domino theory

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domino theory

domino theory the notion that if one country becomes Communist, other nations in the region will probably follow, like dominoes falling in a line. The analogy, first applied (1954) to Southeast Asia by President Dwight Eisenhower, was adopted in the 1960s by supporters of the U.S. role in the Vietnam War . The theory was revived in the 1980s to characterize the threat perceived from leftist unrest in Central America.

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domino theory

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Â© World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

domino theory Political doctrine that affected US foreign policy during the Cold War, especially in Southeast Asia. It held that if one country became communist, its neighbours would inevitably follow. The doctrine was widely used in support of US military involvement in Vietnam.

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