Vietnam Sources Coursework

The US were extremely concerned about the power and growing popularity of communism in Vietnam. This is because of their Domino theory. The Americans believed that if one country fell to communism, the surrounding countries would also fall and so on, like a domino chain. The US believed that Vietnam was an important step for communism in Asia, and that if South Vietnam fell to communism, the rest of South East Asia would soon follow. The Us believed that if that happened, communism would soon threaten the shores of the USA. If this happened, the 142000 men lost in the 3 years in Korea would have been for nothing.

Due to the fact that the US believed that the public wouldn't tolerate another war, President Eisenhower sent a small group of military advisors to help South Vietnam defend itself against North Vietnam. A propaganda campaign was set up in South Vietnam by the 12 man team of soldiers and intelligence officers sent by Eisenhower from Saigon in 1954. The leader of the 'Advisory team' also hired mercenaries to perform acts of sabotage on Vietcong areas in North Vietnam.

When Kennedy was elected in 1960, his inaugural speech made it clear that he was going to continue Eisenhower's policies in Vietnam. By this time, the communist threat had not died down.

The US started to increase their involvement in Vietnam by sending in more advisors. By the end of 1962, there were 12000 in Vietnam. Kennedy felt pressurised to increase US involvement as Vietnamese people were joining the NLF. Membership had increased by 300%.

A simple reason why the US became involved in Vietnam is that they Feared communism. The USA was, and is, extremely capitalistic, and if communism were to gain control there, it would strip the capitalists of their riches and would undoubtedly ruin the US economy for a long time.