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The Geneva Accords were the agreements to end the fighting between the French and the Vietminh. These Accords divided Indochina into three separate countries, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. These Accords split Vietnam into the communist north led by Ho Chi Minh. And the pro-western led by Ngo Dinh Diem. Elections were held in 1956 to find out the governments of North and South Vietnam. -
John F. Kennedy became president on January 20th,1961. This man becoming president shifted the Vietnam war in a way nobody thought it would. He wanted to appear tough on communism to the American public. So JFK would increase troops and advisors being sent over to Vietnam. He also tired to convince Diem to make democratic reforms to up his popularity all around. -
Fear strikes over the U.S as President Lyndon Johnson informs the nation that Vietnamese ships have fired upon U.S destroyer ships. President Johnson now wanted to fire back in defense over American forces. So he asks congress to authorize him the use of force in order to attack back and defend these ships. Later in 2005 a declassified study reported that the second incident never actually happened.
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The U.S was having a tough time separating citizens from VC military members so they had to start running search and destroy missions. The VC would not give up no matter what, many of their people were being killed and they were still not going to give up their homeland. The war was stuck in the middle because of this and the fact that the U.S refused to invade N. Vietnam. Now on July 28th, 1965 President Johnson sends the order for U.S ground operations to begin.The war is only going to worsen.