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In 1941, a Vietnamese communist, Ho Chi Minh, drew on that history to stir up nationalist feelings in northern.
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From the 1880's up until World War ll, Vietnam was part of French Indochina, a French colony.
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On September 2, 1945, the same day that Japan formally suspended, Vietnam declared its independence.
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In November 1946, French warships opened fire on the port city of Haiphong.
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This aid rose from $10 million in 1950 to more than $100 million in 1951.
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By 1951, thousands of U.S. soldiers had already died in Korea trying to halt the spread of communism.
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By 1954, the United States was paying 80% of the cost of the war in Indochina.
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In 1955, the United States used its influence to put an anticommunist South Vietnamese leader, Ngo Dinh Diem, in charge.
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In 1960, the Viet MInh formed a group called the National Liberation Front and invited all opponents of Diem to join.
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When Kennedy became president in 1961, e sent an inspection team to South Vietnam to evaluate the situation.