In every person's life they face life-altering decisions that could affect not only their life, but also the lives of many others. For most this decision is hard to come by, and an overwhelming amount of time is spent deciding upon the best possible outcome. For President Kennedy that decision was whether or not to become involved in the Vietnam War. America inevitably became involved in the Vietnam War as a result of the fear of communism.
             In the 1800's, before communism was perceived a threat, the French began colonization of Vietnam. Their original goal was to "exploit Vietnam's natural resources and open up new markets (Neher)." The French also sought to civilize and Christianize the Vietnamese so that colonization could be more easily attained. During World War II the Japanese invaded Vietnam and forced the French to remove their troops and any colonization efforts. However; in 1945, after World War II the French attempted to regain their lost colonies in Vietnam. In order to resolve this conflict the Geneva Conference was called. It was during this conference that the French agreed to withdraw their troops and a partition line was drawn at the seventeenth parallel.
             As communism spread and the United States' use of oil in Vietnam became threatened, Kennedy deemed it necessary to respond. 16,000 Green Berets were sent over to Vietnam in such an attempt. However, the North Vietnamese did not take the presence of the American soldiers lightly. In 1964 they launched an attack. In response to this attack, and other threats of violence, the "Tonkin Gulf Resolution" was passed. The president was hereby "empowered to take all necessary measures" in order to protect U.S. forces and prevent further aggression (The United States). After Kennedy's
             assassination in 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson became president. Despite his election campaign that "American boys sh...