1. Explain why the US Involvement in the Conflict in Vietnam changed during the presidencies of Kennedy and Johnson

2. Explain why the US Involvement in the Conflict in Vietnam changed 1960-68
President
Why?
Reasons for involvement/
decisions
What?
Actions/decisions
How important?
How did this affect US Involvement?
Truman and Eisenhower
Containment and domino theory
Reaction to China, Korea and Communist expansion
Advisors sent to Vietnam
Beginning of “strategic hamlets”
Kennedy
Believed in containment and feared Communist expansion
Diem was a valued opponent of Communism
Root out support for Vietcong
Win support for US values
Help train S.Vietnam army – in case H&M was not enough
Diem’s unpopularity in S.Vietnam and globally
Support for Diem
“Strategic Hamlets” policy
“Hearts and Minds”
Sent in 11,000 “Military Advisors”
Tripled financial aid
Overthrew Diem (assassination?)
Johnson
Stop communist/Vietcong success
Losing the battle for “hearts and minds”
GT incident and resolution enabled LBJ to send combat troops and bomb N.Vietnam
US could not defeat Vietcong or North, so increased US involvement
Double Military aid
Gulf of Tonkin and GT Resolution
Rolling Thunder and bombing campaign
US combat troops to Vietnam 4,500 marines 1964 – 550,000 by 1968

3. How to create a plan
Intro: Outline answer to the question and highlight issues in brief
Focus on situation in 1961: Problems facing Kennedy
Why did US involvement change under Kennedy and how
Johnson
Conclusion