US involvement in Vietnam
- US and the Viet Minh In December 1941, Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbour and Washington declared war on Japan. ...
- The Domino Theory After 1945, American involvement in Vietnam was driven and shaped by the Cold War. ...
- Washington backs the French Harry S. Truman, US president from 1945 to January 1953 ...
- US military aid increases ...
- The Geneva Accords ...
- Failed nation-building ...
Why did the French fight in Vietnam?
What theory held that communism would spread if Vietnam became communist?
What was the sentiment of the Vietnam War?
How many Americans died in Vietnam?
What was the mood in America during the 1960s?
What was the result of the French withdrawal from Indochina?
How many American troops were in Vietnam in 1965?
See 4 more
About this website
What caused the United States to intervene in Vietnam?
China had become communist in 1949 and communists were in control of North Vietnam. The USA was afraid that communism would spread to South Vietnam and then the rest of Asia. It decided to send money, supplies and military advisers to help the South Vietnamese Government.
What events led to US involvement in Vietnam?
The U.S. involvement in South Vietnam stemmed from a combination of factors: Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong's pledge in 1950 to support Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh's guerrilla forces against France's colonial occupation, the U.S. war with Japan in the Pacific, and domestic pressure to act against communism after the ...
What are the 3 main reasons the US joined the Vietnam War?
The U.S. entered the Vietnam War in an attempt to prevent the spread of communism, but foreign policy, economic interests, national fears, and geopolitical strategies also played major roles.
Reasons Why Us Got Involved In Vietnam War History Essay
Communism had spread at a first rate in the region after the World War II affecting countries like China, Korea and Vietnam. Communist China had supported Vietminh which was a communist group in the North Vietnam in their fight against French rule which gave Vietminh victory over the French rule who at the time were United States government was supporting French with military aid as well as ...
Five Reasons Why the U.S. Should Not Have Invaded Vietnam
United States involvement in the Vietnam War is controversial. Some argue U.S. intervention was critical to the suppression of Communism and vital in preventing South Vietnam from North Vietnamese rule. Opponents of American involvement are against the high American casualties and financial cost.
Why did the French fight in Vietnam?
The French were fighting in Vietnam to maintain their colonial power and to regain their national pride after the humiliation of World War II. The U.S. government had an interest in the conflict in Indochina from the end of World War II until the mid-1950s when France found itself fighting against a communist insurgency led by Ho Chi Minh .
What theory held that communism would spread if Vietnam became communist?
The Domino Theory held that communism would spread if Vietnam became communist.
What was the sentiment of the Vietnam War?
The sentiment, especially among conservative voices in America, was that the sacrifice of so many killed and wounded in Vietnam would be in vain if America simply withdrew from the war. That attitude was held up to scrutiny in a televised Capitol Hill testimony by a member of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, future Massachusetts senator, presidential candidate, and secretary of state, John Kerry. On April 22, 1971, speaking of losses in Vietnam and the desire to remain in the war, Kerry asked, “How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?”
How many Americans died in Vietnam?
After decades of conflict, more than 2.7 million Americans served in Vietnam and an estimated 47,424 lost their lives; and still, the reasons why the U.S. entered the Vietnam War to begin with remain controversial. 3 . Kallie Szczepanski contributed to this article.
What was the mood in America during the 1960s?
Throughout the late 1960s, the mood in America transformed. The reasons for entering the Vietnam War no longer seemed so vital, especially when weighed against the cost of the war. The anti-war movement mobilized Americans in vast numbers, and public protest demonstrations against the war became commonplace.
What was the result of the French withdrawal from Indochina?
Following the French withdrawal from Indochina, the solution put in place established a communist government in North Vietnam and a democratic government in South Vietnam.
How many American troops were in Vietnam in 1965?
The escalation continued throughout 1965, and by the end of that year, 184,000 American troops were in Vietnam. In 1966, the troop totals rose again to 385,000. By the end of 1967, American troop totals peaked in Vietnam at 490,000. 2 . Throughout the late 1960s, the mood in America transformed.
Why were Asian Americans opposed to the Vietnam War?
