Ok. How did Harry Truman affect vietnam's fledgling nationalist movement?
373642
The Truman Doctrine planted the seeds of our involvement in Vietnam. These seeds grew so that by the end of Eisenhower's presidency he placed it as one of the most important issues to face the incoming Kennedy Administration. An assasination and two presidents later we would know how accurate that was. \n\nOne of the cores of the Truman Doctrine was the domino theory, or the idea that as nations fell to communism, the border nations surrounding would as well. Therefore, it was of vital national importance to prevent the spread of communism by any means necessary. \n\nOur decision to back continued French control over South Vietnam was guided by the Truman Doctrine and the logic that any government was preferable to the pro-communist north assuming control. This self-serving support of a colonial power and subjugation of the indigenous power rightfully angered the vietnamese, an anger the north willfully stoked vis a vis the Viet Cong.  \n\nThis of course doesnt do Harry or the theory justice, of course.
204434
The French colonized Vietnam long before the US ever got involved there.  The French were fighting the Vietnamese to keep control of the country.  The French suffered a crushing \ndefeat at Dien Bien Phu around 1954.  The US picked up the torch in hopes of keeping communism from spreading.  This is how the US got involved\n\nHarry Truman was president when the US jumped into the Vietnam fray.  Ho Chi Mihn wrote a letter to President Truman asking for US help in ousting the French around the time of Dien Bien Phu.  Ironic.
156565
The US was afraid of the "domino" effect.  They felt it necessary to stop the spread of communism because they felt if they did not stop it in Vietnam, the rest of the countries would be taken over by the communists.  I believe they took over from France.
545063
I do think the CIA had some involvement, as well as perhaps some military higher-ups. There were people who wanted us in Vietnam because of financial rewards, contracts, etc. Kennedy was against us being over there. Our involvement in Vietnam really only blossomed after JFK's death.
568179
Let's verify there was a massacre before we make any comparisons. Since Vietnamese villagers were not known for blowing themselves up to kill U.S. personnel and few if any of their women were ever combatants, shooting down civilians in that theater was a lot more difficult to take than anything that happens in a war zone where women and children routinely take up arms, put on disguises and attack both military and civilian targets.\n\nAs for Calley, I don't think Nixon went overboard in granting him clemency. He was being scapegoated.
241201
The U.S.A. went to Vietnam for almost the same reasons that it went into Iraq and Afghanistan, it is fighting an "evil ideology". Millions of Vietnamese died fighting for uniting their country under communism. In Iraq and Afghanistan, millions are not fighting the U.S.A. because U.S.A. is bringing democracy to those countries, to let the people decide. However, in Vietnam the U.S.A. did not allow their to be elections in South Vietnam, out of fear that communism might be voted into power. But I think the lesson is learned, that instead of denying democracy, they can allow it, and this will allow the people to give up fighting and decide their future. But we have to see if the U.S.A. will fully allow and accept the elections and democratization to flourish, or if the U.S.A. would simply set-up another puppet-regime through rigged elections.
656522
The Vietnam War or Second Indochina War (also known colloquially as Vietnam or Nam as well as the American War in Vietnam) 1 was a conflict between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN, or North Vietnam), allied with the Soviet Union and People's Republic of China, and the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, or South Vietnam), and its allies — notably Australia, Korea, and the United States. US combat troops were involved from 1965 until the official withdrawal in 1973. The war ended on April 30, 1975 with the military conquest of the South by the North.\n\nSummary\nThe Vietnam War began after a very large-scale division of Vietnam into two countries with a de-militarized zone (DMZ) between them. As Maurice Larkin notes, crumbling under the economic strain of the war and fearful of the tide of opinion (which had now turned decisively against further fighting for control in Indochina), the French, under Pierre Mendès-France, simply 'passed the parcel bomb' on to the Americans, slipping out of the back door, so to speak. The Vietnam War ostensibly began as a civil war between feuding governments. Being Western-oriented and perceived as less popular than Hồ Chí Minh's northern government, the South Vietnamese government fought largely to maintain its governing status within the partitioned entity, rather than to "unify the country" as was agreed to at the Geneva Conference. Fighting began in 1957 with the U.S. and Soviet-Chinese involvement, and would steadily escalate from there. The conflict spilled over into the neighboring countries of Cambodia and Laos. North Vietnam did not respect the independence or borders of either country.\n\nThe Geneva partition was not a natural division of Vietnam and was not intended to create two separate countries. But the South government, with the support of the United States, blocked the Geneva scheduled elections for unification. In the context of the Cold War, and with the recent Korean War as a precedent, the U.S. had feared that a unified Vietnam would result in a Communist government under Hồ Chí Minh, either freely or fraudulently.\n\nThe South Vietnamese government and its Western allies portrayed the conflict as based in a principled opposition to communism —to deter the expansion of Soviet-based control throughout Southeast Asia, and to set the tone for any likely future superpower conflicts. The North Vietnamese government and its Southern affiliated organization (NLF) viewed the war as a struggle to reunite the country and to repel a foreign aggressor —a virtual continuation of the earlier war for independence against the French. While North Vietnam used nationalist propaganda, its party doctrine denounced the very concept of nationalism and any form of unity other than rule by the party.\n\n\n\n\n\nFrance had gained control of Indochina in a series of colonial wars beginning in the 1840s and lasting until the 1880s. At the Treaty of Versailles negotiations in 1919, Hồ Chí Minh requested participation in order to arrange more freedom for the Indochinese colonies. His request was rejected, and Indochina's status as a colony of France remained unchanged. During World War II, Vichy France had collaborated with the occupying Imperial Japanese forces. Vietnam was under effective Imperial Japanese control, as well as de facto Japanese administrative control, although the Vichy French continued to serve as the official administrators until 1944. In that year, the Japanese overthrew the French and humiliated the colonial officials of the state in front of the Vietnamese population. The Japanese then began to encourage nationalist activity among the Vietnamese. Late in the war, Japan granted Vietnam nominal independence. After the Japanese surrender, Vietnamese nationalists expect to take control of the country and organize a socialist dictatorship. The Japanese army in Indochina attempted to assist the Viet Minh in their goal by keeping French soldier
586134
The ANNOUNCEMENT was related to end of WWII.  The ENFORCEMENT was related to Korea.  Truman misspoke his doctrine - or was ambiguous - and the Russians and Chinese misjudged his wording, leading to conflagration on the Korean peninsula.  I just don't remember what his misstatement was, precisely.
