Vietnam-+Path

=**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

On May 7 1954, it all started. French command posts at Dien Bien Phu are forcefully occupied by the Vietnamese. The French commander then tells his troops to cease fire. This battle lasted 55 days and Vietnam crushed France. Truman was actually sent as an economic and military aid to France to help them keeps their colonies in Indochina. But now Ho Chi Mihn can spread communism all throughout Vietnam.Then during 1959 Group 559 in formed. Group 559 took supplies from north Vietnam to troops in south Vietnam. Truman was actually sent as an economic and military aid to France to help them keeps their colonies in Indochina.This then became known as the Ho CHi Minh Trail. In late 1961 President Kennedy orders that there is more help in supplying the troops in southern Vietnam. Kennedy supported the overthrow of Ngo Dihn Diem and doesn't want to look like he is being soft on communism. Kennedy keeps on sending military advisors to Vietnam.

Then on November 22, 1963 President Kennedy gets shot and killed. His vice president, Lyndon Johnson, then becomes president. On August 7, 1964 the US congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin. This resolution gives President Johnson the power to take whatever he sees necessary to defend southeast Asia. Then two days before the presidential election Vietcong mortars shell Bien Hoa Air Base. Four Americans are killed. Vietcong then continues to kill more and more Americans. President Johnson then authorizes Operation Rolling Thunder, which was a limited but long lasting bombing offensive. Lastly in 1965 the first marines landing in Vietnam happens. Now the US is really involved.