Bungle in Jungle: The Failed Containment Policy of the Vietnam War
Walker Rich
The Vietnam War occurred during the pinnacle of the Cold War. Relations between the West and its Communist rivals, including China and the Soviet Union, were at an all-time high. The United States’ involvement in the conflict came as a direct result of their policy of containment, stopping the spread of communism. The Vietnam War failed, and as a result containment failed in Vietnam as it had in other parts of Asia, where communists prevailed in bloody civil wars. As one of the most studied conflicts in American history, it is important to provide accurate information about the subject and to establish a unique and understandable perspective as the conflict becomes more distant in memory.
About the Author
Walker Rich is a Senior at Wakefield School in the Plains, Virginia. Inspired by his grandfather's service in World War II, Walker has been interested in history ever since he was a child. This year he chose to research the Vietnam War, specifically analyzing how the conflict related to the broader Cold War and was ultimately a failure of the policy of containing communism.
