Number6: "Fact is .... Vietnam was JFK's baby."

An opinion based in error....matter of FACT, JFK signed an order about 40 days before his trip to Dallas, that in effect said, the the U.S. should NOT be in Vietnam.
Vietnam was a combination of things, that went back even before Eisenhower was president. You might familiarize yourself with the French Undo-China war, and treaties we had with the French, during WWII.
Even though Japan and Germany formally surrendered, the French were still battling in that region...and as a part of that treaty, we 'were' obliged' to help. That being said, the Gulf of Ton-kin incident was complete bullshit, and that was August 2, 1964...almost a year after JFK's trip to Dallas. the escalation of the war was Johnson's baby.
Just to let you know.....
..and the reason it went on so long, was to prolong the drug and arms trade...but that's another story altogether....

GfS