why were people pro-war during the vietnam war?

Good Evening Angelo,

Your question is really getting me upset at some of the answers you are getting. Some of them are totally wrong, and I did not give them the thumbs down

On August 7, 1964, the Gulf of Tonkin incidents. At difference times, two US Destroyers responsed to fast would be attacks by North Vietnam Torpedo ships. The destroyers opened fire. News came out that the United States was attacked in international waters. Many Americans were pro-war.

Congress passed the "Gulf of Tonkin Resolution" with a vote of 416 to 0. This resolution give President Johnson authorization to do whatever necessary against endangered American forces. This resolution later give Johnson justification to send 500,000 troops into Vietnam.

A few years later, critics said Johnson deceived the Congress and the American people. Investigations revealed that the evidence strongly suggested that US Naval Destroyers reacted to false radar signals. Again, the American people were misled. The Gulf of Tonkin is why most Americans were pro-Vietnam War at the beginning.

Angelo, this is added information for you and some of the people who answered your question.......

In 1967, I was going to (University of Southern California) USC, working nights as a (I.L.W.U.) Longshoreman, been married for four (4) years, and had my own business. I was earning over $20k/year. Today that would be equal to over $100k/year. I was a young man going places, living a good life, and on top of the world.

I received a letter in mid-March explaining that I was reclassified to 1A. On April 14th, I received another letter from the President of the United States...."Greeting". I was to report on May 4th. In less than two months, I went from the top of my world to being drafted into the US Army.

After stepping over the line, we rode all night at 40 mph to Fort Ord, California. I sit in the barracks, during nothing, for three weeks. Unknown to us, they had a meningitis out break. I started basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington. I went back to Fort Ord for AIT or radio communications school. I was shipped to Fort Gordon, Georgia for top secret crypto radio teletype school.

After my first 14 day leave, I had orders to report APO San Francisco for The Republic of South Vietnam on December 18,1967, my wife's birthday.

I was assigned to an elite Assault Helicopter Company deep in the Mekong Delta during Tet 68'. I made rank faster than any drafted soldier in the Vietnam war. I will not go into more details on what and how things happen.

FYI: On December 1,1968 general orders: Any soldier serving in Vietnam with less than five months to go in the military will be given an early discharge. This discharge will be honorable with all military benefits. Angelo, you should have seen me during the math. I only served 19 1/2 months. I left Vietnam on my Dec 17, 1968.

IN NO WAY did everybody volunteer for Vietnam, and I was not unemployed. My first MONTH'S pay in the US Army was for $84.00.

Yes, President Kennedy did send in advisors only. Kennedy also told Walter Cronkite that a war in Vietnam was unwinnable. He told Cronkite that it was a Vietnamese war, not an American war.

Kennedy also stated: "To introduce US forces in large numbers, while it might have a initially favorable military

impact, would almost centainly lead to political and, in the long run, adverse military consequences".

Johnson started the Vietnam War.

Angelo, good luck on your project and get an "A". Thanks for letting me share with you. You take care and have a great week. Peace, from Los Angeles.

Pro War Vietnam

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/av1iB

You might think this is cheating but it isn't. Look at what was done during the Iraq war on how George Bush sold that war and how they made not supporting his side was unamerican and the other things they did. If you are too young to remember, ask your parents or other adults. Why isn't it cheating? Because pretty much the same attitude was used except that instead of being a threat by terrorists, it was communists. Other than that, no real difference. z

Not many people were. Even President Johnson knew it was a bad political move, but didn't see another option because of the communist threat in the region.

If you haven't seen it, there is a PBS documentary that plays some phone calls that President Johnson secretly recorded during his struggle to decide what to do about Vietnam, and talks about just how much of a struggle he had in deciding what to do about Vietnam. Here is a link to a description of that documentary, but you would get much more information from watching it if you can find it.

http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features...

JFK got us into Vietnam. People, especially the media was really pro JFK. The Communist threat was seen as a big deal and as part of the U.S. policy of "containment," the U.S. involvement was seen as a critical part of that plan.

Also the majority of people that went to Vietnam volunteered. The reason was the money was good and people had a job (the civilian unemployment was around 7%). Few deaths meant that people considered it safe, especially when in town. People had to take helicopters or boats to the fighting for years.

Actually I was alive back then...

People weren't particullarly PRO-WAR.

actually most people I new weren't.

The mindset was we were going to LIBERATE the NORTH from the SOUTH.

You can't fix stupid... nor Ethnic.