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This was an address passed by president Truman that the United States would assist any countries that are fighting communism. This would later give America a reason to get involved in Vietnam.
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The MAAG (Military Assistance Advisory Group) was sent by President Truman to help train the French army during the First Indochina War.
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Under President Kennedy's orders, a handful of helicopters and 400 Green Berets were sent to Vietnam to carry out secret operations against the Viet Cong.
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On August 2nd, a small group of North Vietnamese torpedo boats opened fire on the destroyer USS Maddox. The Maddox returned fire, sinking one of the three torpedo boats and damaging the other two. Two days later the Maddox fires on what it thinks is another NV torpedo boat. After a few minutes of firing, they realize that they were shooting at nothing.
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President Johnson was given the authority to take any means necessary to retaliate and promote international peace/security in Southeast Asia
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After the first air bases that were built in South Vietnam, ground forces (3500 marines) were sent to Da Nang to protect them. At the same time, President Johnson ordered a three-year campaign of bombarding North Vietnamese targets called Operation: Rolling Thunder
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This was the first major offensive made by US forces. 3,500 Marines fought against a Viet Cong regiment for six days. While it diffused the regiment, the Viet Cong quickly rebuilt it.
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300 Americans were killed in the first large-scale battle of the war. This was the first battle where troops were dropped by helicopter onto the battlefield.
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The number of US ground forces in Vietnam is increased to 500,000 in response to multiple attacks on US air fields by Viet Cong
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From February 11-17, 1968, a large-scale attack spanning over 100 cities, targeting US outposts and the US embassy. It's extremely effective and bloody, and it marks the beginning of the withdrawing of troops from Vietnam.