Many Asian Americans were strongly opposed to the Vietnam War. They saw the war as being a bigger action of U.S. imperialism and "connected the oppression of the Asians in the United States to the prosecution of the war in Vietnam." Unlike many Americans in the anti-war movement, they viewed the war "not just as imperialist but specifically as anti-Asian." Groups like the Asian American Political Alliance (AAPA), the Bay Area Coalition Against the War (BAACAW), and the Asian Americans for Action (AAA) made opposition to the war their main focus. Of these organizations, the Bay Area Coalition Against the War was the biggest and most significant. One of the major reasons leading to their significance was that the BAACAW was "highly organized, holding biweekly ninety-minute meetings of the Coordinating Committee at which each regional would submit detailed reports and action plans." The driving force behind their formation was their anger at "the bombing of Hanoi and the mining of Haiphong Harbor ." Another aspect of the group's prevalence was the support of the Japanese Community Youth Center, members of the Asian Community Center, student leaders of Asian American student unions, etc. who stood behind it. The BAACAW members consisted of many Asians Americans and they were involved in antiwar efforts like marches, study groups, fundraisers, teach-ins and demonstrations. During marches, Asian American activists carried banners that read "Stop the Bombing of Asian People and Stop Killing Our Asian Brothers and Sisters." Its newsletter stated, "our goal is to build a solid, broad-based anti-imperialist movement of Asian people against the war in Vietnam."
Why did college students join the antiwar movement?
To combat this, many college students became active in causes that promoted free speech, student input in the curriculum, and an end to archaic social restrictions. Students joined the antiwar movement because they did not want to fight in a foreign civil war that they believed did not concern them or because they were morally opposed to all war. Others disliked the war because it diverted funds and attention away from problems in the U.S. Intellectual growth and gaining a liberal perspective at college caused many students to become active in the antiwar movement. Another attractive feature of the opposition movement was the fact that it was a popular social event. Most student antiwar organizations were locally or campus-based, including chapters of the very loosely co-ordinated Students for a Democratic Society, because they were easier to organize and participate in than national groups. Common antiwar demonstrations for college students featured attempts to sever ties between the war machine and universities through burning draft cards, protesting universities furnishing grades to draft boards, and protesting military and Dow Chemical job fairs on campus. From 1969 to 1970, student protesters attacked 197 ROTC buildings on college campuses. Protests grew after the Kent State shootings, radicalizing more and more students. Although the media often portrayed the student antiwar movement as aggressive and widespread, only 10% of the 2500 colleges in the United States had violent protests throughout the Vietnam War years. By the early 1970s, most student protest movements died down due to President Nixon's de-escalation of the war, the economic downturn, and disillusionment with the powerlessness of the antiwar movement.
Why did African Americans not want to join the war opposition movement?
In the beginning of the war, some African Americans did not want to join the war opposition movement because of loyalty to President Johnson for pushing Civil Rights legislation, but soon the escalating violence of the war and the perceived social injustice of the draft propelled involvement in antiwar groups.
How many people were in the anti-war demonstrations in New York City?
On March 26, anti-war demonstrations were held around the country and the world, with 20,000 taking part in New York City. A Gallup poll shows that 59% believe that sending troops to Vietnam was not a mistake. Among the age group of 21–29, 71% believe it was not a mistake compared to 48% of those over 50.
What was the draft in the Vietnam War?
Vietnam War protesters in Wichita, Kansas, 1967. The draft, a system of conscription that mainly drew from minorities and lower and middle class whites, drove much of the protest after 1965.
What was the peace movement?
Many in the peace movement within the United States were children, mothers, or anti-establishment hippies.
How many people attended the March 24 protest?
On March 24, organized by professors against the war at the University of Michigan, a teach-in protest was attended by 2,500 participants. This model was to be repeated at 35 campuses across the country.
Why did the Vietnamese support Ho Chi Minh?
Many of the South Vietnamese people supported Ho Chi Minh as they were unhappy with Ngo Dinh Diem.
Why did Vietnam gain independence?
