Why did the US not get involved in the Vietnam situation at first to help the French but decided to fight later?

Answer 1

Pres. Eisenhower, former clerk of Gen. MacAuther who said "the U.S. should not get involved in a land war in Asia." Ike was advised by some of the joint chiefs to enter the war along with the French in order to secure Camron Bay that was later (after the Nam war) used by Russia as a sub base. Jobs! Ike told them "we do not need Camron Bay." Kennedy said Nam was a civil war, not U.S. biz ;then was assassinated. Johnson took over and expanded the U.S. roll in the Asian theater.

AnswerThe U.S. was involved from way back. In WWII, the U.S. promised a young nationalist leader that in return for his help against the Japanese, they would help Vietnam achieve independence from French colonialism after the war was over. That promise was broken, and the French re-occupied Indochina. The war for Independence started, and although it was French troops that bore the brunt of the fighting against what was perceived to be communism, most of the costs for the French forces were paid by the U.S. gov't. It was only after the great French defeat in 1954 when the French said they needed more money to continue, did the U.S. cut off their funds.

We fought over the way the government in Vietnam was being run. They had communism which means if someone needed something in Vietnam like food or money, it was given to them.