Did US Containment Intensify Cold War Conflict in Asia (1955–63)?

What is the central claim of the question?

That the USA’s continued containment policy from 1955–63 intensified Cold War conflict in Asia.

Why did the US deepen involvement in Vietnam after 1955?

Fear of the domino theory and desire to prevent a communist victory.

How did the USA undermine the Geneva Accords (1954)?

It refused to support nationwide elections in Vietnam and instead backed Ngo Dinh Diem in the South.

By 1961, how many US advisers were in Vietnam?

Around 17,000 under Kennedy.

How did the Strategic Hamlets programme intensify conflict?

It displaced villagers and fuelled resentment, increasing support for the Viet Cong.

What was SEATO and when was it formed?

A US-led anti-communist alliance formed in 1954–55 to contain communism in Southeast Asia.

How did SEATO escalate Cold War tensions?

It legitimised US intervention in Laos and Vietnam, militarising the region.

How did US policy intensify conflict with China?

Through defence agreements with Taiwan and confrontation during the Formosa Strait Crisis (1958).

What was significant about the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis?

The US considered nuclear strikes on China, raising Cold War tensions.

Why was the US refusal to recognise the PRC important?

It isolated China diplomatically and made compromise impossible.

Why were Asian nationalist and communist movements also important in intensifying conflict?

They were driven by local goals (e.g., Vietnamese nationalism), not just US containment.

How did the Sino-Soviet split contribute to rising conflict in Asia?

China and the USSR competed for influence, increasing support for revolutionary movements.

How did the Sino-Soviet split affect Vietnam?

Both China and the USSR increased aid to North Vietnam to gain influence.

How did Kennedy’s flexible response differ from Eisenhower’s approach?

It emphasised counterinsurgency and limited involvement rather than nuclear threats.

What diplomatic success did Kennedy achieve in Asia?

The 1962 Geneva Accords, creating a neutral Laos.

How did US-backed authoritarian regimes escalate conflict?

Their repression (e.g., Diem’s rule in South Vietnam) fuelled internal resistance.

What is the overall judgement on the US role in intensifying conflict?

US containment significantly intensified conflict, but regional nationalism, communist strategies, and Sino-Soviet rivalry were equally important.

Is the view fully valid?

Only partially — the US played a major role, but not the sole or dominant one in all cases.