Vietnam+the+Path+to+WAR

=**VIETNAM - THE PATH TO WAR **=

You all know that the United States was involved in a major military conflict in Vietnam during the Cold War ... but why? What was America's "path to war"? Using the resources below and __Creating America__, your task this evening is to write a description in YOUR OWN WORDS of the causes of American involvement in Southeast Asia. Pretend you are writing it as a summary for on online encyclopedia or textbook. Your description should ...
 * be between two and four complete, well written paragraphs
 * contain the following terms - France, Ho Chi Minh, communism, Ngo Dinh Diem, military advisors, Gulf of Tonkin, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Rolling Thunder
 * be IN YOUR OWN WORDS (remember, it's easy to check this online)
 * contain two images THAT RELATE TO YOUR WRITING
 * Should end with the first Marines landing in Vietnam in 1965

Need some help? How about ... //Creating America// [|This cool animation] [|Into Vietnam (Overview)] from ABC-CLIO [|Timeline of the Vietnam War] [|Vietnam Online Timeline] Causes of the Vietnam War video below

What caused the Vietnam War that caused 250,000 lives? The origins in the war dates back to WWII. During WWII The Vietnam guerrilla soldiers had American aid from the US to get rid of the Japanese. Vietnam claimed its independence from France after 100 years of colonial power. The leader of Vietnam wanted to change Vietnam. Since the president of the US was worried about communism and the Vietnam leader believed in communism, this would lead to trouble. Vietnam tried to ask for help but Truman never responded. This led to a bad outcome. Now the leader of Vietnam needed aid from fellow communists. Vietnam called for help because of France invading and trying to invade Vietnam once again.

Although the US and Vietnam were allies, democracy and communists cannot live happily ever after. The US will turn on Vietnam because they are aiding the Soviet Union, the former opponent of the US. Now the US would go help the French with supplying money and weaponry. Dweight E. Eisenhower worried that if Vietnam turned communist, so would the rest of southeast Asia. This theory called the Domino theory would change the relationships between Vietnam and US. It would be similar to the hatred between North Korea and South Korea. All of a sudden the French realize a sudden sense of failure during the war.

They withdraw from Vietnam. After they left Vietnam was split at the 17th parallel. The northern side of Vietnam was the pro communists with their leader Poe. The southern half were anti communist rebels. Now the Vietnamese had thought of a plan to unite their country. They thought that Poe would win and have communism for all of Vietnam. Instead, the voting process never took place. Now the US would give military aid to Nung.

Now there were series of rebellions in South Korea that lead to worry. After President John F Kenedy was elected, The Soviet Leader promised that Russia would help aid Vietnam. This led to mass hysteria in the US about communism spreading. The only was the US could help spread communism throughout Southeast Asia for good is by aiding Southern Vietnam. 400 military advisors were sent to help the Vietnam army defeat the Viet-Kong. Now Khan was elected some years later and was strongly supported by the US. In turns out that he wasnt very good. Later, North Vietnamese submarines started shooting missles at South Vietnam. Now the President of The US had the power to make any choice he had to make. Johnson now ordered OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER. This was when the President ordered bombs all over North Vietnam. He thought that this would talk the North into peace. American troops warned the rest of the country that the South Vietnamese army was about to collapse.