To what extent was the American War effort in Vietnam undermined by public opinion?

The Vietnam War is viewed by the majority as one of the worst periods in American history. The Americans moved into Vietnam in 1954 under the pretence of fighting against an "evil and aggressive Communist regime"1. The government stated the Domino Theory as a reason for involving themselves in someone else's war, whereby if America did not stop Vietnam from falling to Communism then other countries would follow, and American liberty, free enterprise and security would …

…- John Kerry to the Senate Committee of Foreign Relations - 1971 15 Franklin H. Bruce - 'From Realism to Virtual Reality: Images of America's Wars' (p.441) 16 Riddick - 'The Vietnam War' 17 A Vietnam Overview - www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VietnamWar.htm 18 Higgins - 'Vietnam' (p.101) 19 A Vietnam Overview - www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VietnamWar.htm 20 Ibid. 21 Wintle - 'The Vietnam Wars' (p.168) 22 Ibid. (p.157) 23 Ibid. (p.161) 24 C. Reich - 'The Greening of America' (p.194)