The Korean War
The Korean War presented one of the first opportunities for helicopters to become actively involved in battle. Although they were mainly used for evacuation and had limited uses, this war was a precursor to extensive involvement beyond medical abilities.
Geneva Accords
The year 1954 marked the splitting of Vietnam at the 17th parallel. Resulting in two different countries, North Vietnamese leaders lead their nation under communist influence while South Vietnam trusted a revolutionary alternative (Brigham 1). |
“This temporary division was scheduled to end two years later, in 1956, with a general election designed to unite the whole country. ... The United States recognized that Communists were better organized than the other political parties and would win the election. Therefore the United States delayed the event...” -Phillip Caputo |
The Domino Theory
"Finally, you have broader considerations that might follow what you would call the 'falling domino' principle. You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly. So you could have a beginning of a disintegration that would have the most profound influences."
-President Dwight D. Eisenhower |
“With Cuba as a clear reminder of Communist threat,
the stage was set for America’s participation in a war that lasted 10,000 days- the Vietnam War." -Phillip Caputo |