The Unites States’ main reason for wanting to control Vietnam was the idea of containment. They felt if Vietnam was lost to Communism then the entire Pacific would fall under its’ curtain. That is why they set up a democratic South Vietnam and even helped put Diem in charge of the South instead of Dai. Now by this time the U.S. had not only bankrolled the French operation in Vietnam, but not they were bankrolling the corrupt Diem regime.
U.S. now firmly involved in Vietnam experienced small fighting against Vietcong groups. The first of which came when several small patrol boats attacked the USS Maddox. After the attack that left the Maddox with several minor injuries the USS Turner Joy joined it. This attack left the Maddox on high alert and when a radar malfunction led to what was believed to be a second attack tensions between the U.S and North Vietnam grew.
Now with tensions growing Lyndon B. Johnson came up with the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in order to gain more control of military forces. The slowly rising tensions between these two sides are so great now a conflict was almost inevitable. After several VC attacks including one on an American airport LBJ authorizes operation Rolling Thunder, leading to the bombing of North Vietnam.
This led to arguably the most important battle of the entire war. The Ia Drang Valley was the stage for this critical battle. In this battle the members of the U.S. 1st Calvary were heavily outnumbered by the NVA, but managed to use artillery and airpower to hold their landing zone forcing the NVA to retreat, claiming victory for United States. However, after that battle U.S. soldiers traveling to LZ Albany were ambushed and suffered heavy losses at the hands of the NVA. Even with those loses U.S. officials claimed victory, because of the high kill to