Reason one - Vietnamese independence. Before World War Two Vietnam had been part of the French Empire. During World War Two it had been invaded by Japan. Ho Chi Minh was the leader of the Vietminh, a resistance army which fought for Vietnamese independence. After World War Two Ho Chi Minh captured Hanoi in 1945 and declared Vietnam independent.
What was the North Vietnam?
North Vietnam was a communist republic led by Ho Chi Minh. South Vietnam was a capitalist republic led by Ngo Dinh Diem.
When did Vietnam become independent?
After World War Two Ho Chi Minh captured Hanoi in 1945 and declared Vietnam independent. The French tried to take control again, but this was unpopular with the people. They were defeated by the Vietminh at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.
What happened to the US Navy in the Gulf of Tonkin?
The North Vietnamese attacked the US Navy in the Gulf of Tonkin. This incident gave the USA the excuse it needed to escalate the war. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution - US Congress gave President Lyndon Johnson permission to wage war on North Vietnam. The first major contingent of US Marines arrived in 1965.
What is the reason for the domino theory?
This was the belief that if one country fell to communism, it was likely that the neighbouring one would also fall – similar to a row of dominoes falling over. This had happened in Eastern Europe after 1945.
When did China become communist?
China had become communist in 1949 and communists were in control of North Vietnam. The USA was afraid that communism would spread to South Vietnam and then the rest of Asia. It decided to send money, supplies and military advisers to help the South Vietnamese Government.
What was the purpose of the war in Vietnam?
America’s decision to go to war in Vietnam did not involve a Pearl Harbor or Franz Ferdinand moment. U.S. intervention was a gradual process that included economic aid, diplomacy, politics, presidential personalities, and military force. Regional alliances in Southeast Asia and superpower tensions between the U.S., China, and the Soviet Union set the international context for the war. American policymakers’ desires to prove that the U.S. was actually committed to stopping the spread of communism formed the ideological foundation of America’s approach to Vietnam over the course of four presidencies. Historians may never agree about when the war actually started, but all of these factors informed U.S. policymakers’ decisions to intervene.
What was the significance of the Hanoi victory?
A Hanoi victory in the war, McNamara argued, would place Vietnam that much closer to Chinese control, and then all of Southeast Asia would be in danger.
Why did the APACL open in Saigon?
At the 1964 annual meeting in Taipei, delegates decided to open a special APACL office in Saigon to demonstrate support for the Saigon government. Newspapers in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Manila published editorials supporting South Vietnam.
What was the Cold War power struggle between the U.S., the Soviet Union, and China?
Although authorities in both Vietnams tried to assert themselves and resist superpower control, the Cold War power struggle between the U.S., the Soviet Union, and China was key in shaping the Vietnam War.
How did the US intervene in Vietnam?
Rather than identifying one starting point, it is more accurate to understand U.S. intervention in Vietnam as a gradual process . It involved economic aid, political and military advisors, and boots on the ground. All of the key moments in the process emerged from different contexts and the thinking of various players, but there were three threads that unified them: communism, the Cold War, and credibility. Understanding the role of communism requires placing Vietnam in a regional context and examining Southeast Asian concerns about communism. A regional approach to the Vietnam War is important because U.S.-Vietnam relations and the Vietnam War did not occur in a vacuum. The global context is also important because Cold War tensions between the U.S., the Soviet Union, and China also shaped events related to the Vietnam War. At the same time that we must investigate Vietnamese and Southeast Asian agency regarding the conflict, we also must acknowledge the significance of Cold War superpower rivalries and decision making to how the war played out. Concerns about credibility motivated U.S. policymakers to commit advisors, money, materiel, and troops to Vietnam, lest allies lose faith in American resolve to build a global democratic bulwark against communism and adversaries hear threats ring hollow.
Why is the Vietnam War important?
A regional approach to the Vietnam War is important because U.S.-Vietnam relations and the Vietnam War did not occur in a vacuum. The global context is also important because Cold War tensions between the U.S., the Soviet Union, and China also shaped events related to the Vietnam War.
What did President Kennedy think about the US?
