Alex, Ike sent in advisors. JFK and Johnson sent combat troops.
Yes,they inherited the situation from Ike, but they chose to continue the engagment and escalate it. Do you remember the Gulf of Tonkin incident?
I do. I was on active duty at the time.
And Johnson was president, not Ike. JFK and Johnson could have stopped the whole thing cold but they didn't, they went along with the program.

troll