Question

Describe the increasing involvement of the USA in Vietnam under Eisenhower.

Answer 1

1. The United States got involved in Vietnam during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961). This was the first time that the US directly helped South Vietnam fight communism.
2. The Geneva Accords of 1954 split Vietnam into North and South at the 17th parallel. Eisenhower then came up with the Domino Theory, which said that if one country in the area became communist, others would follow.
3. To stop the spread of communism, Eisenhower did not support national elections that could have put Vietnam back together under communist control. Instead, he backed Ngo Dinh Diem’s pacifist government in South Vietnam. 
4. The U.S. helped South Vietnam build up its army and government by sending military and civilian advisors and giving them money.
5. By the end of Eisenhower’s term, there were several hundred U.S. military advisers in Vietnam. This set the stage for future leaders to get the U.S. more involved in Vietnam.