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War between French colonialists and Vietnamese was brought to a close. Tensions between communist powers and free market powers led to the creation of two separate countries. Originally, it was agreed an election in 1956 would unify the two countries.

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This 1954 image, created by the United States Information Agency, depicts a communist vulture with bloody talons. The goal here is clear: convince the people of South Vietnam that communism will brutally destroy them.

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The communist Vietnamese were led by Ho Chi Minh and backed by the USSR and China. Led by Ngo Dinh Diem, South Vietnam faced many governmental problems.
Diem drew criticism for his nepotistic policies. As an upper class Catholic, he was in the minority and was detached from the mostly working class Buddhists of the country.  This expanded into the military and domestic policy, making the government out to be weak and an enemy of the people, giving rise to conditions for a coup. In this photograph, Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc lit himself on fire in protest.

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Americans were originally supportive of war. From their perspective, the US army was much stronger than the Vietnamese, and a swift victory was likely. Patriotism was also a factor, with people eager to demonstrate the power of democratic countries. This began to change in the early-mid 1960s, with protests and protest music.

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In 1956, Senator John F. Kennedy laid out 4 reasons for aiding South Vietnam in fighting against North Vietnam.

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Vietnam had historically been resistant to foreign, especially Chinese influence. It was viewed as the barrier between Soviet allies and the rest of Southeast Asia. Should Vietnam become communist and join those ranks, it was believed it would open the gates to domination of the region. This was referred to as "domino theory", with Vietnam being the first domino.

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If a democratic South Vietnam became communist, JFK believed it would further solidify the negative view of democracy in the minds of many Asians. Democracy would seem weak and against the people's wishes, making it harder for the U.S. to spread their ideals.

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3. The United States' relationship with Vietnam

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3. The United States' relationship with Vietnam

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JFK felt the US had an unspoken duty to care for Vietnam. After the Geneva Accords, America continuously increased its involvement with the country. Despite the fact that it had no technical responsibility, the US was obligated to show that it would support its allies.

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4. The US would eventually have its hand forced

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4. The US would eventually have its hand forced

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JFK saw rising tensions between communist powers and the US and its allies as a future threat. Though he felt the South Vietnamese government was stable in the short term, he knew it was only a matter of time before the US would have to lend aid or give up. As such, he proposed being preemptive, lending this aid beforehand to increase the security of the nation. This measure was meant to reduce potentially greater costs down the line.

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https://youtu.be/T5al0HmR4to?t=84
By the time the following letter is written, music against the war is also being written. In Bob Dylan's song "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall", he makes numerous references to war and violence, including "newborn baby with wild wolves all around it" and "guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children". The wolves may refer to the United States and the Soviet Union, who are vying for control over the "baby" countries like Vietnam. At this point, North Vietnam and South Vietnam are less than 10 years old.

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In 1963, in a letter to a woman whose brother died fighting in Vietnam, JFK elaborated on these points. He explained that the threat in Vietnam was a threat indeed to the entire world. However, as he was writing to console someone whose family member had been killed, he likely exaggerated this point to make her feel better. His goal was to convince the public that the fighting in Vietnam was really for their freedom as much as Vietnamese freedom. He even went so far as to suggest that her brother felt the same, again trying to convince her to support the war. This letter was written at a time when protest music was starting to grow in popularity. In order to try to encourage support, Kennedy had to make out the war to be a noble and patriotic effort that directly protected America.

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In November 1963, Diem was executed, leading to even greater instability. President Kennedy began to express his doubts about the war.

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https://youtu.be/Fs4puvFVRmI?t=133
Some people still supported the war at this time, citing the same ideas earlier expressed by Kennedy. Johnny Wright sang "Hello Vietnam", a song which extols the war effort. The lyric "That fires we don't put out will bigger burn" exemplifies the idea put forward by Kennedy and other supporters that preemptive preparation is the best way of stopping the communist threat. He later echoes the sentiment that the Vietnam War is truly a threat to America with the lines "We must save freedom now at any cost. Or someday our own freedom will be lost."