by Mark G. Sullivan

Created on: September 27, 2009   Last Updated: September 29, 2009

The glow from the TV lit the many faces in the room. Normally when this group gets together the jokes and jabs fly. Not tonight for these fellows were very interested in the message coming through the airways. Soon those born in 1953 would know their fate for the next two years.

March 6th was the first number heard. My friend Jack who was sitting next to me breathed a loud sigh of relief because his birth date was the seventh. Unfortunately, Scotty who was in the back of the room screamed "Damn!"

Ironically, a week earlier he told me he was leaving school due to a lack of interest. This may have been true but the late night beer and pot parties followed by many missed classes probably had more to do with that decision. Now Scotty knew the only chance of staying out of Vietnam was to stay enrolled at this institution of higher learning.

Little did we realize that an idea born in the Eisenhower Administration in the late 1950's had brought us together that evening. This idea known as The Domino Theory explained the need to stop communism from overtaking South Vietnam. The thought was if this country fell into the hands of the communists then Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, and Indonesia would follow.

In 1960, President Kennedy announced he too would continue the Eisenhower policy of supporting the South Vietnamese government. His argument was the same. Communism, if not halted in that country, would gradually spread throughout the world. He stated America was willing to "pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty."

The policy that had been set committed many American men and women to that part of the world. Initially our involvement consisted of a small contingent of advisors helping the Diem government fight the advancing communist army from the North. With little success of stemming the tide, the troop commitment escalated dramatically during President Johnson and Nixon's terms in office.

As the Vietnam War raged in Southeast Asia, the streets throughout America were filled with disagreement. Our campus was a hotbed for protests, peaceful marches during the day but as darkness fell, the stench of tear gas permeated the air. Certainly not everyone felt our presence in Vietnam was wrong but the tide of public opinion against the conflict was carrying the day.

The Domino Theory devised during Eisenhower's time in office had become a huge mistake in the eyes of many.

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