President Kennedy’s concern about American credibility dated back to his time as a Congressman from Massachusetts. Kennedy argued that if the U.S. did not act aggressively to protect free nations, especially in Asia, China would come in and dominate the region. Yet, he believed the old ways of European imperialism like France’s attempt to recolonize Vietnam were wrong. That type of approach would just play into the hands of the communists, and in any case, Kennedy believed that the U.S. had an obligation to help build and support strong non-communist native governments. His model was the Philippines, where Colonel Edward Lansdale had groomed Ramon Magsaysay to be president. In 1956, Kennedy announced: “Vietnam represents the cornerstone of the Free World in Southeast Asia.” [6] This ideology informed his foreign policy worldview as president, beginning with his inaugural address, in which he declared: “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” [7]
Why was the Viet Minh formed?
The Viet Minh was formed the same year to resist both the French and Japanese. By 1944, agents of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), were operating in southern China and northern Vietnam. These agents formed a working alliance with Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh, ...
When did the US parachut Ngo Dinh Diem into the leadership of South Vietnam?
In 1954 , the US parachuted Ngo Dinh Diem into the leadership of South Vietnam. American attempts to create a viable nation-state failed, and by the early 1960s, South Vietnam was at risk of infiltration and invasion by communists. Citation information. Title: “US involvement in Vietnam”.
How much did the US military aid to the French in 1951?
By 1951, US military aid to the French had tripled to $450 million. By 1953, it was up to $785 million. French forces in Vietnam were using ships and aircraft on loan from the US. CIA agents were conducting covert operations in Vietnam in support of the French, like carrying out 700 supply drops to CEFEO troops trapped at Dien Bien Phu (1954).
What did the OSS do to Ho Chi Minh?
In return, the OSS supplied Ho’s men with weapons and equipment. It was an arrangement based on wartime expedience rather than political patronage. Nevertheless, Ho Chi Minh hoped that cooperating with the United States might lead to Washington’s support for an independent post-war Vietnam.
What was the Domino theory?
The Domino Theory. After 1945, American involvement in Vietnam was driven and shaped by the Cold War. American foreign policy was largely shaped by the Truman Doctrine.
What was the US involvement in Vietnam?
US involvement in Vietnam. John F. Kennedy briefs the press about the situation in Vietnam, 1961. The struggle against the Japanese in World War II led the United States to focus its attention on Asia, including Indochina. US involvement in Vietnam increased during the 1950s and 1960s, following the communist revolution in China and the rise ...
Why did Washington want a democratic state in the South?
Washington wanted a nationalist, democratic state in the south to provide a buffer against communists further north. Washington searched for an indigenous Vietnamese leader with pro-Western, anti-communist values to take charge in South Vietnam.
When Did the Vietnam War Start?
The Vietnam War and active U.S. involvement in the war began in 1954, though ongoing conflict in the region had stretched back several decades.
What was the Vietnam War?
The Vietnam War was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The conflict was intensified by the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. More than 3 million people (including ...
What was the NLF in Vietnam?
In December 1960, Diem’s many opponents within South Vietnam—both communist and non-communist—formed the National Liberation Front (NLF) to organize resistance to the regime. Though the NLF claimed to be autonomous and that most of its members were not communists, many in Washington assumed it was a puppet of Hanoi.
How many US presidents were in the Vietnam War?
READ MORE: How the Vietnam War Ratcheted Up Under 5 US Presidents
How many troops were there in Vietnam in 1962?
By 1962, the U.S. military presence in South Vietnam had reached some 9,000 troops, compared with fewer than 800 during the 1950s.
How did Nixon deflate the anti-war movement?
Nixon sought to deflate the anti-war movement by appealing to a “silent majority” of Americans who he believed supported the war effort. In an attempt to limit the volume of American casualties, he announced a program called Vietnamization: withdrawing U.S. troops, increasing aerial and artillery bombardment and giving the South Vietnamese the training and weapons needed to effectively control the ground war.
When did the Vietnamese start fighting back?
By 1957, the Viet Cong and other opponents of Diem’s repressive regime began fighting back with attacks on government officials and other targets, and by 1959 they had begun engaging the South Vietnamese army in firefights.
