As a domain expert in military history, I would like to provide a comprehensive answer to your question regarding the start of the Vietnam War in the United States. The Vietnam War is a complex and multifaceted conflict that spanned nearly two decades and had profound effects on the countries involved as well as on the global stage.

The Vietnam War, which is often referred to as the Second Indochina War, was a protracted conflict that took place from 1954 to 1975. The war was characterized by its guerrilla warfare, with the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong, fighting against the government of South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States.

The start of the Vietnam War in the United States is a matter of historical debate. However, most historians agree that the U.S. involvement in Vietnam can be traced back to the early 1950s. The U.S. initially provided financial and military support to the French during the First Indochina War (1946-1954), which was a conflict between the French colonial forces and the communist-led Viet Minh, led by Ho Chi Minh.

After the Geneva Accords in 1954, which ended the First Indochina War, Vietnam was temporarily divided into North and South at the 17th parallel. The partition was intended to be a temporary measure, with national elections scheduled for 1956 to reunify the country under one government. However, the South Vietnamese government, led by Ngo Dinh Diem and heavily supported by the U.S., refused to hold the elections, fearing a communist victory.

The escalation of U.S. involvement in Vietnam began in earnest during the presidency of John F. Kennedy. Kennedy increased the number of military advisors in South Vietnam and authorized the use of special forces, which marked the beginning of a more direct U.S. role in the conflict.

The Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964 is often cited as the catalyst for the full-scale U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War. The incident involved two separate confrontations between North Vietnamese naval vessels and the U.S. Navy destroyers USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy. Although the exact details of the incidents are disputed, they led to the U.S. Congress passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which granted President Lyndon B. Johnson the authority to assist any Southeast Asian country whose government was considered to be jeopardized by "communist aggression."

The official start of the U.S. war in Vietnam is generally considered to be the deployment of the first U.S. combat troops in 1965, under President Johnson. These troops were sent to support the South Vietnamese government against the communist insurgency, which was growing in strength and was supported by North Vietnam.

The Vietnam War was a significant event in American history, and it had a profound impact on the U.S. both domestically and internationally. It was a highly controversial and divisive conflict, with many Americans questioning the morality and strategic wisdom of the war. The war resulted in the loss of over 58,000 American lives and an estimated 2 to 3 million Vietnamese, both military and civilian.

The end of the war came with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, when North Vietnamese forces captured the city, effectively ending the conflict and leading to the reunification of Vietnam under communist control.

In conclusion, while the roots of U.S. involvement in Vietnam can be traced back to the early 1950s, the start of the Vietnam War as a significant U.S. military commitment is marked by the deployment of combat troops in 1965, following the Gulf of Tonkin incidents and the subsequent Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

read more >>

Vietnam War, (1954-C75), a protracted conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong, against the government of South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States.read more >>