On 8 March 1965, the character of American involvement in Vietnam underwent a fundamental transformation. On that day, 3,500 United States Marines of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade waded ashore on the beaches near Da Nang, South Vietnam. This event marked the official deployment of the first U.S. combat ground troops, signaling the beginning of America's ground war and a significant escalation of the conflict. The Marines' arrival was not a spontaneous decision but the result of evolving political calculations and military strategies in Washington and Saigon.

Prior to March 1965, the American role in Vietnam was officially limited to an advisory capacity. Since the 1950s, the U.S. had provided financial aid and military advisors to the government of South Vietnam in its struggle against the communist insurgency of the Viet Cong and its North Vietnamese backers. By early 1965, however, the situation had grown increasingly dire for the South Vietnamese forces (ARVN). A series of Viet Cong attacks, including a notable assault on a U.S. helicopter base at Camp Holloway in Pleiku on 7 February 1965, created a sense of crisis within the Johnson administration.

Right: Da Nang, South Vietnam. 8 March 1965. Marines of the 9th U.S. Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) scramble on to the beach.

In response to the Pleiku attack, President Lyndon B. Johnson authorized Operation Flaming Dart, a series of retaliatory air strikes against North Vietnam. This was soon followed by the more sustained bombing campaign known as Operation Rolling Thunder, which commenced on 2 March 1965. The primary objective of Rolling Thunder was to pressure North Vietnam to cease its support for the Viet Cong. As the air war intensified, the security of key U.S. air bases in South Vietnam became a paramount concern.

Da Nang Air Base was one of the most critical military installations in South Vietnam. Located on the coast of the central region, it served as a major hub for American air operations, including the reconnaissance and strike missions of Operation Rolling Thunder. Its strategic position made it an attractive and vulnerable target for Viet Cong attacks. Military planners, led by General William C. Westmoreland, the commander of U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), argued that the ARVN troops assigned to protect the base were insufficient and overstretched.

The rationale presented to President Johnson was clear: if the air campaign against the North was to succeed, the airfields from which it was launched must be secure. General Westmoreland formally requested the deployment of two U.S. Marine battalions to protect Da Nang Air Base from potential ground assaults. After considerable debate within the administration—with figures like Under Secretary of State George Ball voicing concerns about a deepening commitment—President Johnson gave his approval. The decision was made to deploy the Marines, shifting American policy from advisory support to direct combat intervention.

The deployment was executed with precision. On the morning of March 8, Battalion Landing Team 3/9 came ashore at Red Beach 2, north of Da Nang, while Battalion Landing Team 1/3 was flown in by helicopter to the air base itself. The landing was largely unopposed. In a scene that would become iconic, the Marines were greeted not by enemy fire, but by local Vietnamese officials and young women who placed garlands of flowers around their necks.

Despite the peaceful reception, the mission was strictly military. The Marines' initial assignment was one of defense. Their orders were to establish a secure perimeter around Da Nang Air Base, with a limited tactical area of responsibility. They were instructed to coordinate with ARVN forces but were not, at this stage, authorized to engage in offensive "search and destroy" missions. Their rules of engagement were restrictive, limiting their actions to responding to direct attacks. The primary objective was to free up ARVN units for offensive operations elsewhere by assuming responsibility for base security.

The deployment of the 3,500 Marines was a watershed moment. While the Johnson administration publicly downplayed the significance of the landing, framing it as a defensive measure to protect American assets, its implications were profound. It represented a crossing of the Rubicon, fundamentally altering the nature and scale of the American commitment. This initial deployment opened the door for a rapid influx of additional U.S. combat troops over the following months and years. By the end of 1965, nearly 200,000 American military personnel would be in Vietnam. Domestically, the landing did not immediately provoke widespread opposition. It was presented to the American public as a logical and necessary step to protect American lives and support the air campaign. However, for those who had warned against a land war in Asia, it was a deeply troubling development. Internationally, the reaction was mixed. America's allies in the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) offered varied levels of support, while the Soviet Union and China condemned the deployment as an act of aggression, pledging increased support for North Vietnam.

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