What was the Cold War “domino theory”?
President Eisenhower delivers Cold War “domino theory” speech. President Dwight D. Eisenhower coins one of the most famous Cold War phrases when he suggests the fall of French Indochina to the communists could create a “domino” effect in Southeast Asia. The so-called “ domino theory ” dominated U.S.
Who came up with the domino theory?
The first figure to propose the domino theory was President Harry S. Truman in the 1940s, where he introduced the theory in order to “justify sending military aid to Greece and Turkey.” However, the domino theory was popularized by President Dwight D. Eisenhower when he applied it to Southeast Asia, especially South Vietnam.
What were the long-term effects of the domino theory?
The long-term impacts of the Domino theory were more profound. It put the United States into a protective role with the government of South Vietnam. Once war began to escalate after the border separation, the US stayed involved in the Vietnam conflict because of the fear of Communist impacts within the region and the rest of the world.
Why was America so ready to accept the domino theory?
America’s readiness to accept the Domino Theory was probably influenced by events in Europe during the 1930s. Most Cold War politicians and policy planners had lived through the pre-war period, when central European regions like the Rhineland, Austria, Sudetenland and Czechoslovakia had all fallen to Hitler, one after another.
When was the domino theory created?
Another popular geopolitical doctrine, 'domino theory,' was first proposed by William Bullitt (1947), who feared that Soviet Communist power would spread, via China, into Southeast Asia.
When did domino theory start and end?
It was prominent in the United States from the 1950s to the 1980s in the context of the Cold War, suggesting that if one country in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow.
What was the domino theory 1954?
The domino theory was a Cold War policy that suggested a communist government in one nation would quickly lead to communist takeovers in neighboring states, each falling like a perfectly aligned row of dominos.
Where was the domino theory used?
Many Americans feared communism as a different political system, and also because of their belief in the "domino theory." First voiced by President Eisenhower, the theory used the visual image of falling dominoes to represent the fear that if South Vietnam "fell" to communism, then Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma (now ...
How long did the domino theory last?
Domino theory was an influential factor in decision making in the US from 1950, until the assumptions that supported it started to be dismantled in the 60s and 70s.
What is the domino effect in ww1?
Austria Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28th. Russia had a treaty with Serbia and started to prepare their own army. Germany had a treaty with Austria Hungary and got scared when they thought Russia was gonna help Serbia, so Germany declared war on Russia.
When was Eisenhower domino theory speech?
In an attempt to rally congressional and public support for increased U.S. aid to the French, President Eisenhower gave a historic press conference on April 7, 1954. He spent much of the speech explaining the significance of Vietnam to the United States.
Who developed domino theory?
Pres. Harry S. TrumanThe theory was first proposed by Pres. Harry S. Truman to justify sending military aid to Greece and Turkey in the 1940s, but it became popular in the 1950s when Pres.
Who created the domino effect?
On April 7, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower answered a press conference reporter's question about the impending defeat of the French in Indochina with the first articulation of what would become known as “The Domino Theory.” The theory would drive the escalation of the Vietnam War over the next two decades.
How did the domino theory cause the Vietnam War?
The US justified its military intervention in Vietnam by the domino theory, which stated that if one country fell under the influence of Communism, the surrounding countries would inevitably follow. The aim was to prevent Communist domination of South-East Asia.
What effects did the domino theory have on society?
Most importantly, the domino theory provided the primary justification for the Vietnam War, which cost the United States almost 60,000 lives and also strained the fabric of American society. Tragically, the irrelevance of the loss of the Vietnam War for American security was not enough to vanquish the domino theory.
What effect did the domino theory have on US foreign policy in the 1950s?
What was the Domino Theory AND how did it affect American foreign policy? The domino theory, which governed much of U.S. foreign policy beginning in the early 1950s, held that a communist victory in one nation would quickly lead to a chain reaction of communist takeovers in neighboring states.
Who came up with the domino theory?
President Dwight D. Eisenhower coins one of the most famous Cold War phrases when he suggests the fall of French Indochina to the communists could create a “domino” effect in Southeast Asia. The so-called “domino theory” dominated U.S. thinking about Vietnam for the next decade.
