Cold War: How and why America got into Vietnam Return to the case study menu
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Comprehension
8a Describe the scene shown in the cartoon.

Analysis and Interpretation
8b Johnson was a very large man, while British leader Harold Wilson was average size. Is this why the cartoonist has drawn them this way?
8c Wilson was accused of following US policy without ever questioning it. How is this represented in the cartoon?
8c The caption shows Johnson as confident that US forces will defeat the Viet Cong. Do you think the cartoon agrees with him or is the cartoonist suggesting he is over confident?
8d This is a British source. Does that mean it is of no use in studying American policy in Vietnam?


Case Study Question
Fill out the relevant line of your Case Study Worksheet.

The Big Question
Look at your answers to the questions on source 8.
Does Source 8 help you to decide whether any of the criticisms of US policy were valid?
Does the source help you to decide whether the criticisms are only valid in hindsight?
 Source 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Source 5Source 6Source 7Source 8

British cartoon from the New Statesman Magazine April 1965 commenting on US entry into Vietnam War (Associated Newspapers/Centre for the Study of Cartoons and Caricature)

British cartoon from the New Statesman Magazine April 1965 commenting on US entry into Vietnam War