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On May 7, 1954, the French forces fell to the Vietminh. The defeat convinced the French to make peace and withdraw from Indochina.
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The Saigon Military Mission, a covert operation to conduct psychological warfare and paramilitary activities in South Vietnam, is launched under the command of U.S. Air Force Col. Edward Lansdale. This marks the beginning of the Vietnam War. Many of the mission’s ongoing efforts are directed at supporting the regime of South Vietnamese Pres. Ngo Dinh Diem.
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The Geneva Accords effectively divide Vietnam in two at the 17th parallel. Although the Accords explicitly state that the 17th parallel “should not in any way be interpreted as constituting a political or territorial boundary,” it is quickly afforded exactly that status. -
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The accords called for elections to be held in 1956 to reunite the country under a single government. Diem refused to permit the elections, however, fearing Ho Chi Minh would win. Eisenhower approved of Diem’s actions and increased American aid to South Vietnam.
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President Kennedy took office in 1961, he continued to support South Vietnam, believing the country was vital in the battle against communism. -
They executed Diem soon after. Despite his unpopularity, Diem had been a respected nationalist. After his death, South Vietnam’s government weakened. -
Just three weeks after Diem’s death, Kennedy was assassinated. The presidency and the growing problem of Vietnam now belonged to President Lyndon B. Johnson.
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on August 7, 1964, it passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. This authorized the president to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression.” -
In March 1965, Johnson again expanded American involvement by ordering a sustained bombing campaign against North Vietnam. That same month, he sent the first U.S. combat troops into Vietnam.