Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash Walken
Vietnam became a foreign policy issue closely following the second world war, and was almost certainly going to become a 'problem', especially following the Korean War. The Truman Doctrine can be blamed just as easily as LBJ, Ike or JFK can be, as can lesser known historical figures like Dean Acheson and Robert McNamara.
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It takes a sitting President to deploy troops into combat. Motives aside Kennedy is responsible for America entering Vietnam. Wasn't it Truman who said "the buck stops here". Carter and Reagan are examples of other Presidents who change course on foreign policy during their tenor in the White house. If Kennedy can be excused from Vietnam, the Bay of Pigs, and the deployment of nukes in Turkey because he was just following previous policy then that very same arguement can be used to demonstrate his poor leadership as President.
I guess I'm playing the devil's advocate a little here. I don't think Kennedy
was a terrible President. I just get tired of hearing about his presumed greatness. The world was lucky to survive his Presidency.