Why did the USA become involved in vietnam

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

World War two ended with the US having industries and businesses privately owned (capitalism), but in the Soviet Union being state owned (communism). Stalin wanted communism to spread and having been allies during the war, had felt let down at the end of it. The USA distrusted Russia because they saw a "domino effect" of communism spreading. The US, worried that communism would spread across the world, wanted to became "the world police force of communism."

The tensions and mistrust grew into the Cold War. The British withdrew from Greece in 1947 so Truman sent millions for military use in case Greece, Turkey and other countries become communist. The Truman Doctrine had grown out of George Kennan's 1946 telegram which argued that the US should follow a policy of 'containment' to stop Russian expansion. It really challenged Russia's hopes for communism.
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In 1939 Vietnam was part of the French empire known as The French-Indo China. The Japanese invaded Vietnam so that by 1941 Japan had control over Vietnam, Indo China and all its useful raw materials. Vietnamese communist Ho Chi Minh organised the Viet Minh where Vietnamese people were solders. They allied with the US against Japanese troops.

Japan's reign finished after their defeat in World War 2, they were disarmed and withdrawn and the French were given back its colonies. The Allies divided the country in half but Vietnam wanted independence. Ho Chi Minh spread his ...

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