Why did the domino theory cause the United States to become involved in Vietnam?
1 Answer
To contain the spread of Communism, the US got involved in the Vietnam conflict.
Explanation:
In the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, both sides worked to convert countries to their philosophy (Capitalism for the United States and Communism for the Soviet Union).
Countries that converted to Communism tended to be taken over through armed conflict and revolution - China and Cuba being two examples. It was feared that as revolutions occurred, they would spread and potentially cause more countries to become Communist.
Vietnam started out as two countries: North Vietnam, which was Communist and supported by the Soviet Union and China, and South Vietnam, that was Capitalist and supported by the United States. War broke out in South Vietnam - it was attacked both by North Vietnam and by a communist rebel group within South Vietnam called the Viet Cong.
Fearing losing an ally and the expansion of Communist revolution, the US became involved in the conflict (the North Vietnamese were fighting to unify their country).
US involvement started with bringing in military advisers - specialists who would give advice and training to the South Vietnamese but not getting involved in the conflict. Involvement by the US ratcheted up until combat units were patroling and engaging North Vietnamese and Viet Cong hostiles.
