The Vietnam War started on December 1956, which was fought by North Vietnam, being supported by the Soviet Union, China, and other communist countries, and South Vietnam, being supported by the United States and other anti-communism (What Everyone Should Know About the Vietnam War. (n.d.). About.com 20th Century History). It was followed by the First Indochina War, which was a conflict between France and Vietnam, in which Vietnam wanted to be free from French control, since Vietnam was French colony from 1887 to 1946 when it began (What Everyone Should Know About the Vietnam War. (n.d.). About.com 20th Century History). By the time of World War 2, Vietnam had 2 foreign occupiers, the French and the Japanese, which had invaded parts of Vietnam (What Everyone Should Know About the Vietnam War. (n.d.). About.com 20th Century History). The communist revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh had returned to Vietnam at the time of the dual occupation, after thirty years of traveling the world. Once he arrived, Minh established a headquarters in a cave in North Vietnam and the Viet Minh (What Everyone Should Know About the Vietnam War. (n.d.). About.com 20th Century History). On September 2, 1945, Minh announced the independence of Vietnam and the establishment of their new government, The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (What Everyone Should Know About the Vietnam War. (n.d.). About.com 20th Century History). The French were not willing to give up their colony so easily without a fight, so the First Indochina War started, and ended with the French losing their colony (What Everyone Should Know About the Vietnam War. (n.d.). About.com 20th Century History). The Vietnam War started when North Vietnam wanted South Vietnam to join them under their communist government (What Everyone Should Know About the Vietnam War. (n.d.). About.com 20th Century History). The United States got involved in order to stop the spread of communism. The U.S. believed in the Domino Effect, which said that if one country fell into communism, the other surrounding countries will also fall (What Everyone Should Know About the Vietnam War. (n.d.). About.com 20th Century History).
At the same time the Vietnam War, many movements were occurring in the United States. These movements included the Civil Rights Movement, the Anti-War Movement, and the Student Movement (Protests in the 1960s. (n.d.). Protests in the 1960s). The Anti- War Movement and the Student movement had one goal in common: to end the Vietnam War (Protests in the 1960s. (n.d.). Protests in the 1960s). There were no major protest against the Vietnam War until 1965 when the draft rate was increased from 3,000 a month to 33,000 (Protests against the Vietnam War. (n.d.). Protests against the Vietnam War). As the war went on, there were more reasons to protest the against the Vietnam War. The Student Movement not only fought to end the Vietnam War, but also fought against racism, poverty, and student rights (Protests in the 1960s. (n.d.). Protests in the 1960s).
The United States got involved in the Vietnam War because of two reasons: 1.) The fear of communism and 2.) The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. Like mentioned earlier, the U.S. had the fear of communism spreading. They believed that if South Vietnam fell to communist North Vietnam, the communism would spread to the surrounding countries. President Kennedy wanted to help South Vietnam in their fight, but didn't want to get involved in the actual fight. He agreed that the U.S. should finance the South Vietnamese Army by increasing it military size from 150,000 to 170,000 (John F Kennedy and Vietnam. (n.d.). John F Kennedy and Vietnam). Kennedy also agreed to add an extra 1000 U.S. Military advisors to help train the South Vietnamese Army (John F Kennedy and Vietnam. (n.d.). John F Kennedy and Vietnam).
On January 2, 1964, two American destroyers, the Maddox and the C. Turner Joy, and an American aircraft U.S.S. Ticonderoga were docked in the Gulf of Tonkin conducting an espionage mission collecting information on the coastal defenses of the North Vietnamese when North Vietnamese torpedo patrol boats “attacked” the Maddox (The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. (n.d.). Gulf of Tonkin Incident: 1964). The U.S.S. Ticonderoga sent aircrafts to repel the attack, sinking on patrol boat and damaging others (The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. (n.d.). Gulf of Tonkin Incident: 1964). This “attack” was used as a reason to send troops to fight in the Vietnam War. By July of 1965, there were 80,000 U.S. troops operating in South Vietnam (The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. (n.d.). Gulf of Tonkin Incident: 1964). By 1969, there would be 543,000 troops (The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. (n.d.). Gulf of Tonkin Incident: 1964). The Gulf of Tonkin would be the beginning to a war that would eventually have negative results.
At the same time the Vietnam War, many movements were occurring in the United States. These movements included the Civil Rights Movement, the Anti-War Movement, and the Student Movement (Protests in the 1960s. (n.d.). Protests in the 1960s). The Anti- War Movement and the Student movement had one goal in common: to end the Vietnam War (Protests in the 1960s. (n.d.). Protests in the 1960s). There were no major protest against the Vietnam War until 1965 when the draft rate was increased from 3,000 a month to 33,000 (Protests against the Vietnam War. (n.d.). Protests against the Vietnam War). As the war went on, there were more reasons to protest the against the Vietnam War. The Student Movement not only fought to end the Vietnam War, but also fought against racism, poverty, and student rights (Protests in the 1960s. (n.d.). Protests in the 1960s).
The United States got involved in the Vietnam War because of two reasons: 1.) The fear of communism and 2.) The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. Like mentioned earlier, the U.S. had the fear of communism spreading. They believed that if South Vietnam fell to communist North Vietnam, the communism would spread to the surrounding countries. President Kennedy wanted to help South Vietnam in their fight, but didn't want to get involved in the actual fight. He agreed that the U.S. should finance the South Vietnamese Army by increasing it military size from 150,000 to 170,000 (John F Kennedy and Vietnam. (n.d.). John F Kennedy and Vietnam). Kennedy also agreed to add an extra 1000 U.S. Military advisors to help train the South Vietnamese Army (John F Kennedy and Vietnam. (n.d.). John F Kennedy and Vietnam).
On January 2, 1964, two American destroyers, the Maddox and the C. Turner Joy, and an American aircraft U.S.S. Ticonderoga were docked in the Gulf of Tonkin conducting an espionage mission collecting information on the coastal defenses of the North Vietnamese when North Vietnamese torpedo patrol boats “attacked” the Maddox (The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. (n.d.). Gulf of Tonkin Incident: 1964). The U.S.S. Ticonderoga sent aircrafts to repel the attack, sinking on patrol boat and damaging others (The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. (n.d.). Gulf of Tonkin Incident: 1964). This “attack” was used as a reason to send troops to fight in the Vietnam War. By July of 1965, there were 80,000 U.S. troops operating in South Vietnam (The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. (n.d.). Gulf of Tonkin Incident: 1964). By 1969, there would be 543,000 troops (The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. (n.d.). Gulf of Tonkin Incident: 1964). The Gulf of Tonkin would be the beginning to a war that would eventually have negative results.