This idea about the domino theory was backed up by the “Truman Doctrine” this was Americas policy to help free any countries, in other words. Free them from communism. This and the “Marshal Plan,” meaning that the USA would give financial aide to those countries fighting communism, this meant that the USA would be heavily supporting France with money. Which they did.
When Vietnam was divided (at the 17th parallel) the USA put Diem in charge of South Vietnam. The Americans wanted to use Diem as a “puppet,” this meant that behind Diem the Americans could tell him how to control South Vietnam. So in other words the USA had control over South Vietnam. But this did not work out right, he had no support and gave important government positions to family members. So already the people of South Vietnam were turning against him, also another problem with Diem was that he was a Catholic where as the rest of South Vietnam were Buddhists. Later on in the war several Buddhists burnt them self to death in demonstration.
Meanwhile in the USA president Kennedy was now in power, he was 100% against communism and considered him self to be the “champion of anti-communism” To prove to the USA that he was the champion of anti-communism he increased the amount of military advisers. In 1961 there were only 600 advisers in South Vietnam but by 1963, there were a astonishing 15,000 advisers.
It was in 1963 that J.f.Kennedy was assisinated, this gave great pain the the US as the Americans loved him. Also the best way to get a name and to be very loved was to be killed. So his replacement had to be very careful as the American public would have been very easily annoyed by him after the lose of the best president, so, L.B Jonson was brought in to be the next US president. He (luckily for him) had the same views as the American public and Kennedy, he wanted to stay in Vietnam and win/fight the war.
It was in 1964 on the 2nd of August, that a American destroyer was attacked by Vietman, in a “unprovoked” attack. The “manix” was attacked and so too was the “turner joy.” This information was sent back to the US and it was with this that Jonson passed the “Golf of Tonkin” act that allowed the USA to enter and increase military involvment in North Vietnam without declaring war. It Was then, that the “Vietnam War” had really begun…
