Like most Americans in the 1950s, Caputo grew up knowing little of Asia and virtually nothing of Vietnam. After the battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, the possibility of the spread of communism in Vietnam captured the attention of the United States. For the next ten years, diplomatic tensions grew between th

ese two nations. As North Vietnamese Communists began to threaten South Vietnam, the United States initiated a military counter to Asian communist aggression. On August 7, 1964, Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, which empowered President Lyndon B. Johnson to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States in order to prevent further aggression by Communist insurgents of North Vietnam against the government of South Vietnam. The President steadily increased U.S. troop levels until they reached nearly a half million men by 1968. However, as a result of the TET Offensive launched by Communist forces, American leaders were forced to begin negotiations to achieve a quick end to the war. Although the Communists were eventually driven back, America's quest for a rapid victory was dashed. Under intense criticism because of his escalation of the war, Johnson did not seek re-election in 1968 and, for over half a decade, the Nixon administration found itself trapped, like Caputo and thousands of young men in the jungles of Vietnam.

Caputo was transferred to the line company in 1st Battalion and commanded the platoon with a new sense of adventure and a thirst for vengeance against the Viet Cong. He led his men through extremely dangerous ambushes and heavy artillery fire. Following an unauthorized raid on a village family intended to capture suspected members of the Viet C

Some topics in this essay:
Expeditionary Brigade, Jim Rader, Company Danang, Indeed America, TET Offensive, Cong Caputo, Marine Corps, Philip Caputo's, Viet Cong, Bien Phu, viet cong, company 1st, 1st battalion, company 1st battalion, south vietnam,