Why did the USA become involved in Vietnam in the 1950s and 1960s?

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Why did the USA become involved in Vietnam in the 1950s and 1960s?

Following the Second World War tension between the USA and the USSR had escalated. The spread of Communism through Eastern Europe was beginning. In 1949 a divided Germany was set up. Also due to US policies such as the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, a Cold War developed. The US’ fears of Communism spreading, appeared to be justified when in October 1949 Mao Zedong led a Communist government in power in China. Then the war in Korea (1950-1953) backed up this idea. There was a fear of a domino theory, this means that once one country falls to Communism the neighbouring ones fall too. This had already occurred in Eastern Europe during the 1940s.

America first became involved in Vietnam after the Second World War when President Truman gave aid of $3 billion to the French. This money was given to help the French keep control of Vietnam from the Communist Vietminh. The US feared, as I said earlier, the spread of Communism. For if Ho Chi Minh took power in Vietnam it would surely fall under Communist control. This financial aid made little difference and following the defeat of the French at Dien Bien Phu in May 1954 the French decided to pull out. Then later on in July at the Geneva Peace Accords the following decisions were made: there was to be a cease fire along the 17th parallel, temporarily the country would be divided in two. In the north there would be the Democratic Republic of Vietnam led by Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi. In the south would be the Republic of Vietnam, led by Ngo Dinh Diem in Saigon. In 1956 elections would be held for a leader of the whole of Vietnam. The US feared this idea, for it was clear the nationalist leader Ho Chi Minh would win. The Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles refused  to sign the Geneva Accords. The US only a month later took control of the war in secret. The CIA underwent this task. During the Summer of 1954 they went about inventing a “Republic of Vietnam” with Saigon as its capital. Thus preventing the Communists from taking control of the whole of Vietnam and preventing the domino theory from coming into effect.

In 1953 Eisenhower came into power. From Truman, Eisenhower inherited a US commitment to aid the French war in Indo-China. Eisenhower’s involvement, like Truman was financial support.

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From a US foreign policy statement made in 1952 it is clear why the US are involved in Vietnam. The statement says that “US foreign policy should prevent the countries of south east Asia from passing into communist influence” also to “assist them to develop the will and ability to resist communism and should help them to contribute to the strengthening of the free world.” This was also underlined by JFK in 1956, before his presidency “the independence of Vietnam is crucial to the Free World”.

Other than financial intervention it was Eisenhower who brought in the first US advisers, ...

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