U.S. Involvement

The United States got involved after the attack on an American ship in the Tonkin Golf. The United States believed in a theory called the Domino Theory which states that if Vietnam falls to Communism, then it will start a chain reactions in other countries. In 1965 the United States began dropping bombs on North Vietnam, and Communist controlled areas in South Vietnam. But by 1966 there were approximately 190,000 U.S. troops in South Vietnam. The U.S. began teaching the South Vietnamese war methods and training their military. By 1969 the amount of U.S. soldiers had grown to 550,000. Even with the enormous amount of soldiers in Vietnam, the U.S. was having problems defeating the Viet Cong (Communist Guerrilla Movement). With support from the Communist nations around them, the North was backed by a constant supply of ammo and other medical, and food necessities.