Why did the U.S. become involved in the Vietnam War and what were the effects?

In the 1950s, Vietnam was divided into communist North Vietnam and non-communist South Vietnam.  Ho Chi Minh; President of North Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem; President of South Vietnam South Vietnam (non- communist) 

The Vietnam War began in 1955 when North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam in an attempt to reunite Vietnam under communism.

The U.S. used the domino theory to justify its involvement in the Vietnam War . . . President Dwight D. Eisenhower President John F. Kennedy

. . . and sent armed forces to Vietnam to help South Vietnam fight back North Vietnam and contain communism in Southeast Asia.

Agent Orange

Napalm

Enemy or civilian?

During the 1960s, protests against U. S During the 1960s, protests against U.S. involvement in Vietnam grew because many Americans believed that the war was unjust.

The U.S. failed to defeat North Vietnam and left the Vietnam War in 1973; Vietnam eventually reunited as a communist nation by 1975.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. During the Vietnam War, over 58,000 Americans and over 3 million Vietnamese were killed. Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Vietnam War Casualties: U.S. Troops Dead: 58,282 U.S. Troops Wounded 303,644 North Vietnamese Troops Dead: 1,100,00 South Vietnamese Troops Dead: 250,00 (North and South) Vietnamese Civilians Dead: 2,000,000