What was Katzenbach's testimony in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee?
My paper uses Under Secretary of State Nicholas Katzenbach’s 1967 testimony in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as a point of departure to understand past and present arguments on war powers. That testimony brought to a head constitutional issues that had been simmering throughout the war. Katzenbach particularly upset the committed by contending that the Tonkin Gulf Resolution was the quote “functional equivalent” of a declaration of war.
What battle was the French withdrawal from?
So that’s the – that starts to be the withdrawal of France and is hastened, of course, by the Battle of Dien Bien Phu , which you’re all very familiar with this strange battle conducted in a very remote area on the Laotian-Vietnamese border. And we still don’t know why it was fought, but at any rate it was, and lost by the French and that really hastens their disappearance.
How to close a modal window?
This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.
What is MAAG in Vietnam?
In addition to that, an organization known as MAAG, M double-A G, which stands for the Military Assistance and Advisory Group , is established to oversee the distribution of military aid to the Indochina territories. So you have that, sort of that administrative system being established as well. And I think that’s very important to understanding why America is drawn into this situation in Vietnam, because not only are they giving military aid and they’re funding the military assistance, but of course they’re setting up these administrative systems as well. So that’s another reason why they’re, of course, induced to stay on there.
Why did the French return to Indochina?
Right, well, let’s – the war really starts with the French returning to Indochina to restore French control over the – Indochina, and they do this because they have been defeated very badly in the war and they’ve been split into two groupings, the sort of the pro-fascist group and the pre-French group. And they have to try and restore some sort of status to themselves as a large power and they, unfortunately, don’t do what the Dutch did, for instance, with Indonesia.
Was Katzenbach a witness?
But Katzenbach was no ordinary witness. He had been Attorney General before moving to State having served in the Department of Justice throughout the Kennedy Administration as head of the elite Office of Legal Council and then as Deputy Attorney General. He was familiar with constitutional and international law and had formally advised President Johnson as Attorney General on the legality of the war as Johnson made crucial decisions in 1965, two years earlier.
Did Katzenbach state that the president's authority to wage the war was essentially based on or limited to?
Katzenbach did not state that the president’s authority to wage the war was essentially based on or limited to the resolution. President Johnson made this clear in a statement while the hearings were occurring, a reiteration of a position he had first taken publicly two years earlier in 1965. Even without the resolution, according to this position of the executive branch was that the president had sole authority to intervene in Vietnam on whatever terms he saw fit.
Why did the French fight in Vietnam?
The French were fighting in Vietnam to maintain their colonial power and to regain their national pride after the humiliation of World War II. The U.S. government had an interest in the conflict in Indochina from the end of World War II until the mid-1950s when France found itself fighting against a communist insurgency led by Ho Chi Minh .
What theory held that communism would spread if Vietnam became communist?
The Domino Theory held that communism would spread if Vietnam became communist.
What was the sentiment of the Vietnam War?
The sentiment, especially among conservative voices in America, was that the sacrifice of so many killed and wounded in Vietnam would be in vain if America simply withdrew from the war. That attitude was held up to scrutiny in a televised Capitol Hill testimony by a member of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, future Massachusetts senator, presidential candidate, and secretary of state, John Kerry. On April 22, 1971, speaking of losses in Vietnam and the desire to remain in the war, Kerry asked, “How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?”
How many Americans died in Vietnam?
After decades of conflict, more than 2.7 million Americans served in Vietnam and an estimated 47,424 lost their lives; and still, the reasons why the U.S. entered the Vietnam War to begin with remain controversial. 3 . Kallie Szczepanski contributed to this article.
What was the mood in America during the 1960s?
Throughout the late 1960s, the mood in America transformed. The reasons for entering the Vietnam War no longer seemed so vital, especially when weighed against the cost of the war. The anti-war movement mobilized Americans in vast numbers, and public protest demonstrations against the war became commonplace.
What was the result of the French withdrawal from Indochina?
Following the French withdrawal from Indochina, the solution put in place established a communist government in North Vietnam and a democratic government in South Vietnam.
How many American troops were in Vietnam in 1965?
