The Johnson Presidency
An Overview of Lyndon B. Johnson's Foreign and Domestic Policies
This article examines Johnson's involvement in the Vietnam War, as well as looking at his other foreign policy achievements and his Great Society Program.
Lyndon B. Johnson had the unenviable task of taking on the presidency after the untimely death of John F. Kennedy. The two could not have been more different in character and to follow in the footsteps of America’s most loved cannot have been easy. Johnson was, however, an experienced politician. He had served in both Houses of Congress and had worked extensively on Roosevelt’s New Deal.
Historically, Johnson will always be remembered for his role in the Vietnam War. Although he had been personally unwilling to commit America to this unwinnable war, the Eisenhower administration had made it clear that the US would not allow South Vietnam to be joined with the communist North. Johnson committed over 535,000 troops to the cause, which cost an estimated $2 billion per month. He made several attempts to end the war, with peace talks in 1965 and 1966, but his propositions were rejected each time. Meanwhile the American public became increasingly distressed at the war, and protested accordingly. It is widely believed that the situation in Vietnam triggered Johnson’s decision not to run for a second term.
Johnson’s other Cold War policies are somewhat overlooked due to the Vietnam crisis, but he did have moderate success in improving relations with the USSR. In particular, he was able to secure a nuclear non-proliferation treaty, as well as legislation which regulated space research. In addition he successfully negotiated with the Soviet Union over the Six Day War in the Middle East. The Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia undid much of his work, as it had the effect of cooling the relationship once more.
Although largely remembered for his foreign policy, Johnson had sizeable plans for the domestic field. His policy, known as the Great Society, waged what he called a "war on poverty". Medicare and Medicaid can be attributed to him, as can the donation of substantial federal aid to the education system. Like Roosevelt with the New Deal, however, he found it impossible to sustain many of his programs whilst fighting an expensive war.
The Vietnam War made Lyndon Johnson an unpopular President, but it must be remembered that the situation was inherited from his predecessor. In the Cold War climate, belief in the "domino effect", that is, that once one country fell to communism, others would follow, was strong. Johnson’s domestic policy was innovative, and although he lacked a clear vision of how to achieve his final aims, were it not for Vietnam he might have seen considerable success.
