the U.S. Enters the Vietnam War

In your Cold War file folder in your Google Docs account, read pages 353 to 355 of Vietnam War.

The answers are due on Friday prior to class.
1. Many neutral observers in Vietnam were critical of US policy. Explain why.
Becuase observers were against the French and they thought the French and them were similar.
2. Explain how US politicians would have defended their policies.
they would have said that they want Vietnam to be independent and not cause the domino effect in Asia.
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.The reasons you can choose from are: No direct involvement; financial support; political involvement; military involvement. Also, note what events triggered the increased involvement.

( 1963) Assassination of JFK - Johnson becomes president---no direct involvement
( 1955) Formation of South Vietnam ----no direct involvement
( 1964) Gulf of Tonkin Incident----no direct involvement
( 1962) Number of 'advisers' reaches over 11,5000----political involvement
( 1962) JFK sends military advisers---military involvement
( 1965) U.S. Marines land at Da Nang------military involvement
( 1954) U.S. stops elections in Vietnam----political involvement
( 1963) U.S. supports South Vietnam government after army overthrow Diem----political involvement
( 1964) Viet Cong attacks on U.S. and South Vietnam bases---military involvement
(1960 ) Viet Cong formed ----no direct involvement
4. Choose two events that you think were critical in getting the U.S. involved in a war in Vietnam. Explainyour choice.
I think that the U.S. stopping elections in Vietnam was the starting point becuase the Vietnamese felt controlled and wanted to have a freedom of speech. they had been controlled by the french before so it was worse being controleld again. The vietnamese got mad making the u.s. have to deal with it and get involved becuase they started the problem. The formation of the Viet COng also made it so the Americans had to get involved because the Viet Cong group supported commusism and the U.s. was really against communism and had to stop the group before they made Vietnam communism and the domino effect would start over Asia with communism.