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Truman sends military advisors
Truman had feared that Vietnam would become a communist state after the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 and the flow of aid from China and the Soviet Union to the Viet Minh. So, Truman sent over transport planes and jeeps, along with 35 military advisers. U.S. involvement in the conflict would only deepen from there. By the end of Truman’s presidency, the United States was funding more than one-third of France’s war costs, a number that would soon skyrocket to about 80 percent. -
The Geneva Conference
One of the things the nations involved discussed was the battle between Vietnamese forces under Ho Chi Minh and the French. The French agreed to withdraw their troops from Vietnam and it would be divided at the 17th parallel. Elections for a President would be held to reunite Vietnam. The US Feared Ho would win and helped establish a new anti-communist government in South Vietnam gave it financial and military assistance, the first fateful steps toward even greater U.S. involvement in Vietnam. -
Eisenhower's Involvement
Eisenhower didn't want to get the US involved in another major conflict like the Korean War. However, Eisenhower still believed in domino theory and didn't want to completely abandon Vietnam. Eisenhower supplied Diem with money and weapons, sending nearly $2 billion in aid and increasing the number of military advisors to around 1,000. Eisenhower got the US more involved by directly giving Diem money and supplying more military advisers. -
Kennedy's Involvement in Escalation
In 1954 Kennedy had declared no amount of US Military assistance could help in Vietnam. However, when he ran for president again in 1960 Kennedy provided South Vietnam with jet fighters, helicopters, armored personnel carriers, river patrol boats and other tools of war. He also authorized the use of napalm. Under his watch military advisor numbers had increased to around 16,000. This had further gotten the US involved with more advisors and money being poured into Vietnam. -
Diem and Kennedy's Assassination
Kennedy sanctioned a coup in 1963 that resulted in Diem’s death just weeks prior to his own assassination. Near the end of Kennedy's life he had hinted that he might have withdrawn the troops in Vietnam after his reelection. It's unclear whether this would have actually happened or not. After Kennedy's assassination LBJ took office. Johnson had differing views from Kennedy which lead to him increasing the US's involvement in Vietnam pushing us closer to war. -
Gulf of Tonkin incident
The United States Destroyers, the Maddox and Turner Joy, were attacked on August 2nd, 1964 by Vietnamese torpedo boats. Supposedly there was a second attack on August 4th however, it seems that the storm happening in the area had messed with the radars.This created tension in the US. This escalated US involvement as it lead to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
After the Gulf of Tonkin incident President LBJ had the Tonkin Resolution passed.The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution authorized President Lyndon Johnson to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression” by the communist government of North Vietnam. This had depended the involvement of the US because LBJ has now been granted war making powers. -
Operation Flaming Dart
Operation Flaming Dart was a series of targeted bombing runs against the North, purportedly in response to Viet Cong attacks. By early March, this campaign had given way to Operation Rolling Thunder, a more intensive and sustained program of aerial bombardment. Its self explanatory on how this increased US involvement as we were actively bombing them. As mentioned Operation Flaming Dart gave way for Operation Rolling Thunder involving the US even more. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was the codename for an American bombing campaign during the Vietnam War. U.S. military aircraft attacked targets throughout North Vietnam. It was intended to put pressure on North Vietnam’s communist leaders and reduce their capacity to wage war against the government of South Vietnam. Operation Rolling Thunder marked the first sustained American assault on North Vietnamese territory and represented a major expansion of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. -
US ground troops in Vietnam
Ground troops had been sent to Vietnam to protect US air bases from Viet Cong attacks. This was the first time the US had deployed ground combat units to fight off the Viet Cong. Although it was intended to be defensive if US troops were to be killed it would further increase US unrest. At this point any fire at each other might as well be a declaration of war. This had further increased US involvement and conflict in Vietnam. -
Zippo Missions
When American soldiers failed to locate or engage the Viet Cong in a known ‘hot zone’, there were often reprisals against civilians suspected of supporting them. Villager had their stores destroyed, wells poisoned, livestock killed, and buildings torched. There were occasional atrocities against civilians, such as the killing of 145 villagers at Thuy Bo and the My Lai Massacre. This got America even more involved and made the Soldiers there look bad. -
Richard Nixon
Nixon escalated the war in multiple ways. He approved secret bombing raids, sent ground troops into Cambodia, and sanctioned a similar invasion of Laos. He did this in an attempt to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines and destroy Vietcong camps. Nixon also ordered the most intense air assault of the war, pummeling North Vietnamese cities with roughly 36,000 tons of bombs