The escalation continued throughout 1965, and by the end of that year, 184,000 American troops were in Vietnam. In 1966, the troop totals rose again to 385,000. By the end of 1967, American troop totals peaked in Vietnam at 490,000. 2 . Throughout the late 1960s, the mood in America transformed.
The Domino Theory
Political Reasons: Anti-Communist Fervor
- On the home front, beginning in 1949, fear of domestic communists gripped America. The country spent much of the 1950s under the influence of the Red Scare, led by the virulently anti-communist Senator Joseph McCarthy. McCarthy saw communists everywhere in America and encouraged an atmosphere of hysteria and distrust. Internationally, following World War II, count…
French Indochina War
- The French were fighting in Vietnam to maintain their colonial power and to regain their national pride after the humiliation of World War II. The U.S. government had an interest in the conflict in Indochina from the end of World War II until the mid-1950s when France found itself fighting against a communist insurgency led by Ho Chi Minh. Througho...
Military Assistance Command Vietnam
- The Kennedy foreign policy was rooted, of course, in the Cold War, and the increase of American advisers reflected Kennedy’s rhetoric of standing up to communism wherever it might be found. On February 8, 1962, the Kennedy administration formed the Military Assistance Command Vietnam, a military operation intended to accelerate the program of giving military aid to the Sou…
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident
- Following Kennedy’s assassination in November 1963, the administration of Lyndon Johnson continued the same general policies of putting American advisers in the field beside South Vietnamese troops. But things changed with an incident in the summer of 1964. American naval forces in the Gulf of Tonkin, on the coast of Vietnam, reported being fired upon by North Vietna…
Reasons For Escalation
- In March 1965, President Johnson ordered U.S. Marine battalions to defend the American airbase at Da Nang, Vietnam. It marked the first time combat troops were inserted into the war. The escalation continued throughout 1965, and by the end of that year, 184,000 American troops were in Vietnam. In 1966, the troop totals rose again to 385,000. By the end of 1967, American troop t…
American Pride
- During the administration of Richard M. Nixon, the levels of combat troops were reduced from 1969 onward. But there was still considerable support for the war, and Nixon had campaigned in 1968 pledging to bring an "honorable end" to the war. The sentiment, especially among conservative voices in America, was that the sacrifice of so many killed and wounded in Vietna…
Additional References
- Leviero, Anthony. "President Warns of Chain Disaster If Indo-China Goes."New York Times, 8 Apr. 1954.
- "Transcript of President Eisenhower's Press Conference, With Comment on Indo-China."New York Times, 8 Apr. 1954.
- "The Indochina War (1946–54)." Vietnam War Reference Library, vol. 3: Almanac, UXL, 2001, …
- Leviero, Anthony. "President Warns of Chain Disaster If Indo-China Goes."New York Times, 8 Apr. 1954.
- "Transcript of President Eisenhower's Press Conference, With Comment on Indo-China."New York Times, 8 Apr. 1954.
- "The Indochina War (1946–54)." Vietnam War Reference Library, vol. 3: Almanac, UXL, 2001, pp. 23-35. Gale Virtual Reference Library.
Reason One - Vietnamese Independence
Reason Two - Civil War
Reason Three - The Domino Theory
Reason Four - The Weak South Vietnamese Government
Reason Five - The Gulf of Tonkin Incident 1964
- On 2nd August 1964, North Vietnamese boats attacked a US Navy destroyer, the USS Maddox, patrolling in the Gulf of Tonkin. Another attack on the Maddox was reported to have taken place on 4th August. Weather coditions were poor and there was doubt as to whether a real attack had taken place. However in Washington the attack was presented as a fact ...
Summary
Goals
Aftermath
Synopsis
Prelude
Military
Military service
- In March 1965, Johnson made the decisionwith solid support from the American publicto send U.S. combat forces into battle in Vietnam. By June, 82,000 combat troops were stationed in Vietnam, and military leaders were calling for 175,000 more by the end of 1965 to shore up the struggling South Vietnamese army.
Operations
Battle
Purpose
Results
Background
Impact
Effects