What was President Eisenhower's explanation of the domino theory?
President Eisenhower coined the phrase "Domino Theory" to explain the need to contain the spread of communism in Asia. He stated that communism would continue to go from country to country the same way in which dominoes fall when they are lined up.
What are two events that led to the end of the Soviet Union?
Gorbachev's decision to loosen the Soviet yoke on the countries of Eastern Europe created an independent, democratic momentum that led to the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, and then the overthrow of Communist rule throughout Eastern Europe.
How did the domino theory influence the United States role in the Vietnam War?
The US justified its military intervention in Vietnam by the domino theory, which stated that if one country fell under the influence of Communism, the surrounding countries would inevitably follow. The aim was to prevent Communist domination of South-East Asia.
Who explained domino theory?
Apart from President Eisenhower’s description, American academic Victor Cha also explained the domino theory in his book, titled Powerplay: The Origins of the American Alliance System in Asia.
What is domino theory?
The domino theory is a geopolitical theory that was prominent in the United States from the 1950s to the 1980s which posited that if one country in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow in a domino effect.
Why was the domino theory used?
The domino theory was used by successive United States administrations during the Cold War to justify the need for American intervention around the world. U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower described the theory during an April 7, 1954, news conference, when referring to communism in Indochina :
What was Eisenhower's belief in domino theory?
Moreover, Eisenhower’s deep belief in the domino theory in Asia heightened the "perceived costs for the United States of pursuing multilateralism" because of multifaceted events including the " 1949 victory of the Chinese Communist Party, the June 1950 North Korean invasion, the 1954 Quemoy offshore island crisis, and the conflict in Indochina constituted a broad-based challenge not only for one or two countries, but for the entire Asian continent and Pacific." This connotes a strong magnetic force to give in to communist control, and aligns with the comment by General Douglas MacArthur that "victory is a strong magnet in the East."
Why did the domino theory become popular in poorer countries?
Linguist and political theorist Noam Chomsky wrote that he believes that the domino theory is roughly accurate, although he put a more positive spin on the threat, writing that communist and socialist movements became popular in poorer countries because they brought economic improvements to those countries in which they took power. For this reason, he wrote, the U.S. put so much effort into suppressing so-called "people's movements" in Chile, Vietnam, Nicaragua, Laos, Grenada, El Salvador, Guatemala, etc. "The weaker and poorer a country is, the more dangerous it is as an example. If a tiny, poor country like Grenada can succeed in bringing about a better life for its people, some other place that has more resources will ask, 'Why not us?'" Chomsky refers to this as the "threat of a good example".
Why was the domino theory used in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations?
Moreover, the domino theory was utilized as one of the key arguments in the “Kennedy and Johnson administrations during the 1960s to justify increasing American military involvement in the Vietnam War.”.
Who applied the domino theory to the Arab Spring?
Other applications. Political cartoon by Carlos Latuff applying the domino theory to the Arab Spring. Some foreign policy analysts in the United States have referred to the potential spread of both Islamic theocracy and liberal democracy in the Middle East as two different possibilities for a domino theory.
Who explains the Domino Theory?
Its belief in communist expansion underpinned the Truman Doctrine and other elements of American foreign policy. Eisenhower explains the Domino Theory with regard to Asia (1954) Robert McNamara on Kennedy, the Domino Theory and Vietnam (1966) Citation information. Title: “The Domino Theory”.
What is the domino theory?
The Domino Theory was a prevailing belief that communism was an internationalist movement that would spread from one country to the next until it dominated the world, much as a row of dominos collapses one after the other. The Domino Theory was accepted by a succession ...
What was the influence of the Domino theory?
The readiness of Western policymakers to accept the Domino Theory was probably influenced by events in Europe during the 1930s. Most Cold War politicians and policy planners had lived through the pre-war period, when central European regions like the Rhineland, Austria, Sudetenland and Czechoslovakia had all fallen to Hitler, one after another.
When did the US see a straight line from the Japanese takeover of Manchuria?
