What was the feeling of helping Vietnam at the time at the start of the war?

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What was the feeling of helping Vietnam at the time at the start of the war?

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"Where or what the hell is that" was probably the first response of many people.

I’m betting Ken Burn’s documentary didn’t mention the fact the origins of the anti-Vietnam War movement was from leftist and communist groups, all under KGB influence, operating in American universities.

Richard Nixon, then Presidential candidate, worked back channels and threw wrench in peace talks as an active war was helpful to his campaign. He then stifled Paris Peace talks as an active war was believed to help him in his quest for 2nd term.

Meanwhile, the highest levels of U.S. govt, via the Pentagon Papers (McNamara endorsed) knew the war was not winnable.

One of my sickest stomachs learning that all those people died for nothing…but for Nixon’s power quests. L I used to think the U.S. wore the white cowboy hat until this little nugget of history. Naïveté died fast death.

Not sure who was the most dangerous enemy during that war period.

Which is crazy in my mind but I wasn't alive at the time. What I mean is that why would the average person in the US care if a small Asian country turned communist? Doesn't seem like people in Britain, France, Germany, or any other country cared.

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US care if a small Asian country turned communist?

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Because it was never just about Vietnam. It was about Africa, Korea, Europe, Cuba, Central & South America, etc. We were fighting the creep of commies all over the world, and Vietnam just provided the perfect place to test MiGs, SA-2s, etc. against the US to prove that they worked.

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I'd bet the South Koreans would disagree with you

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They have a pro American parade/demonstration in front of Seoul's city hall, every weekend.

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I’m betting Ken Burn’s documentary didn’t mention the fact the origins of the anti-Vietnam War movement was from leftist and communist groups, all under KGB influence, operating in American universities.

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None of that got any traction until the middle class turned against the war, and that wasn't from leftist indoctrination, it was from seeing their kids come home in body bags.

My grandparents were the furthest thing from leftists but they were very happy when my uncle failed his induction physical due to a gastric ulcer.

Put yourself in the context of the time. Between 1945 and 1959:

1. The Iron Curtain fell across Eastern Europe. In every case, the NKVD or its successor KGB aided communists in being "elected" via assassinations, imprisonments, and just plain taking charge of counting the votes.

2. China, N Korea, Cuba, N Vietnam, and several other nations have fallen to communism. The Norks and then the Chinese attempted to forcibly add S Korea to the tally. Japan, Germany, and many other countries had very active communist parties.

3. Greece and Italy nearly fell to majority communist "elected" governments, again with the help of the KGB. Many historians think the presence of American carrier battle groups in the major harbors of both countries during the critical elections are all that saved them from far bolder KGB and insurgent actions.

The Domino theory was real, and there were legitimate concerns that we needed to take a stand. Nevertheless, Ike told JFK that Vietnam was the wrong place and time. Even so, had we let the military off the leash and stopped micromanagement of the war from DC, it would have ended very differently. Heck, if we had just not axed S Vietnam's military aid after we pulled out (D Congress broke our word there) S Vietnam, who was giving a pretty good account of itself, might have survived.

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Richard Nixon, then Presidential candidate, worked back channels and threw wrench in peace talks as an active war was helpful to his campaign. He then stifled Paris Peace talks as an active war was believed to help him in his quest for 2nd term.

Meanwhile, the highest levels of U.S. govt, via the Pentagon Papers (McNamara endorsed) knew the war was not winnable.

One of my sickest stomachs learning that all those people died for nothing…but for Nixon’s power quests. L I used to think the U.S. wore the white cowboy hat until this little nugget of history. Naïveté died fast death.

Not sure who was the most dangerous enemy during that war period.

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Incredibly propaganda-driven take. Out of touch with reality of the time. McNamara and LBJ's blind faith in him was one of the most singular reasons that the war was "unwinable".