Vietnam

After World War II, America did what it could to stop the spread of communism across the globe. The Cold War continued as America tried to stop the Soviet Union’s continuous effort to take over noncommunist countries. The country of Vietnam became part of the struggle between the two powerful nations. The Vietnam War was, in part, a result of America’s fear of Soviet occupation and the spread of communism.

In 1964, President Johnson asked Congress to agree to take whatever measures were necessary to stop attacks against the United States’ forces. The request came about as a result of reports that North Vietnamese gunboats had fired at destroyers owned by the United States. President Johnson was given the green light to do what was necessary to stop military aggression by North Vietnamese troops. By 1968, there were more than 500,000 American soldiers in Vietnam.

The country had mixed emotions about America’s involvement with Vietnam. Some felt the U.S. had to protect South Vietnam. They believed if one country fell to communism, then others would quickly follow. Others wanted Americans removed from Vietnam as quickly as possible. The Vietnam War finally ended in 1973 with Vietnam still divided.