The source's main value is that it shows the reasons why Johnson got involved in Vietnam

despite personal resultance which would inform his policy intentions with the intention to get
a quick victory. The conversation occurred 5 months before the elections where his
opponent Bobby Goldwater was criticising him for not being tough on foreign policy so LBJ
feels forced to get further involved in Vietnam saying “They’d impeach a president that would
run out”. This being a private conversation means that Johnson can be more honest which is
why despite publicly saying he will follow Kennedy’s legacy of providing aid and increasing
advisors to 16,000, the tone is pessimistic and reluctant arguing that he doesn’t “think it’s
worth fighting for”. However, Johnson’s belief in the domino theory saying “if you start
running… they may chase you into your own kitchen” means that he will not withdraw due to
the fear of losing Laos, Cambodia and eventually Japan so will strive for a quick victory
though future escalation with the Gulf of Tonkin resolution on August 7th on that year. The
phrase “Getting ready to do” implies that Johnson fully intends to get involved in Vietnam
despite his reluctance because Truman was replaced by Eisenhower because he was
perceived as soft on communism in Korea and losing ‘our China’ and Johnson emphasises
that the same might occur to him comparing it to “another Korea”. The republicans focus on
this during their campaign, making it a high priority for Johnson to appear tough on
communism saying, “all the senators saying ‘Lets go into the north”. This is due to the belief
held by most in the US that the USA was so technologically advanced that it would be a
quick victory with Johnson being hesitant over fears that it would be “another Korea” where
US troops would roll back communism only to fight China and be forced back like Korea.
Overall