US leaders saw a straight line from the Japanese takeover of Manchuria in 1931 to the invasion of China to the invasion of Indochina to the attack on Pearl Harbour. Once the principle has been undermined, there is no stopping place.”.
Who made the domino analogy?
3. The first use of the domino analogy was made by US president Dwight Eisenhower.
Who coined the phrase "domino theory"?
It is unclear who first used the analogy of falling dominos or coined the phrase Domino Theory. The first public mention of it was made by US president Dwight Eisenhower in a speech in 1954, where he explained why America would aid the French in their struggle against communists in Indochina (Vietnam):
Is the Domino Theory correct?
Today it remains a controversial idea, its detractors generally outnumbering its supporters. Some claim the Domino Theory was correct and validated by the southward march of communism in Asia; only US intervention in the region halted its progress.
What is the Domino Theory?
Updated April 28, 2018. The Domino Theory was a metaphor for the spread of communism, as articulated by US President Dwight D. Eisenhower in an April 7, 1954 news conference.
What was Eisenhower's first mention of the Domino theory?
In the news conference, Eisenhower expressed concern that communism could spread across Asia and even toward Australia and New Zealand.
Who coined the term "communism"?
President Eisenhower coined the term in reference to the spread of communism. Gen George C. Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower (l) conversing regarding the spread of communism. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images.
How long did the Truman doctrine last?
The Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, NATO and the United Nations then became the foundation of American foreign policy through the Reagan administration and beyond, for about 50 years.
When did Truman start his tough policy?
Truman began his "get tough" policy in 1946 with strong protests against Russian troops in Iran, and denial of Soviet claims to share control of the Turkish Straits. The president also took at face value the Russian Report, produced for him by Under Secretary of State Dean Acheson.
What was the concept of confinement in the Cold War?
The Cold War “containment” notion was born of the Domino Theory, which held that if one country fell under communist influence or control, its neighboring countries would soon follow. Containment was the cornerstone of the Truman Doctrine as defined by a Truman speech on March 12, 1947. The Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, NATO and the United Nations then became the foundation of American foreign policy through the Reagan administration and beyond, for about 50 years.
What was the Potsdam Conference?
The Potsdam Conference, a meeting of the victorious Allied leaders in post- World War II Europe, confronted the delicate balance of power of two opposing ideologies: democracy and communism.
How did Stalin view postwar Europe?
The Soviet view of postwar Europe. Growing tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union can be explained in part by different visions of postwar Europe. Stalin aimed above all to guarantee the Soviet Union's security. The Soviet Union had been attacked from the West once by France in the 19th century (the Napoleonic Wars) and twice by Germany in the 20th century ( World War I and World War II). Stalin was thus determined to array “friendly” governments alongside the Soviet Union’s western border by maintaining extensive influence over Central and Eastern Europe. Stalin also insisted that the U.S.S.R. was fully entitled to its "sphere of influence," on account of the staggering casualties it had suffered while waiting for its allies to open a second front during the war. To many Americans, however, that sphere of influence looked more like an ill-gained empire. Doubting that Soviet goals were purely defensive, they remembered the earlier expansionism of the Bolsheviks and their call for world revolution. That antagonism underscored the centrality of ideology in the struggle that would oppose those two powers for the next 50 years.
Who proposed the domino theory?
The Domino Theory Cold War Explained. In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower became the first to offer the idea of the Domino theory when it came to the politics of the Cold War. The suggestion was based on the idea that Communism could create a domino effect within Southeast Asia.
What is the domino theory?
The Domino theory is based on the idea of what happens when a series of dominos are placed in a row. When they are close enough together, knocking one down at the start of the line can cause the entire line of dominoes to eventually fall over. Eisenhower offered this speech at a time when the US was attempting to place colonial control back ...
How Accurate Was the Domino Theory?
Although Communist governments were installed in a couple of surrounding governments at the conclusion of the Vietnam War, the overall influence of Communism in the region and throughout the world was very minimal.
Why Was the Domino Theory Important for the Cold War?
According to Eisenhower, along with Kennedy and Johnson who supported the Domino theory, the idea that having a government become a dictatorship was something that would negatively affect Southeast Asia and the world at large. If Vietnam happened to fall into a dictatorship, then the rest of the region and the world was at risk for falling to Communism from a US perspective.
