T HE U.S. TAKES CHARGE OF THE WAR. Lesson Students will analyze the events that led the United States into the Vietnam War.

V IETNAM W AR Ho Chi Minh is president of the Communist North. Leader of the Vietminh. Ngo Dinh Diem became president of anti-communist South Vietnam. By 1957, a civil war between the two began.

E ISENHOWER A DMINISTRATION Eisenhower referred to the conflict in Southeast Asia as a “threat to free peoples everywhere” this is an example of domino theory. Therefore Eisenhower supported containment and sent 675 military advisors to South Vietnam to train troops.

K ENNEDY A DMINISTRATION Kennedy also supported containment, but not the use of the American Military involvement. Diem asked for more support, both monetary and military, and Kennedy gave it to him. By 1963, the number of military advisors sent had grown to 16,000. However, Diem did not use these resources wisely. He was corrupt and stubborn. He made enemies on both sides.

T HE F ALL OF D IEM Diem very quickly became unpopular because of his laws and governmental corruption. He was a Catholic living in a Buddhist country. He insisted Buddhists obey Catholic laws. No freedom to practice religion of choice. Monks began to burn themselves in the streets of Saigon in protest. Diem made no effort to stop the protests or to reach an agreement.

T HE FALL OF D IEM By 1963, Diem had 16,000 American military “advisors” and was getting over $1 billion in American aid each year. Kennedy was not happy with Diem’s results, and told South Vietnam that he would not “object” to Diem’s overthrow. Military leaders then staged a coup and seized control of the government by assassinating Diem. U.S. did nothing to stop The Coup D'état.

J OHNSON A DMINISTRATION Gulf of Tonkin Resolution On August 2 nd, 1964, Johnson announced that North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked U.S. destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. These attacks did not occur and Johnson just wanted to deepen the involvement in Vietnam. This gave Johnson the authority to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression.”

T ERMS C OVERED : P LEASE FIND THE DEFINITIONS FOR THESE TERMS Coup D'état Domino Theory Geneva Accord Indochina Vietcong Lyndon B. Johnson John F. Kennedy Ho Chi Minh Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Vietminh National Liberation Front War Powers Act