Vietnam played such a large role in the history of America, particularly in the 1960's and 1970's, that it is easy to forget that we were involved in that country the decade previous.
Your assignment is to write a 2-4 page paper that explains clearly how this happened by responding to the following topic:
•Beginning in the 1950s, maintaining a non-Communist South Vietnam became crucial in American efforts to contain communism.
•What was the nation's justification for its actions in South Vietnam in the 1950s and its determination to abide by the outcome of free elections there only if those elections yielded a non-Communist leader?