What is the domino theory?
The Domino Theory stated simply that Communist victory in one country or region would spark neighboring regions to rise up against pro-American governments, which would lead to more victories and further insurgencies. By keeping the first domino upright—in this case Vietnam—the US could prevent Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and even India from succumbing to Communist takeovers.
What was the first theory of the Vietnam War?
On April 7, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower answered a press conference reporter’s question about the impending defeat of the French in Indochina with the first articulation of what would become known as “The Domino Theory.” The theory would drive the escalation of the Vietnam War over the next two decades.
Who said "two, three, many Vietnams"?
It stands to reason that success in one place might spur success nearby. Argentinian revolutionary Che Guevara thought as much when he foresaw “two, three, many Vietnams” following from the success of Ho Chi Minh.
Why was the domino theory created?
The primary motivation was to prevent the spread of communism, which was considered dangerous to American values and interests. This theory was first articulated as American policy by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954. However, the domino theory proved to be just a theory.
What is the Domino Theory?
The domino theory goes something like this: if one domino strikes another, it can lead to a chain reaction in which all dominoes fall. But what does this have to do with Vietnam?
Is the slope logic of domino theory still in favor?
Over the years, the 'slippery slope' logic of the domino theory has fallen out of favor, though echoes of it still remain, especially in debates over other sensitive geopolitical topics like the Mideast. Mostly, though, it serves as a cautionary note against justifying open-ended military action with no clear end in sight.
Overview
The domino theory is a geopolitical theory which posits that increases or decreases in democracy in one country tend to spread to neighboring countries in a domino effect. It was prominent in the United States from the 1950s to the 1980s in the context of the Cold War, suggesting that if one country in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow. It was used by successive United States administrations during the Cold War to jus…
History
During 1945, the Soviet Union brought most of the countries of eastern Europe and Central Europe into its influence as part of the post-World War II new settlement, prompting Winston Churchill to declare in a speech in 1946 at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri that:
From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an "Iron Curtain" has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe…
Arguments in favor of the domino theory
The primary evidence for the domino theory is the spread of communist rule in three Southeast Asian countries in 1975, following the communist takeover of Vietnam: South Vietnam (by the Viet Cong), Laos (by the Pathet Lao), and Cambodia (by the Khmer Rouge). It can further be argued that before they finished taking Vietnam prior to the 1950s, the communist campaigns did not succeed in Southeast Asia. Note the Malayan Emergency, the Hukbalahap Rebellion in the Philippi…
Arguments that criticize the domino theory
• Elements of the cold war ideology such as the domino theory became propaganda tools for the US government to create fear among the American people, in order to gain public support for the US's participation in the Vietnam War.
• In the spring of 1995, former US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara said he believed the domino theory was a mistake. Professor Tran Chung Ngoc, an overseas Vietnamese living in the US, said: "The US does not have any plausible reason to int…
Significance of the domino theory
The domino theory is significant because it underlines the importance of alliances, which may vary from rogue alliances to bilateral alliances. This implies that the domino theory is useful in evaluating a country’s intent and purpose of forging an alliance with others, including a cluster of other countries within a particular region. While the intent and purpose may differ for every country, Victor Cha portrays the asymmetrical bilateral alliance between the United States and co…
Applications to communism outside Southeast Asia
Michael Lind has argued that though the domino theory failed regionally, there was a global wave, as communist or socialist regimes came to power in Benin, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Angola, Afghanistan, Grenada, and Nicaragua during the 1970s. The global interpretation of the domino effect relies heavily upon the "prestige" interpretation of the theory, meaning that the success of Communist revolutions in some countries, though it did not …
Other applications
Some foreign policy analysts in the United States have referred to the potential spread of both Islamic theocracy and liberal democracy in the Middle East as two different possibilities for a domino theory. During the Iran–Iraq War the United States and other western nations supported Ba'athist Iraq, fearing the spread of Iran's radical theocracy throughout the region. In the 2003 invasion o…
See also
• Cold War
• Containment
• Export of revolution
• Quagmire theory
• Red Scare