Does anyone know why Vietnam was important to the U.S?

Answer 1

The policy at the time was "containment" of communism. The United States assisted South Vietnam In order to prevent it from falling to the communist North Vietnam. This was after the French withdrew from the region. It was the same type of effort as the UN intervention in South Korea in the early '50's - that was to prevent South Korea from falling to the communist North Korea.

As you know (if you've read the history of the war), our assistance grew and grew and the situation got messier and messier, and the South Vietnamese didn't really have it in them to resist the North, so we finally left it to them, and a couple years later they did indeed fall to the North.

Answer 2

This was because of the 'cold war' between the former Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviet Union was influencing North Vietnam. This triggered the U.S. to influence South Vietnam.

Answer 3

Wars are great business.