Vietnamkrigets barbarer: En fallstudie av en politisk myt

Sammanfattning: This thesis analyzes the American engagement in the Vietnam war. This war is as controversial to this date, as it was then. It still draws a broad audience to the discussion of the reasoning for the interference of the American government in the conflict between north and south Vietnam. The thesis is made as an idea analysis where a political myth has been identified from ancient Greek examples and transformed in to five indicators: a pre-eminent narrative, a simplification of reality, dehumanization, legitimation of violence and war, and contradicting behavior. The material which consist of press conferences, speeches and other material from official American channels is examined by categorization in relation to the indicators. The analysis is divided into five sections where each indicator is applied to understand how they can be seen affecting the Americans’ rhetoric and behavior. This thesis found that the political myth derived from ancient Greece can help explain the American actions in the Vietnam war and could in fact be what enabled them to get involved.