Chapter 5- US involvement

• describe the US involvement

  • US supported Diem in attempts to stop communism spread
  • sent military supplies & training to the ARVN
  • US soldiers became directly involved in fightinh
• what was the domino theory ?

  • Eisenhower's belief that the USSR and China wanted to spread communism around the world
• what did the domino theory lead to ?

  the red scare- widespread paranoia
• what was the McCarran act ?

  • all communist organisations are registered
  • reduced job opportunities for communists
  • Joseph McCarthy had a list of 200 communists working for the government
  • he accused many of communism
• who was Eisenhower & why is he important ?

  • served US army and became general in WW2
  • became president in 1953
  • ended Korean war
• what was Eisenhowers political involvement ?

  • invited south to join seato to help stop communism spread
  • sent CIA agents to saigonto gather info for USA
  • used propaganda to gain Diem support
  • encouraged Diem to keep peasants happy
• what was Eisenhowers financial involvement 


  gave supplies, money and military equipment to the south
• what was Eisenhowers military involvement ?

  sent military advisors to train ARVN
• who was Kennedy and why was he important ?

  • fought in US navy in WW2
  • US youngest president & first catholic
  • anti-communist
  • assassinated in 1963
• what was Kennedy's political involvement ?

  • didn't tell US press about involvement in Vietnam
  • did not stop coup against Diem
  • supported strategic hamlet programme
• what was Kennedy's financial involvement ?

  • increased money given to ARVN
• what was Kennedy's military involvement ?

  • increased military experts in vietnam
  • 300 helicopter pilots were sent to south vietnam
• what was the strategic hamlet programme ?

  • described as a way of helping peasants defend themselves
  • it was actually a way of cutting off peasant support
  • hamlets were surrounded by barbed wire
  • plan backfired once many turned to vietcong
  • Kennedy had to send more military help
• when were the strategic hamlets introduced ?

  1962
• who introduced strategic hamlets ?


  Diem