Vietnam-Path+to+War

In the 1940s, Ho Chi Minh formed a communist party called the Viet Minh which had a goal to declare Vietnam's independence from France, and replace the French government with a communist one. This happened 1945, which was a major cause for a 9 year war for independence. Although the US had supported Minh in the past it decided to support France because they were allies, and the US didn't want Vietnam to be under Communist control. Ho Chi Minh however defeated France, which then led to an international peace conference held in Geneva, Switzerland. It was decided that Vietnam would be split along the 17th parallel, the French getting the South and Ho Chi Minh getting the North. An election was planned to elect a new government and ruler for vietnam, however this eleciton never took place.

THe Vote never took place because the prime minister of Southern Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem knew that because of Minh's popularity he would lose the election, thus not allowing the election to take place. Diem then asked the US for support, which they were granted. Dwight Eisenhower sent around 900 troops to Vietnam, which would later rise to 11,000 under JFK in 1962.

Diem had very little supporters and a weak army, and Minh's army was growing and Northern Vietnam was growing stronger. The North was fighting to reunite Vietnam and rid of the "corrupt" southern leader. The US and Diem both thought that communism was evil and dangerous. Diem was then assassinated November 1st, 1943, and soon after JFK was assassinated on November 22, 1943. The US knew there was a plan behind this, and Southern Vietnam was still unstable. Although there army was larger than the Viet Congs, they still could not win.

The US's biggest fear about Vietnam becoming a communist country is the domino affect. They believe that if Vietnam becomes communist many countries will follow. The US could send troops to Vietnam which was a rising possibility, but became even more probable after the USS Maddox was sunk by Northern Vietnamese submarines in the Gulf of Tonkin in August, 1964. Lyndon B Johnson ordered the bombing of North Vietnam hoping for them to agree to some sort of peace tready, that did not happen. Johnson was allowed by congress to take any steps in order to defend Southern Vietnam. The first marines would land in Vietnam in 1965.

**The bombing of North Vietnam

American troops landing in Vietnam**