Vietnam-+The+Path+to+War

VIETNAM- ON THE PATH TO WAR

One of the reasons why this particular war was inevitable was due to the restless revolts to try to make Vietnam a communist nation by declaring independence. The leader that led these revolts, Ho Chi Min, hosted various revolts, leading to war against Japan and ends in him forming the Vitemnh party in order to liberate Vietnam. After France took over Vietnam, Ho Chi Min eventually succeed by liberating Vietnam in 1945 and turning the North of Vietnam into communist. This event split the nation in various ways, the North led by Ho Chi Min claimed to be a communist nation while the South led by Ngo Dinh Diem were a democratic nation. The United States,who have already experienced multiple Red Scares, were completely terrified of the spread of Communism. The belief of the Domino effect caused extreme opposition to Communism and the public was pushing the government to get involved in Vietnam. This involvement that the United States began sparks the split in the nation, and soon it is not the North against the South but rather the Soviet Union against the United States steadily walking down the path to war.

The obvious short term cause of the War was the attack at the Gulf of Torkin. On August 22nd, 1964 President Johnson reported to the nation that American ships had been attacked by North Vietnam gunboats in the Gulf of Tonkin, in international waters. Angered, Congress decided to take immediate action. Soon Congress had passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution giving the President the power to use whatever force necessary to protect our interests in the area. The truth about the Gulf of Tonkin event would come to light at a later date.