnam into the new century with democracy. The Cold War played a particularly important role in shaping the foreign policy of administrations during and after the Vietnam War. Presidents and cabinets participated in the containment of communism. This was done in several ways, including military actions, economic sanctions, and monetary policies that helped rebuild war-affected nations. Some of the plans include the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and military actions in Indochina. The two particular views on lockdown come from George Keenan and Paul Nitze. Keenan's policies implied that communism was not an immediate global threat and could be considered a wildfire... middle of paper ... John Lewis. Containment Strategies: A Critical Assessment of American National Security Policy During the Cold War. [Pb. ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1982. Print. Gibbons, William Conrad. The American Government and the Vietnam War Executive and Legislative Roles and Relations. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1986. Print. Lawrence, Mark Atwood. The Vietnam War: A Concise International History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. PrintRust, William J. Kennedy in Vietnam. New York, NY: Da Capo Press, 1987-1985. PrintSummers, Harry G.. On Strategy: A Critical Analysis of the Vietnam War. Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 1995. PrintWillbanks, James H.. The Tet Offensive, A Concise History. New York: Columbia University Press, 2007. Print. Vadas, Robert E.. Cultures in Conflict: The Viet Nam War. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002. Print.