1) The document discusses the containment policy and domino theory that influenced US involvement in Vietnam. 2) The containment policy aimed to restrict communist expansion, while the domino theory held that if one country became communist others would follow. 3) The US grew involved in Vietnam to contain communism in Southeast Asia and prevent other countries from falling like dominoes, as the US believed happened after France's failure against communism in Vietnam in 1954.

1. Containment/Domino Theory Breeanna Bongcawil Kami Garcha Ashley Greenwood Josie Pellissier

2. What is Containment? An act or policy of restricting the territorial growth or ideological influence of another, esp. a hostile nation.

3. What is the Domino Theory? A theory that if one nation comes under Communist control, then neighboring nations will also come under Communist control.

4. What is Communism? An economic system rather than a political system. In communism the workers benefit from the product of their labor where as in capitalism the owner of the business benefits.

5. Communism is a very attractive theory, particularly for the poor masses of a developing country. Imagine a society where nobody is better or richer than you are, where everyone works together and shares in the products of their labor, and where the government creates a safety net of guaranteed employment and medical care for all. In Other Words...

6. Many US soldiers experienced bitter feelings about America's involvement in the war. One question that was frequently asked was... Why? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4oJ3rLfBXY

7. Many things factored into America's entrance into the war in Vietnam, such as the French's failure to protect the Vietnamese, our opposition to Northern Vietnam's communist beliefs, and America's desire to show that we would fight back against communist rule. America became involved in Vietnam because we believed that if communists took Vietnam, the other South-East Asian states would fall like dominoes. The Many Reasons...

8. The French Failure

9. They had colonized Vietnam, and the Vietnamese opposed. Why was France at war with the Northern Vietnamese people to begin with?

10. France declared war on December 19, 1946, in opposition of Communism. They were defeated August 1, 1954, and soon retreated. America's entered into war with Communists in 1963 Fast Facts

11. Our Beef With Northern Vietnam

12. -Viewed communism as being wrong -Didn't want communism to spread -Against Northern Vietnam taking over South Vietnam (US had a treaty to defend South Vietnam) What We Believed

13. What They Believed -The western nations should be thrown out of Vietnam -Americans had no right to impose capitalism -Wanted to get colonialists out of Vietnam -Vietnamese people should be able to run their own country

14. America Will Fight!

15. To show that we would not stand down and let communists rule our government. Our Main Goal?

16. How We Accomplished This Sent up to 500,000 Soldiers to Vietnam to defeat the North Vietnamese.

17. Feelings on the Home Front -Initially believed it was necessary to go to war. -Soon realized that the war's concept was flawed. -Began rioting and protesting daily.

18. -The French's failure in attempting to protect South Vietnam -Opposition to Northern Vietnam's communist beliefs -America's desire to show that we would fight back against communist rule.