Why did the US enter the Korean and Vietnam wars?
The United States entered the Korean War in 1950 and the Vietnam War in the 1960s due to its policy of containment against the spread of communism during the Cold War.
In the case of the Korean War, North Korea invaded South Korea in an attempt to unify the two countries under communist rule. The United States, along with the United Nations, intervened and supported South Korea to prevent the spread of communism. The US feared that if one country fell to communism, it could have a domino effect and lead to the spread of communism throughout the region.
Similarly, in Vietnam, the US entered the war to support South Vietnam against North Vietnam, which was backed by communist forces. The US government believed in the "domino theory" and feared that if South Vietnam fell to communism, neighboring countries in Southeast Asia would also follow suit. The US wanted to prevent the spread of communism and protect its interests in the region.
However, both wars resulted in long and costly conflicts for the US, and their involvement was met with significant opposition at home due to the human and financial tolls. The US eventually withdrew its forces from both Korea and Vietnam, and the wars ended with a divided Korea and a unified communist Vietnam.