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Politics : President Barack Obama -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (43332)	11/8/2008 7:18:21 AM
From: H-Man	Respond to of 149317

Creative. I am sure you have your fans, as evidenced by someone recommending your post. Unfortunately your assertion is false. The first involvement in Vietnam was by FDR, providing OSS advisors and assistance to the Vietminh in their fight against the French and Japanese as early as 1940. (FDR despised the French colonialism.) Truman began assistance but no direct military involvement, against the Vietminh, in support of the French, and IKE continued that policy. The first direct US military involvement came in May & Dec 1961. Here are the facts from my archives: September 1945 - Lt. Col A. Peter Dewey becomes the first American soldier to die in Vietnam. The Vietminh killed Dewey, mistaking him for a French soldier. The Vietminh are embarrassed by the incident and hide Dewey’s body, (because the US has been assisting them.) An OSS officer, Dewey’s first mission was one of POW release. He completed that mission, yet stayed on for the other part of his mission: to observe and report on the conflict between the French and Vietminh. Before his death, Col. Dewey reports back to Washington that the French and British “are finished” and that the U.S. needed to “clear out of south east Asia”. 1947 – Harry S. Truman announces a policy of funding anti-communist forces. This comes to be known as the Truman Doctrine. May 1950 - Truman announces direct military aid to the French in Vietnam August 1950 - Truman sends military assistance advisors group (MAAG) to Vietnam. September 1951 – Truman signs agreement to provide direct military aid to South Vietnam May 1954 – two American civilian pilots are killed when their plane is shot down by the Vietminh near Dien Bien Phu. May 1954: French lose the battle of Dien Bien Phu. October 1954 – Eisenhower announces military aid to South Vietnam to train and assist the ARVN - Essentially continuing the Truman doctrine. July 8, 1959 – Major Dale Buis and Master Sergeant Chester Ovand are killed when the Vietminh attack the town of Bien Hoa. January 1961 –During the transition, IKE and JFK discuss the possibility of direct military involvement. January 1961 – MAAG are assigned to ARVN groups but ordered not to engage in combat except in self-defense. At this point in time, Kennedy maintains the Truman doctrine policy of providing assistance and advisors, but no direct military involvement. May 1961 – Kennedy orders special forces to South Vietnam and authorizes covert warfare against the North Vietnamese in Laos. The first direct military action. December 1961 – Kennedy orders 2 helicopter companies (400 men) to Vietnam. Their mission is to transport and support the ARVN, the first direct military assistance the government of South Vietnam. 11 Dec 1961 New York Times - Two U.S. helicopter companies (33 H-2lCs, 400 men) arrived in Vietnam, the first direct U.S. military support for the GVN. 1962 – U.S, military presence grows to about 10,000 troops. In 1962, 109 Americans are killed. Nov 22, 1963 – JFK assassinated. 1963 – U.S, military presence grows to about 16,500 troops. In 1963, 489 American troops are killed. And the rest, as they say is history. IKE got us involved? Cute guys. u2 koan, That would be funny if i did not think this lack of historical knowledge was not so common. Pentagon papers [url]http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/pentagon2/pent1.htm[/url] [url]http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1961.html[/url] Good article on Dewey vietnamgear.com