Editing Domino theory (section)

=== Criticism of the domino theory ===
In a memorandum sent to [[CIA Director]] [[John McCone]] on 9 June 1964, the Board of National Estimates generally discounted the idea of the domino theory as applied to Vietnam:

{{Blockquote|We do not believe that the loss of South Vietnam and Laos would be followed by the rapid, successive communization of the other states of the Far East. Instead of a shock wave passing from one nation to the next, there would be a simultaneous, direct effect on all Far Eastern countries. With the possible exception of Cambodia, it is likely that no nation in the area would quickly succumb to communism as a result of the fall of Laos and South Vietnam. Furthermore, a continuation of the spread of communism in the area would not be inexorable and any spread which did occur would take time—time in which the total situation might change in any of a number of ways unfavorable to the Communist cause.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v01/d209 |title=209. Memorandum From the Board of National Estimates to the Director of Central Intelligence (McCone) |last=Sherman |first=Kent |date=9 June 1964 |website=Office of the Historian |publisher=United States Department of State |access-date=20 October 2024}}</ref>}}

In the spring of 1995, despite having been a strong proponent of it during his time in office, former US [[Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert McNamara]] said he believed the domino theory to have been a mistake.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/vietnam2-domino-theory.htm|title=Vietnam War - The Domino Theory|website=www.globalsecurity.org}}</ref> "I think we were wrong. I do not believe that Vietnam was that important to the communists. I don’t believe that its loss would have led – it didn’t lead – to Communist control of Asia."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/1995/0428/28182.html |title=The Lessons of Vietnam: Mr. McNamara's View  |last=Brown |first=David |date=28 April 1995 |website=The Christian Science Monitor |access-date=20 October 2024}}</ref> Professor Tran Chung Ngoc, an overseas Vietnamese living in the US, said: "The US does not have any plausible reason to intervene in Vietnam, a small, poor, undeveloped country that does not have any ability to do anything that could harm America. Therefore, the US intervention in Vietnam regardless of public opinion and international law is "using power over justice", giving itself the right to intervene anywhere that America wants."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tapchiqptd.vn/vi/van-de-su-kien/khong-the-xuyen-tac-chien-thang-3041975/7312.html|title=Không thể xuyên tạc Chiến thắng 30-4-1975 - Tạp chí Quốc phòng toàn dân|website=tapchiqptd.vn|access-date=January 26, 2021|archive-date=May 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150524135816/http://tapchiqptd.vn/vi/van-de-su-kien/khong-the-xuyen-tac-chien-thang-3041975/7312.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>