Containment was a foreign policy strategy adopted by the United States during the Cold War era to prevent the spread of communism and Soviet influence around the world. The US believed that communism was a threat to democratic values and international peace, and therefore sought to contain its spread through various means, including military, economic, and diplomatic actions.
However, the application of containment got the US into trouble, particularly in armed conflicts such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The US got involved in these wars to prevent the spread of communism, but they proved to be costly and divisive, with significant loss of life and resources.
The US was trying to prevent the spread of communism and Soviet influence through these wars, as they believed that a communist victory in these countries would lead to the spread of communism to other parts of the world. The US was also trying to protect its national security interests, as they believed that a communist threat posed a danger to the country's safety and stability.
However, the wars proved to be difficult and controversial, with some questioning the effectiveness and morality of the US's actions. The Vietnam War, in particular, sparked significant protests and opposition within the US, leading to a reassessment of the country's foreign policy and the eventual withdrawal from the conflict.