Vietnam-Path

__**The Path to the Vietnam War**__

Why is it that the United States of America entered a war that had nothing to do with them and was on the complete opposite side of the world? First, you must know the history behind Vietnam. From the 1800's to WWII, Vietnam was controlled by the French. The Vietnam citizens did not enjoy being ruled by the French, so a revolutionary leader called Ho Chi Minh lead revolts against the French. He wanted an independent country controlled by peasants and workers. During WWII, Japan took over Vietnam. The US aided their fight against the Japanese. Later, when Japan was defeated and Vietnam was free, France tried to regain control. War broke out between France and the Viet Minh. The US sent aid to assist France in defeating the Communist rebels. France lost control of the Northern Half of Vietnam.

Ngo Dinh Diem became and anti-communist leader in South Vietnam. But in 1956, President Eisenhower feared that Diem would lose the election to Ho Chi Minh, and the country would fall to communism. The vote was called off, and many South Vietnam communists formed the National Liberation Front, and Diem called them the Viet Cong. The Viet Cong started fighting the Diem government. Kennedy sent military advisors and supplies to South Vietnam to help. When the US government loses faith in Diem, they overthrow him and after Kennedy was assasinated, Johnson took over as president. Johnson did not want to lose Vietnam to Communism, so he picked up the efforts to help South Vietnam and sent more troops. Congress did not want to bomb North Vietnam, which would hurt the supply line of the Viet Cong, until two US destroyers were torpedoed in the Gulf of Tonkin. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave Johnson power to use as much military force in Vietnam as he needed, and combat troops were sent over. General Westmoreland continued to ask for more troops, and this process of escalation kept increasing the demand for soldiers in Vietnam.