us history: us involvement in vietnam war?

Question

What led the United States to become so deeply involved in the Vietnam War?

Answer 1

Opposition to the Vietnam War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
... announced a significant escalation of US involvement in Indochina, from 120,000 ... It ruled that the US and its allies committed war crimes in Vietnam. ...en.wikipedia.org/.../Opposition_to_U.S._involvement_in_the_Vietnam_War - 73k - Cached - More from this site
Vietnam War 1962 - 1972
... gradual withdrawal of US forces that would leave the war in the hands of ... the Vietnam War 1950–1966, The Official History of Australia's Involvement in ...www.awm.gov.au/atwar/vietnam.htm - 21k - Cached - More from this site
Vietnam War Timeline : Vietnam War Statistics
Vietnam War timeline of the United State's involvement in Indochina, Southeast ... Mar/Apr 70 - News of increased US involvement in Laos and Cambodia surfaced when ...www.landscaper.net/timelin.htm -

Answer 2

Other than the Cold War, the US didn't want Vietnam to turn into a communist country. They had this some kind of policy that they will try to do everything they can to stop communism from spreading. I remember it from history class but can't exactly pinpoint the name of it.

Answer 3

I think it's because the US feel threads of vienam .It's a cycle that when a country have win .take control to the losers . the former wouldn't always take the lead .if you look at the history carefully ,you'll notice the country like the UK .He has been taking the lead untill 1997.2006.aren't his army was great ?why the country is going down? It's because the colony of the UK became stronger and stronger manage to stand up for themselves!

Answer 4

We were trying to stop the spread of communism. It was a good cause that was thwarted by selfish jerks.

Answer 5

the cold war

my edit: the cold war HAS to do w/ the spread/preventing the spread of communism, in response to the comment below me

Answer 6

1946 Ho Chi Minh negotiates a pact with the French in March which allowed a few French troops into Viet Nam to help protect the northern border against the Chinese Nationalists who had troops with Viet Nam.
In November, the French shell the port city of Haiphong thus beginning the 1st Viet Namese War. The French expected the war to be over in 8 days: it took 8 years, and the French lost.
1950 The People's Republic of China in January becomes the first country to recognise the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam. The Soviet Union follows two weeks later. In February, the United States recognised the French client government, the State of Viet Nam, with its capital in the south, in Saigon, with the ex-emperor Bao Dai as its president.
President Harry S Truman in May authorised $10 million in aid to the French for their war in Viet Nam. By January 1951, $150 million had been given in aid.
1951 War changes from a guerrilla war to a more conventional one.
1952 French public support for the war is beginning to fail rapidly. The French for a national army for the State of Viet Nam to give Bao Dai credibility and to cut French casualties.
1953 The US is supporting the French in the amount of $1 billion per year--33% of all US foreign aid--which is 80% of the total cost to the French. US Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles first voices the 'Domino Theory': if one country in Southeast Asia falls to the Communists, they will all fall, one by one.
1954 13 March the Battle of Dien Bien Phu begins in northern Viet Nam. In January, the 'Great Powers' had set 26 April as the beginning of a Geneva Conference to discuss Asian questions including Viet Nam and Ho Chi Minh wanted a military victory prior to this conference ending.
The French troops at Dien Bien Phu have supplies air dropped to them from US planes, flown by US Air Force crews, and serviced by US Air Force ground crews. US planes and crews are also used to fly additional French re-enforcements to Viet Nam. The French ask the US to use tactical nuclear weapons against the Viet Minh. President Dwight D. Eisenhower meets with the National Security Council on 4 April and agree not to intervene in any further manner.
7 May, Viet Minh troops under the command of General Vo Nguyen Giap succeed in capturing Dien Bien Phu following the French surrender.
Col. Edward Lansdale, a CIA officer, arrives in Saigon in June with a team to engage in paramilitary actions and psychological-political warfare against the Viet Minh.
The Geneva Convention divides the country of Viet Nam at the 17th Parallel into North and South Viet Nam with 20 July 1956 as the date for a unification election: a freely held election to determine who would rule a unified Viet Nam. All the parties involved signed the agreement except the United States. The US believed in 1956 that Ho Chi Minh would have won any election held in Viet Nam and used their influence over the government of the State of Viet Nam to ensure that the election was not held
1960 On 20 December, the National Liberation Front [NLF]--better known in the US as the Viet Cong--is founded. They will fight against the South Viet Namese Army and their US advisors: 300 in May 1960 to 16,000 in December 1963.

Answer 7

My Dear........As a Viet-Nam veteran with plenty of opinions and mental and physical wounds too match.......check out some of the wikipedia as well as the others..........besides....it was our turn on the "Merry GO round".................................LATER

Answer 8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_war#History_to_1949

Go there, there's a massive article about it, have fun~