Key figures

John F Kennedy- Sent a team to report on conditions in South Vietnam advised a buildup of American military, economic and technical aid in order to help Diem confront the viet cong threat, working under the domino theory, Kennedy increased United States aid, though he stopped short of committing to a large scale intervention.

Ho Chi Minh- inspired by Chinese and Soviet communism, he would take more behind scene role, he sent a message to the country's people that "nothing is as dear to the heart of the Vietnamese as independence and liberation''. He formed the Viet Minh, or the league for the independence of Vietnam.

Lyndon b Johnson- Was determined to prevent North Vietnamese communists from taking over the U.S. supported government of South Vietnam. He worried that America's security depended on containing the spread of communism around the world. As part of his effort, he steadily escalated U.S. involvement in the Vietnam war. The number of American troops in Vietnam soared from 16,000 when he took office in 1963 to more than 500,000.