JFK got the U.S into Vietnam (not Johnson)

[Tom Scully]

Well, we're going around in circles.

As I've said (sorry for the repetition), the evidence that JFK was sincere in his beliefs is supported by the statements by the men around him - McNamara, Bundy, Rusk, JFK - and the documents. The Pentagon Papers document the internal discussions going on in the Administration as to what to do about Vietnam.

This isn't just JFK spouting off lines to protect himself from criticism about "losing Vietnam."

The Pentagon Papers say this, something that I think accurately summarizes JFK's view:

"In the course of these policy debates [i.e., how to deal with Diem], several participants pursued the logical but painful conclusion that if the war could not be won with Diem, and if his removal would lead to political chaos and also jeopardize the war effort, then the war was probably unwinnable. If that were the case, the argument went, then the U.S. should really be facing a more basic decision of either an orderly disengagement from an irretrievable situation, or a major escalation of the U.S. involvement, including the use of U.S. combat troops. These prophetic minority voices were, however, raising an unpleasant prospect
that the [Kennedy] Administration was unprepared to face at that time. In hindsight, however, it is clear that this was one of the times in the history of our Vietnam involvement when we were making fundamental choices. The option to disengage honorably at that time now appears an attractively low-cost one. But for the Kennedy Administration the costs no doubt appeared much higher. In any event, it proved to be unwilling to accept the implications of predictions for a bleak future. The Administration hewed to the belief that if the US be but willing to exercise its power, it could ultimately have its way in world affairs.

Again: "The Administration hewed to the belief that if the US be but willing to exercise its power, it could ultimately have its way in world affairs." Whether or not JFK himself believed in the "domino theory" or not the evidence is powerful, for me, that he simply didn't believe we should walk away.

The entire section, well worth a read, on the Diem crisis and its aftermath is here: https://nara-media-001.s3.amazonaws.com/arcmedia/research/pentagon-papers/Pentagon-Papers-Part-IV-B-5.pdf

Why not simply assess and present what JFK left LBJ with, VS what LBJ did, with what JFK left him with?
Example, does this, in any way, indicate JFK was preparing the U.S. public for an escalation?

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=945#relPageId=119


http://jfk.hood.edu/Collection/Weisberg%20Subject%20Index%20Files/T%20Disk/Tiger%20to%20Ride%20Moscow%20Conference/Item%2028.pdf