Why did the US became increasingly involved in the war in Vietnam?

Answer 1

There are many reasons why the Americans became increasingly involved in Vietnam War. A main one being the French. They had influenced Indo-China since before World War II. Japan, in WWII, tried to get hold of Indo-China so they fought the French for it. At the beginning of the battle, it was the Frech and Vietminh vs Japan. Japan were on their way to victory so France decided they had no chance of winning and decided to think about surrendering. Japan, being communist, were trying to make Indo-China communist and due to the American theory of the Domino theory, they decided to back up France.

Another main reason linking into the answer above was the American attitudes to communism, they would do anything to stop communism spreading. Examples of this are, the Truman Doctrine, Marshall Aid and also the Domino theory was an insentive to stop communism spreading.

Answer 2

In 1954, the Vietminh forces of Vietnam defeated the French at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, and the nation was temporarily divided into two sections, north and south. The people of the south chose Ngo Dinh Diem as their ruler and Ho Chi Minh ruled the north. Diem refused to go along with the planned elections in 1956 to unite the nation so the Vietminh members in the south created the Viet Cong and the war between north and south for control of the country began. The government of South Vietnam requested military advisors from the United States to help train the South Vietnamese army. Ho Chi Minh was a communist and during the Cold War of the 1950s and 60s, the aim of the US government was containment of communist power and not to let it spread. The Eisenhower administration provided South Vietnam with money and advisors to help stop the threat of a North Vietnamese takeover. The United States also was pledged by treaty (SEATO) to aid the member nations in southeast Asia, if they were attacked by a foreign (communist) power. Following the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations, President Lyndon B. Johnson also believed in containment and the domino theory. If one nation falls to communism, the next nation will fall, and the next, etc. It became the aim of the Johnson administration to prevent a communist takeover in Southeast Asia. In August, 1964, President Johnson reported to the nation that American ships had been attacked by North Vietnam gunboats in the Gulf of Tonkin, in international waters. The Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution giving the President the power to use whatever force necessary to protect our interests in the area. At the time, the truth was not reported.

Answer 3

In the Vietnam war era so they could maintain a military presence in South East Asia.

Today so that they can trade goods.

Answer 4

Vietnam was part of the cold war. A war against communism.

Answer 5

Part of the cold war; Soviet (Communist) containment.

Answer 6

they got involved because we the US did not want communism to spread.

Answer 7

The US feared Vietnam falling to communism, which would result in surrounding countries to fall to communism, or better known as the "Domino Theory"

Answer 8

The desire of the US’ rulers for global power and influence.

Answer 9

Too bail out the french.

Answer 10

Cold war.