The U.S. Enters the Vietnam War

1. Many neutral observers in Vietnam were critical of US policy. Explain why.
Many neutral observers were critical of U.S. policy because the U.S. was desperate to prevent Vietnam from becoming Communist so they would go to any measures to do so no matter how unethical. They began supporting any anti-communist leaders no even though many were corrupt and they gave them over a billion dollars to help prevent the spread of communism. Thye went on two establish the Republic of South Vietnam and increased the tension between the north and south.

Explain how US politicians would have defended their policies.

U.S. politicans may have defended their policies by arguing that it was absolutly necessary to stop Communism in its tracks no matter the cost. They believed that if Vietnam was overcome by Cummunism, the rest of Asia would also succumb to it. If Asia also turned Comunist then devastation would surely ensue and a war be likely to occur. Therefore is was necessary to send troops into Vietnam to quell any communist uprising and also to suuport anti-communist leaders.

3. The following events are not listed in correct date order. Place them in the correct chronological order. (Write the year inside the parenthesis, i.e. (1965). Then note the reason for each U.S. action, and how it brought the U.S. into deeper involvement in Vietnam.

( 1954 ) Formation of South Vietnam- political involvement; Vietnam was split into two different parts, North and South, in order to prevent communism from spreading further. It was decided at the Geneva Peace Conference in 1954 that they would seperate South Vietnam in order to make it into a republic.

( 1954 ) U.S. stops elections in Vietnam- political involvement; the U.S. stopped the elections in Vietnam because they were afraid that a communist leader would be elected and this would cause a rise in communist leaders in Vietnam and consequently the rest of Asia.

( 1960 ) Viet Cong formed- military and political involvement; The Viet Cong was a pro-Communist group of Vietnamese who would atack peasents and others in South Vietnam because they were against the U.S. and a republican form of government.

( 1960-2 ) Viet Cong attacks on U.S. and South Vietnam bases-miltary involvement; The Viet Cong began attacking U.S. airforce and supply bases and other lilitary bases in South Vietnam. This increased the U.S. military involvement in Vietnam because they now had to quell a strong military force.
( 1962 ) Number of 'advisers' reaches over 11,500-military involvement; More and more advisors were sent to Vietnam by Kennedy because it was extremely important to find a way to effectively fight and defeat the Viet Cong.
( 1962 ) JFK sends military advisers- JFK begins sending military advisors in order to fight the Viet Cong.
( 1963 ) Assassination of JFK -
( 1963 ) U.S. supports South Vietnam government after army overthrow Diem-political involvement-
( 1964 ) Gulf of Tonkin Incident-
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