The U.S. Enters the Vietnam War

In your Cold War file folder in your Google Docs account, read pages 353 to 355 of Vietnam War.

1. Many neutral observers in Vietnam were critical of US policy. Explain why.
Since the Americans were afraid of a communist plan to dominate all of South east Asia, they gave $500 million a year into the French war effort and helped the French to set up a non-communist government in the south of the country. This war lasted from 1946 to 1954. After the war, the country was split into North and South Vietnam until elections could be held. The USA made a rule that prevented the elections from taking place because it feared that Communists would win. They viewed Vietnam as the first domino in a long line of countries that would fall to communism, and the US had to prevent this.
The US supported leaders as long as they were anti-communist, even if the governments were corrupt (which they were). This increased support of communist parties.

2. Explain how US politicians would have defended their policies.
The US politicians viewed it as stopping the spread of communism, and they would do anything it would take to do this.

3. The following events are not listed in correct date order. Place them in the correct chronological order.Then note the reason for each U.S. action, and how it brought the U.S. into deeper involvement in Vietnam.
The reasons you can choose from are: No direct involvement; financial support; political involvement; military involvement. Also, note what events triggered the increased involvement.

(1965) U.S. Marines land at Da Nang (military)
(1955) U.S. stops elections in Vietnam (political)
(1954) Formation of South Vietnam (political involvement)
(1960s) Viet Cong attacks on U.S. and South Vietnam bases (military)
(1960) Viet Cong formed (military)
(1962) Number of 'advisers' reaches over 11,500 (military involvement)
(1962) JFK sends military advisers (military involvement)
(1963) Assassination of JFK - Johnson becomes president
(1963) U.S. supports South Vietnam government after army overthrow Diem (financial, political)
(1964) Gulf of Tonkin Incident (military involvement)



4. Choose two events that you think were critical in getting the U.S. involved in a war in Vietnam. Explain
your choice.
Assassinations of JFK-This was really important because in the middle of this situation that the US is in, the president is assassinated and there is a new one, which changes everything. JFK believed in a more peaceful approach to conflicts, and Johnson didn't think this way at all.
I think when JFK sends military "advisers" to fight the Viet Cong is significant because it increased tension between north and south vietnam and American involvement was really large.