-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

Need some help? How about ... This voicethread, made by your favorite 8th grade American history teacher that you have this year (I like to limit my competition)



//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

There were many diplomatic reasons that led to the conflict between Vietnam and the U.S. The first of which was the fact that Vietnam was a part of French Indochina. Vietnam was a French colony, until a man Ho Chi Minh leads a communist revolt against the French. WWII comes and Japanese take Vietnam after the war is over French take it back. Vietnam revolts again with Ho Chi Minh, and becomes communist. The U.S wants to stop the spread of communism. They split the country into two parts, one with American beliefs and one with USSR beliefs. A civil war breaks out with U.S backing one side, and the USSR backing the other.

Five presidents had a large part in the path to war in Vietnam. Truman was one of the presidents who took part in this. Truman still wanted containment of communism, so he sent money to France to stop the communist revolt. Eisenhower also had a large part in the path to war. Eisenhower sent military advisors to help South Vietnam against the communists in the Vietnam Civil War. Ngo Dinh Diem takes office in Vietnam, and is very corrupt. When Kennedy takes office he supports the overthrow of Ngo Dinh Diem. Sent in more military advisors to help overthrow communism. After Kennedy’s death 16,000 americans in Vietnam, and Johnson commits even more to the war in Vietnam.

The Gulf of Tonkin truly starts the war in Vietnam. U.S ships are stationed in the gulf of Tonkin, when North Vietnam ships fire torpedoes at an American ship. Johnson asks congress to take all necessary measures to prevent further aggression. Congress lets basically go to war without declaring it. U.S dropped bombs on North Vietnam in operation Rolling Thunder. Finally marines are put on Vietnam and the war starts in full.