Vietnam War

USA involvement in Vietnam

Background:

In 1955 the Americans helped Ngo Dinh Diem to set up the Republic of South Vietnam. They supported him because he was anti Communist.

The actions of the corrupt anti-Communist governments increased the support of the ordinary peasants for the Communist-led National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, set up in 1960. This movement was referred to as the Viet Cong. Viet Cong included South Vietnamese opponents for the government, but also large numbers of Communist North Vietnamese taking their orders from Ho Chi Minh. Peasants who did not support the Viet Cong faced intimidation and violence from them.

The Viet Cong also started a guerilla war against the South Vietnamese government. These fighters attacked South Vietnamese government forces. They also attacked American air force and supply bases.

By 1962 President Kennedy was sending military personnel (he always called them advisers) to fight the Viet Cong. In 1963 and 1964 tension between North and the South Vietnam increased and so did America involvement (11,500 troops by the end of 1962; 23,000 by the end of 1964). However Kennedy did not wish to “blunder” into war again without aims.

President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. And his successor Lyndon Johnson prepared to commit the USA to a full-scale conflict in Vietnam to prevent the spread of Communism.

On 8 March 1965, 3500 US marines, combat troops rather than advisers, came ashore at Da Nang, and America was at war with Vietnam.

Reason for American Involvement in…