10.1: The Generation Gap and the Vietnam War

Paired Sources from U.S. History, 1877-present
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Abstract

The Vietnam War can be traced back to World War II, when Vietnamese nationalists recognized that their French colonial rulers were weak enough to be defeated. Americans first became involved in this struggle as the French lost interest in fighting to keep control of this distant possession. American interest in Vietnam was primarily a product of the global Cold War against communism rather than the resources available in that area. American presidents from Harry Truman onward were desperate to keep Vietnam from falling under communist control for domestic political reasons.

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