786132
The USA is obsessed with the concept of world dominance. It has refused to  learn from history and its experience in Vietnam. It could not prevent Vietnam from being a communist  state. It had fueled Afghanistan crisis and now trying to dose it off. Withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan will not be that easy and the change of guard in White House will have least impact on taking such a decision.
1050010
He was christian and was very much against buddism to the point where he destoyed some of the things.  \nHe treated his people badly.\n\nHe didn't try to build a realtionship with the local leaders and only with the rich landowners.\nJust like the american soldiers, he moved villagers to places under army survalliance (to search for communists)\n\nTry this website: \n\nhttp://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/vietnamwar/section4.rhtml\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngo_Dinh_Diem
678530
The Truman Doctrine and the Domino theory saying that if one country falls to communism it will lead to anothe then another then another until the entire world is communist so we will fight communism country by country.  Oh also we were bailing France out, funny how we bail them out but they screw us over all the time.
721563
Yes it played a major role into the failures of the Vietnam War.  Limited War provides a safe haven for the enemy, where they can regroup and launch additional attacks.
640689
Hate to tell you Navy Officer, there were no insurgents in Iraq bedore we got there.\n\nAnd your pious attitude about the death of American Soldiers for illigeyimate reasons is sickening. Pick up a rifle my man and jump on a land mine.\n\nAnd your Vietnam statements are even worse. I didn't see you there! Nixon Withdrew the troops.\n\nSource:\n15th Field Artillery Regiment\nWWI WW2 Korea Vietnam\nPanama Bosnia Iraq\nVietnam War Timeline\n"An individual's political beliefs depend on when\nhe became politically aware."\nAUTHOR UNKNOWN\n\n1970 - War Powers - By the time Congress learned that the naval incident leading to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964) had been misrepresented and moved to repeal the resolution in 1970, President Nixon had already shifted to another legal rationale -- his constitutional powers as "Commander in Chief" -- for his Vietnam policies. In its 1969 "national commitments" resolution, the Senate made a bid to reassert a congressional voice in decisions committing the US to the defense of foreign countries. The House passed war-powers measures in 1970, 1971 and 1972.\n27 Jan 73 - Official end of the Vietnam War.   Between 27 Jan and 29 Mar 73, a total of 587 military and civilian prisoners were released by the North Vietnamese, and during that same period, 23,500 US troops were withdrawn from South Vietnam\n29 Mar 73 - 67 more US P.O.W.'s were freed in Hanoi. The same day, the US withdrew its remaining 2,500 troops from South Vietnam. This date also marked the actual end of military involvement in Vietnam.\n10 May 73 - Due to continued bombing of Laos and Cambodia, the House voted (219-188) for the first time to cut-off Indochina funds\n31 May 73 - The Senate took strong action prohibiting the use of any funds appropriated by Congress to be used for combat activities in Laos or Cambodia\n7 Nov 73 - War Powers Act - Congress dealt President Nixon a stunning setback when it voted to override his veto of legislation limiting presidential powers to commit US forces abroad without congressional approval.   Congress, with the Vietnam War and the showdown over continued bombing in Cambodia behind it, was anxious to reassert its role in the conduct of the country's foreign affairs"\n\nYou have no idea of the total mess we have made in Iraq and in the world community.
642689
The Vietnam War ended.  Richard Nixon, President of the U.S., resigned in shame.  Jimmy Carter was elected President.
1036873
For the US, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; the Civil War, western expansion, World War II; we came out the number one country in the world from that, and Vietnam caused us to lose our innocence about such things.  For many Vietnam was the glass through which all subsequent issues are viewed.  Also, the Civil Rights movement of the 60's.  AND the great industrial progress:  telephone, autos, planes, etc.
585438
Interview a couple of veterans.  I was six or seven years old when hostilities started, but was involved in the evacuation of Saigon in 1975.\n  Go to Google.\n  Go to your local library.\n  Keep an open mind and realize that there are no truly unbiased opinions.  It was a war.  Don't let anybody white-wash it or demean those of us who went over there by referring to it as a 'conflict'.
560006
Here you go: \n\nhttp://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index.html\n\nhope this isn't due tomorrow.