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Lyndon Johnson's Politics

When Lyndon Johnson became President in 1963 he committed himself to the late President Kennedy's programs and he "viewed the American commitment in Vietnam as part of the Kennedy program he was sworn to uphold" (Herring 1113). But in the end, Vietnam became known as "Lyndon Johnson's War" and was the cause of Johnson ending his political career prematurely (Berman xi). Johnson's failure to recognize the need to get out of Vietnam and the decisions he made in regard to the war have fascinated historians of the presidency and of the Vietnam conflict. Though there is no single explanation for his decisions, Johnson's personality, his experience, his political goals and the political atmosphere of the times all had a significant impact on his choices. A line can be traced from Johnson's early years as a negotiator between the demands of his parents to his role as a facilitator and deal-maker in legislative bodies, This role brought him great power but, when he traded it for the power of the presidency, he was faced with a type of power that he did not really know how to use in the foreign affairs arena. This dilemma led to many of Johnson's mistakes. But, perhaps more than anything, the problem was Johnson's situation as President at a time when the nation was undergoing a great change. While, as far as foreign affairs went, he was prepared to lead the U.S. in ways that were no longer what the people desired, this also blocked him in accomplishing what he desired in domestic matters.

Berman has identified the problem as a failure to see the "fundamental incompatibility between his political objectives at home and his military objectives in Vietnam" (xi). Dallek has seen Johnson's mistakes as stemming from his belief "in foreign affairs as a unifying force in American life" (237). Herring notes Johnson's refusal to back down in a situation that was a test of his personal fortitude. This attitude was, unfortunately, shared w...

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Lyndon Johnson's Politics. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 02:11, March 29, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1692709.html